Abstract

PIP: According to Brian Ward, vaccines are probably the most efficacious and cost-effective medical interventions ever invented. He notes that surveillance of vaccine-related adverse events is important, and resources should be made available for monitoring vaccine safety at a time of increasing vaccine activity. However, in an environment of limited resources, there is a dispute over the level of resources devoted to vaccine surveillance versus vaccine deployment. In an examination of the balance of risk versus benefit, several arguments are given. Nevertheless, no tangible evidence supports the claim that the increased use of new vaccines will be more trouble than it is worth. Ward offers a more worthy argument against the use of vaccines aimed at maintaining productivity rather than securing personal health and well-being. Overall, the author upholds the importance of good vaccine surveillance but opposes the notion of shifting resources from vaccine development to vaccine surveillance.