All about vaccination

Vaccination: a simple step to protect millions of lives

Vaccination is one of the greatest achievements in the history of medicine. 

According to WHO, every year vaccination prevents between 3.5 and 5 million deaths worldwide from infectious diseases like diphtheria, tetanus, measles, whooping cough and influenza.
 

Ever since Louis Pasteur's groundbreaking work on rabies in 1885, the Institut Pasteur has played a key part in this scientific journey, contributing to the development of vaccines that have changed the course of history, like the BCG (tuberculosis vaccine), the yellow fever vaccine and the hepatitis B vaccine.
 

Getting vaccinated is the most effective means of prevention to protect both yourself and your loved ones.
 

1.4 million lives saved in Europe as a result of the covid-19 vaccine
 

What exactly is a vaccine?

A vaccine is like a dress rehearsal for the immune system. 
 

It is a preparatory measure that teaches the body how to defend against pathogens (viruses, bacteria or parasites). It coaches the immune system in recognizing and combating severe or fatal diseases. Whether for your own health or to protect your loved ones, getting vaccinated can prevent many dangerous and even fatal diseases. 
 

•    How do vaccines actually act in the body?
•    Why do some require boosters? (see the report "Vaccines explained")
•    Are aluminum adjuvants dangerous?
•    And why is it so important to keep your vaccine schedule up to date, at every stage of life?
 

Innovation and R&D, a key part of the Institut Pasteur's work

For well over a century, the Institut Pasteur has played a major role in global vaccine development. Our scientists have been involved in the development of key vaccines that have saved millions of lives over the decades, such as the vaccines for tuberculosis, diphtheria, yellow fever, polio and hepatitis B
 

Did you know? At the Institut Pasteur, a dedicated team manages the development of vaccine projects, from basic research to early clinical development.
 

Future vaccines

Promising vaccine projects targeting the world's major health threats

Our teams are working on next-generation technologies such as messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines, recombinant protein vaccines and viral vector vaccines. 
 

In 2026, three innovative vaccine projects at the Institut Pasteur are set to reach new stages of development: 
•    A chikungunya vaccine 
•    Two vaccines for viral hemorrhagic fevers 
•    Next-generation RNA vaccines for malaria
 

What if the history of vaccines didn't start in a lab, but in a... barn? 

Long before the advent of modern technology, Buddhist monks, rural physicians and a French chemist each contributed in their own way to a revolutionary idea: that the body can be taught to defend itself in advance, before disease strikes.

See our Viral History 

Where does AI come in?

Will artificial intelligence revolutionize vaccine design?

AI algorithms played a key role in the development of the COVID-19 vaccine. Our scientist Julien Cros explains the potential of artificial intelligence for vaccine development.

A key pillar of public health defended by nearly 300 well-known figures

Vaccination plays a crucial role in reducing health inequalities globally by protecting the most vulnerable populations. 

During World Immunization Week, nearly 300 prominent figures put their names to an op-ed calling for a collective response to disinformation and attacks on science: 
 

Which vaccines are compulsory or recommended in France and abroad?

We can advise you and vaccinate you before you set off on vacation!

Are you planning to travel to Asia, Africa or South America? [See all the health recommendations for your destination] 

With more than 16,000 appointments delivered in 2025, the Institut Pasteur's International Vaccine Center is open for appointments from Monday to Friday in the center of Paris, for specialist advice on tropical and infectious diseases and travel medicine. 

• Make an appointment via Doctolib 
• Call the center on +33 (0)1 45 68 80 88 
•  Opening times and details
   

A universal principle that still applies today: prevention is better than cure

See all our general recommendations and the vaccines available at the Medical Center.