Vaccines have made it possible to eradicate the scourge of
smallpox, promise the same for polio, and have profoundly
reduced the threat posed by other diseases such as whooping
cough, measles, and meningitis. What is next? There are many
pathogens, autoimmune diseases, and cancers that may be
promising targets for vaccine research and development. This
volume provides an analytic framework and quantitative model for
evaluating disease conditions that can be applied by those
setting priorities for vaccine development over the coming
decades. The committee describes an approach for comparing
potential new vaccines based on their impact on morbidity and
mortality and on the costs of both health care and vaccine
development. The book examines: - Lessons to be learned from the
polio experience. - Scientific advances that set the stage for
new vaccines. - Factors that affect how vaccines are used in the
population. - Value judgments and ethical questions raised by
comparison of health needs and benefits. The commit