Vaccines: Protecting children from life-threatening diseases

Vaccines are one of the greatest success stories in modern medicine. They have saved millions of lives worldwide and continue to protect children every day. For children, vaccines provide benefits that go beyond basic protection - they are a gateway to a healthier life, preventing diseases that once claimed countless young lives.  

Why are vaccines important for children? 

Children are particularly vulnerable to infections that can lead to serious complications or even death. Vaccines help them build immunity more quickly and more safely, without having to suffer the disease itself. This is why routine childhood immunisation schedules have been established, protecting against a range of serious illnesses such as measles, mumps, polio, diphtheria and tetanus.  In recent years the meningococcal B vaccine has been added in many countries. It significantly reduces the risks of meningococcal disease, a condition that can lead to meningitis or septicaemia, both potentially life-threatening within hours. 

Vaccination during pregnancy plays a vital role in protecting mothers and their unborn children. Receiving the whooping cough vaccine allows antibodies to pass to the baby, offering strong protection against serious whooping cough illness until they can receive their own vaccination at around 8 weeks of age. Similarly, vaccinating against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) during pregnancy helps shield newborns in their first months of life by transferring protective antibodies before birth. 

Vaccines are also scientifically proven to reduce or prevent long-term complications of certain infections when children are vaccinated at an early age. For example, vaccines against human papillomavirus (HPV) are highly effective in preventing cervical cancer and other HPV-related diseases later in life when given during adolescence.

Vaccines also help tackle rising public health threats such as antimicrobial resistance, since they can help prevent diseases that might otherwise have to be treated with antibiotics and for pandemic preparedness.  

How does EMA ensure vaccines are safe and effective? 

Under the EU Paediatric Regulation, developers must agree a Paediatric Investigation Plan (PIP) with EMA. This ensures that vaccines are researched and developed specifically for children using a structured, scientifically-sound and incentivised development programme.  

Before any vaccine can be authorised in the EU, it undergoes a rigorous scientific evaluation, carried out by experts in the national competent authorities and the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Vaccines are evaluated by EMA’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) and only those meeting strict standards for quality, safety and efficacy standards are recommended for approval, as with any medicine.  

Safety assessment doesn’t stop at approval. EMA’s Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC) continuously monitors reports of adverse events, to identify any new safety concerns and to ensure that benefits continue to outweigh risks.  

EMA also strives to ensure that the public understands the science behind vaccine evaluation and authorisation, as transparency is key to building trust and supporting confidence in vaccines, especially when it comes to protecting children’s health. 

We remain strongly committed to advancing the global development of vaccines and work closely with international partners such as the World Health Organization to serve patients worldwide.  

Vaccines are more than a medical intervention — they represent a promise to our children that we value their health, their future, and their right to thrive. As we confront evolving health challenges, it is our commitment to scientific rigour, public safety, and international collaboration that ensures Europe’s children receive the protection they deserve. 

This article is authored by EMA's Paediatric Medicines Office team. 

For more information: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/human-regulatory-overview/paediatric-medicines-overview