Vaccines

Doctors don't always suggest that pregnant women get flu shots, which may account for the relatively low vaccination rates.

When Pregnant Women Get Flu Shots, Babies Are Healthier

5:00am May 07, 2016

by Esther Landhuis

Babies are much less likely to get the flu in their first months of life if mom got a flu shot while she was pregnant, a study finds. Yet most expectant mothers don't get immunized.

A woman holds her child to receive rabies vaccines at Hangzhou Hospital for the Prevention and Treatment of Occupational Disease as the child got scratched by a cat on March 22, 2016 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province of China. A case of illegal vaccines that

Health & Safety

A Criminal Ring In China Sold Expired Vaccines

7:39pm April 25, 2016

by Anthony Kuhn

Public anger in China is simmering over a nationwide criminal ring that sold expired vaccines. Despite success in vaccinating China's population, lax oversight has often led to tragedies like this.

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A Pakistani health worker gives a polio vaccine to students in Peshawar, Pakistan, in March. Polio remains endemic in Pakistan after the Taliban banned vaccinations, attacks targeted medical staffers and suspicions lingered about the inoculations.

New Polio Vaccine Rolled Out In Massive Synchronized Worldwide Switch

12:08pm April 17, 2016

by Merrit Kennedy

155 countries and territories are switching to a different polio vaccine, in what health officials say is the next step to completely eradicating the disease worldwide.

A 'Forgotten Disease' Is Suddenly Causing New Worries

5:50pm March 25, 2016

by Nurith Aizenman

Yellow fever is spreading in Angola. Experts are afraid it could spread further in Africa and Asia. This couldn't come at a worse time.

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Scientists say they still have a lot to learn about Zika before they'll have a vaccine ready for people.

Why Scientists Hope To Inject Some People With Zika Virus

6:55pm February 25, 2016

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

There's no vaccine yet, but Zika researchers are racing to find a good candidate. After testing it in animals, checking for effectiveness in humans might include injecting Zika into healthy people.

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Some doctors have been hesitant to recommend the HPV vaccine for boys and girls.

CDC Endorses A More Effective HPV Vaccine To Prevent Cancer

5:02pm February 01, 2016

by Tara Haelle

An HPV vaccine that protects against nine strains of the virus that causes cancer gets the nod from the CDC. So does a vaccine for a rare but often lethal form of meningitis.

Diane McMenamin, 14, gets vaccinated against rubella at a high school in Willingboro, N.J., in 1976.

Before Zika Virus, Rubella Was A Pregnant Woman's Nightmare

5:23am January 30, 2016

by Wendy Wolfson

Our experience with the rubella virus, which can cause miscarriages or serious birth defects if a woman gets infected while pregnant, may help scientists figure out how to combat Zika virus.

Childhood Vaccination Rates Climb In California

3:35pm January 21, 2016

by Lisa Aliferis

State health officials suspect California's big measles outbreak last year helped persuade parents to get their kids immunized against other illnesses, too.

Becoming a father made Dr. Namala Mkopi appreciate why parents worry so much. He's been a leading advocate for childhood vaccines in his native Tanzania.

Now That He's A Dad, Tanzanian Doctor Is An Advocate Of Prudent Panic

6:08pm January 04, 2016

by Marc Silver

Pediatrician Namala Mkopi shares his new insights into the art of parenting and doctoring. He also tells NPR why people need to pay more attention to a disease no one likes to talk about: diarrhea.

Many Americans Believe They Don't Need The Flu Vaccine

1:47pm November 27, 2015

by Rae Ellen Bichell

An NPR poll finds nearly two-thirds of adults got this year's flu vaccine or plan to get it. Many of those who are skipping vaccination cite a lack of need and worries about side effects.