Statement from Dr. Larry Schlesinger, President & CEO, Texas Biomedical Research Institute

SAN ANTONIO, Jan. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to today's news over whether long‑standing vaccine recommendations remain necessary, I want to publicly stress strong support for science‑based immunization schedules and the incredible role vaccines have played in saving lives worldwide.

The scientific evidence is clear. Established vaccine schedules remain one of the most powerful and effective public health tools ever developed. Vaccines have transformed human health for more than a century. Since the introduction of routine childhood immunizations in 1974, millions of lives have been saved worldwide.

We forget how dangerous childhood once was. Vaccines didn't just reduce disease; they completely rewrote what childhood looks like. An estimated 154 million children who might otherwise have died before age five are alive today, including nearly 94 million lives saved through measles vaccination alone.

Life expectancy increased dramatically in the 20th century, rising from roughly 47 years in 1900 to nearly 77 years by 2000 in the U.S. This was largely due to a massive decline in infant and child mortality, our national vaccine programs, improved sanitation, antibiotics and advancements in treating chronic diseases.

When people note that many diseases are rare nowadays, they're right, but that's because of vaccines. That is the quiet success of public health.

Consider: Polio vaccines have prevented more than 20 million cases of paralysis, and COVID‑19 vaccines averted approximately 20 million deaths in their first year of use.

These outcomes are detailed in Texas Biomed's Understanding Vaccines guide, which explains how vaccines prepare the immune system to recognize and stop disease before serious illness occurs.

At Texas Biomedical Research Institute (Texas Biomed), scientists conduct rigorous research to advance therapeutics, vaccines and other medical countermeasures against infectious diseases that continue to threaten global health. Our Institute's 85-year historic work is grounded in decades of immunology, epidemiology and real‑world data demonstrating the safety and effectiveness of vaccines.

About Dr. Schlesinger

Larry S. Schlesinger, MD, is an internationally recognized authority in infectious diseases with a particular interest in tuberculosis and lung biology. TB is the deadliest infectious disease in the world.

About Texas Biomedical Research Institute

Texas Biomedical Research Institute is a nonprofit research institute dedicated to protecting the global community from infectious diseases. Through basic research, preclinical testing and innovative partnerships, we accelerate development of diagnostics, therapies and vaccines for the world's deadliest pathogens, including the first COVID-19 vaccine, the first Ebola treatment and first Hepatitis C therapy. We are passionate about educating the next generation of bioscience leaders and ensuring a healthier future for all.

SOURCE Texas Biomedical Research Institute