Of Vaccines and Men

Overview

In the 1870s, Louis Pasteur's discovery of microbes was a revolution in scientific medicine. By explaining the cause of infectious diseases, the scientist also understood what the antidote to them should be: vaccination. Such was its success that this technique for stimulating the immune system has since become the standard-bearer of scientific medicine, to the point of drawing a dividing line between light and obscurantism, science and superstition. Nevertheless, vaccination cannot be exempt from all questioning. Does it act on the organism beyond protection against a disease? Do we know that the order in which vaccines are administered influences their effectiveness and their possible harmfulness? Should everyone be vaccinated? Do laboratories exploit fear?