Understanding modern-day vaccines: what you need to know

Abstract

Vaccines are considered to be one of the greatest public health achievements of the last century. Depending on the biology of the infection, the disease to be prevented, and the targeted population, a vaccine may require the induction of different adaptive immune mechanisms to be effective. Understanding the basic concepts of different vaccines is therefore crucial to understand their mode of action, benefits, risks, and their potential real-life impact on protection. This review aims to provide healthcare professionals with background information about the main vaccine designs and concepts of protection in a simplified way to improve their knowledge and understanding, and increase their confidence in the science of vaccination (Supplementary Material).

KEY MESSAGE

• Different vaccine designs, each with different advantages and limitations, can be applied for protection against a particular disease.

• Vaccines may contain live-attenuated pathogens, inactivated pathogens, or only parts of pathogens and may also contain adjuvants to stimulate the immune responses.

• This review explains the mode of action, benefits, risks and real-life impact of vaccines by highlighting key vaccine concepts.

• An improved knowledge and understanding of the main vaccine designs and concepts of protection will help support the appropriate use and expectations of vaccines, increase confidence in the science of vaccination, and help reduce vaccine hesitancy.

Keywords:

• Benefit
• concept
• design
• immune response
• limitation
• vaccinology

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Drs. Lode Schuerman and Alberta Di Pasquale (GSK, Belgium) for their critical review of the manuscript and Sarah Brown (Fishawack, United Kingdom) for the figure. Writing assistance was provided by Dr. Julie Harriague (4Clinics, France), on behalf of GSK. Authors would like to thank Business & Decision Life Sciences platform for editorial assistance and manuscript coordination, on behalf of GSK. Carole Desiron coordinated manuscript development and editorial support.

Disclosure statement

VV, LRF and JK are employees of the GSK group of companies and hold shares in the GSK group of companies. GD is an employee of MSD and was an employee of the GSK group of companies. MS has received speaker honoraria from Merck, Amgen, Pfizer, NovoNordisk and Allergan outside of this submitted work and is an advisory board member for the GSK group of companies, Mithra, Pfizer and Amgen outside this submitted work.

Adjupanrix, Arepanrix, Bexsero, Boostrix, Cervarix, Engerix B, Fendrix, Flulaval, Havrix, Infanrix, Ixiaro, Mencevax, Menveo, Mosquirix, Nimenrix, Pandemrix, Priorix, Priorix-Tetra, Rotarix, Synflorix, Shingrix and Tritanrix are trademarks owned by or licensed to the GSK group of companies. Gardasil, Gardasil 9, M-M-RVAXPRO, Pneumovax 23, ProQuad, Recombivax HB, RotaTeq, Vaqta and Zostavax are trademarks of MSD (Merck Sharp & Dohme) or Merck & Co, Inc. ACT-HIB, Adacel, Dengvaxia, GenHevac-B, Imojev, Menactra, Pneumo 23, Stamaril and Vaxigrip are trademarks of Sanofi Pasteur. Neisvac, Prevnar, Prevnar 13 and Trumenba are trademarks of Pfizer. Fluenz and Flumist are trademarks of MedImmune, LLC. Flucelvax is a trademark of Seqirus. Rotavac is a trademark of Bharat Biotech. Dukoral is a trademark of Valneva Sweden AB.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals S.A., which paid for all costs associated with the development and the publishing of the present manuscript.