Vaccines have had a profoundly positive impact on human health, but the practice of vaccination also has its detractors. In this podcast, Dr. Tinker explores the causes of the current loss of confidence in vaccine safety, and the impacts this loss has had on the incidence of disease. She also presents rationale regarding why vaccine research is needed and analyzes the pipeline for continued development of new and improved methods of immunization. Dr. Tinker examines the historical benefits of vaccines that have been used to fight smallpox, polio, rubella, and many other infectious diseases. Her current research regarding the search for a vaccine to fight staph infections is also chronicled.