FYS520

From the first immunizations in ancient Chinese medicine to the social and medical campaigns that led to the eradication of smallpox, and during the current search for a vaccine for COVID-19, vaccines have been controversial. On the one hand, vaccines are the single-most effective way to prevent disease; on the other hand, people often fear and resist them. If vaccines are so effective, why don't we have more? As students explore the past, present, and future of immunizations, they explore the biological bases of vaccines and the difficulties in developing effective ones as well as the ethics of vaccination development and public health policies. Students also examine how vaccination programs in the United States compare with those in other countries and why some programs are more successful than others. How vaccines have shaped human life and why humans resist vaccines despite their efficacy are also considered.