Language
English
Publication Date
10-10-2025
Journal
Clinical Infectious Diseases
DOI
10.1093/cid/ciaf454
PMID
41071743
PMCID
PMC12584975
PubMedCentral® Posted Date
11-5-2025
PubMedCentral® Full Text Version
Author MSS
Abstract
On 27 February 1962, Surgeon General Luther Terry announced a new vaccine development program within the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). Initially, the plan had three components: (1) special laboratories and facilities for development of prototype vaccines; (2) pilot lot production facilities and preliminary vaccine trial sites; and (3) larger lot production capacity and expanded human testing. Respiratory viruses were targeted as the top priority for vaccine development. Over 5 decades, this program has evolved and expanded to include multiple academic vaccine evaluation sites within the network, now labeled as the Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Units (VTEUs). The network has evaluated many different vaccines, with many shown to be safe, effective, and licensed for recommended use. This manuscript offers a historical perspective, crafted by early investigators from currently funded VTEUs, to showcase how some of the original VTEUs-both individually and collectively-advanced vaccine science and shaped the strategies and achievements that continue to impact public health today.
Keywords
Humans, History, 20th Century, History, 21st Century, Vaccine Development, United States, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (U.S.), Vaccines
Published Open-Access
yes
Recommended Citation
Belshe, Robert B; Bernstein, David I; Edwards, Kathryn M; et al., "Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Units: A Historical Perspective" (2025). Faculty and Staff Publications. 4701.
https://digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/baylor_docs/4701