The creation of a vaccine involves scientists and medical experts from around the world, and it usually requires 10 to 15 years of research before the vaccine is made available to the general public.

Vaccination is often cited among the 10 greatest public health achievements of the 20th century. Only access to safe and clean water has had a larger effect on human health by preventing disease and extending lifespans.

Reasons human cells are used in vaccine research and development: To develop a vaccine that can be produced on a large scale, researchers must grow viruses or bacteria in large quantities and with great consistency. Bacteria can be grown in a laboratory, but viruses need living cells to infect so they can make copies of themselves. Viruses tend to grow better in cells from humans than those of other animals. Human cells can be maintained for long periods of time at low temperatures, enabling scientists to use the same cell lines from many decades ago.

The bioscience industry and its supporting ecosystem drive bold innovations to address unmet human needs in the U.S. and around the world, including developing new breakthrough therapies that treat deadly diseases. The collective efforts of the industry and our public and private stakeholders have met the challenges of the COVID pandemic head-on, while lessening the impacts of climate change and nourishing a growing global population.