Skip main navigation

Vaccine Research & Approval

Learn more about how vaccines are researched and eventually approved.
Close up of microscope.
Vaccines are the safest way to gain immunity to pathogens by stimulating your immune system to produce memory white blood cells.

Researchers study pathogens for a long time before selecting key ingredients to put in the vaccine. You can find a full breakdown of the ingredients in a vaccine in the image below, with a more detailed explanation in the file below.

Diagram explaining the ingredients of a vaccine, which is mostly water, with small amount of adjuvant, active ingredient, preservatives and stabilizers, and residual traces

The process of vaccine development usually takes between 10 – 15 years from first research to approval. In emergency situations such as epidemics or pandemics, this process may be rapidly accelerated in order to save people’s lives.

A full explanation of the vaccine research and approval process is available in the file below.

This article is from the free online

Prison Health: Vaccinations for People Working and Living in Prisons (Non-Vaccine Trained Staff)

Created by
FutureLearn - Learning For Life

Reach your personal and professional goals

Unlock access to hundreds of expert online courses and degrees from top universities and educators to gain accredited qualifications and professional CV-building certificates.

Join over 18 million learners to launch, switch or build upon your career, all at your own pace, across a wide range of topic areas.

Start Learning now