Great news: The first clinical trials for a Zika vaccine are slated to start as early as next spring. As the disease has spread, research has shown that Zika can cause devastating birth defects, including microcephaly and associated brain abnormalities. Preventing congenital Zika infections is the primary goal of a Zika immunization initiative, and for good reason: There have already been 16 infants born with Zika-related birth defects and 5 known Zika-related fetal losses in the U.S. Even if the virus does not become epidemic here, international travel and sexual transmission ensures that it will continue to pose a real risk.
But the development of a Zika vaccine could be a game-changer for an entirely different reason: Its development and adoption could help us make tangible progress forward in the current stalemate of a debate we're having over vaccination.
