“The Day Humanity Fought Back: Invention of the Vaccine” In the 18th century, smallpox was a silent killer, wiping out millions across Europe and the world. This video tells the powerful story of how a single medical breakthrough—the invention of the vaccine—changed human history forever, transforming fear into hope and saving generations to come. [vaccine invention, smallpox history, first vaccine, medical breakthrough, 18th century medicine, global health, disease prevention, edward jenner, hu

Eradication of smallpox has not eliminated the risk of accidental or intentional reintroduction of the variola virus, and although smallpox vaccination was highly successful, traditional vaccines had toxic effects that could be severe. New research findings are summarized in a short video. See all Quick Take videos: http://nej.md/quick-take | The New England Journal of Medicine