Vaccine development is increasingly intersecting with the challenge of antimicrobial resistance, aiming to curb infections before they require antibiotics at all. Vaccines can reduce infections caused by the most drug-resistant strains and lower overall antibiotic use, two ways to ease selection pressure on microbes. “For pneumococcus, targeting serotypes more prone to resistance can change the population dynamics,” Dr. Halperin says. Dr. Sadarangani adds that early-stage efforts are aimed at pathogens such as Klebsiella pneumoniae, a common cause of neonatal sepsis and adult urinary tract infections that is increasingly difficult to treat. “AMR vaccines are further down the line, but they’re an important part of the solution,” he says. As programs focus on narrower risk groups and incorporate newer technologies and adjuvants, costs can rise. “Prices have been increasing,” Dr. Tunis says. “That’s a challenge for people seeking immunization through the private market and for programs trying to reach those at highest risk.” Policy makers will need to balance innovation with access, ensuring that populations most likely to benefit can receive vaccines without financial barriers. Asked what motivates him personally to stay upto-date on vaccines, Dr. Sadarangani says, “For me it’s two different things. One is the practical side: by being immunized, I reduce the chance of acquiring a communicable disease and then passing it on to patients who may be vulnerable. The second reason is about role-modelling. When I go to our staff vaccine clinic and receive the shot, and then wear the little sticker or pin saying, ‘I’ve had my shot,’ that sends a message. It says vaccination is safe, it’s important, and it’s part of how we care for each other.” Dr. Manish Sadarangani is a pediatric infectious diseases physician and director of the Vaccine Evaluation Center at BC Children’s Hospital. Dr. Scott Halperin is a professor of pediatrics and microbiology and immunology at Dalhousie University and director of the Canadian Center for Vaccinology. Dr. Matthew Tunis is an adjunct professor, school of epidemiology and public health, University of Ottawa, and executive secretary to Canada’s National Advisory Committee on Immunization. Learn more about the vaccine schedules for different diseases in the Canadian Immunization Guide. This is a frontline resource for health care providers, published by the Public Health Agency of Canada based on advice from NACI and other sources. • See: bit.ly/4cgzXQm It also has a specific section on immunizations for health care workers: • See: bit.ly/4s52EV4 The views expressed are those of the sources and do not necessarily represent the opinions and official policies of CDA. 25 Issue 2 | 2026 | Issues and People
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