by Brenda Baletti, Ph.D., Childrens Health Defense:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last week reported that routine childhood vaccines — like those targeting measles, tetanus, diphtheria and hepatitis B, among others — have prevented approximately 508 million cases of illness, 32 million hospitalizations and 1,129,000 deaths over approximately 30 years.

In its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), the agency estimated the shots have also saved the U.S. $540 billion in direct costs and $2.7 trillion in indirect societal costs, such as parents missing work to care for a sick child.