Materialize

Vaccines sometimes generate ill-founded health scares, but whether to immunize against chickenpox has been the subject of genuine medical debate.

It is a routine childhood jab in some countries – including the US, Australia and about half of Europe – but hold-outs include the UK, Denmark and France. There are concerns that the childhood vaccination benefits those who receive it, but is possibly detrimental for others, such as older people at risk of shingles.

Fortunately, growing evidence suggests that such harms aren’t materializing. What’s more, a recent analysis found that, overall, the vaccine does more good than harm. So, is it time for the chickenpox vaccine-resistant countries to come round?
–New Scientist