How Vaccines Save Lives

Policy Matters

Vaccines against such afflictions as measles, flu and cervical cancer have a proven track record of success. Yet we as a nation appear to be doing less than we can to ensure that our population is properly vaccinated. Indeed, there has been pushback against a number of vaccines by activists known as “anti-vaxxers.” Do their claims have any merit? And what can we do to ensure that all Americans receive the vaccinations necessary to protect their health?

This episode’s guest is Dr. Peter J. Hotez. He is the Baker Institute fellow in disease and poverty. He is dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine and professor of pediatrics and molecular virology and microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine, where he is also chief of the Section of Pediatric Tropical Medicine and the Texas Children’s Hospital Endowed Chair of Tropical Pediatrics. Dr. Hotez is a nationally-acknowledged expert on vaccination.