Overview
Immunization is a process to initiate or augment resistance to an infectious disease. The goal of immunization is to prevent, and in some cases eradicate, potentially serious, life-threatening diseases.
Review Date 8/8/2023
Updated by: Michael M. Phillips, MD, Emeritus Professor of Medicine, The George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, DC. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.