A 47-year-old member asked:
why do some infectious diseases not have vaccines to prevent/cure them?
2 doctor answers • 4 doctors weighed in
Dr. James Ferguson answered
Pediatrics 46 years experience
Time,money,difficult: There are ongoing efforts to develop more vaccines but the process takes time, researchers with training & interest & lots of money. Once a potential vaccine has been developed, it takes years of testing to get to the point that testing on humans is permitted. Then it takes time to collect effectiveness & safety data to get it approved by the fda. The process is long but one that assures safety.
5700 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Jay Park answered
Pediatrics 50 years experience
See below: If multiple viruses are involved as causative organism, making a vaccine against them is virtually not feasible. Example of common cold. Some inactivated virus, e.g., RSV or serotypes of bacteria, e.g., meningococcus, are simply not immunogenic to produce adequate antibody response.
5700 viewsAnswered >2 years ago
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Last updated Jan 12, 2015
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