Bacteriology & Applied Microbiology

Advanced Research in Vaccines

Recent advances in vaccine technology stemming from the application of genetic engineering are now providing an opportunity to target new diseases. The previous century’s successes in reducing the primary causes of mortality in childhood now include protecting against infectious agents that can result in significant morbidity. Scientific progress and these broadened applications will no doubt result in improved health-based outcomes, but progress often comes at a significant short-term cost. Although it is true that improved outcomes are the goal of health care technology and that preventing disease is preferable to treatment, thus reducing overall costs, confusion persists about the best course going forward. For example, the use of new vaccines for human papillomavirus (HPV) must result in fewer cases of cervical cancer as well as in reduced cost savings in related medical expenses, such as for Pap smears and colposcopies. In this way, a manufacturer might be able to differentiate its product from a competing one.