“Modern vaccines still use the original idea behind the smallpox vaccine – if you can teach your body how to recognize harmful germs before you get sick, you can be protected from disease. The smallpox vaccine used cowpox, a type of virus that was like smallpox, but made people less sick. Other vaccines nowadays use the actual germ that makes people sick, but a “killed” or “inactive” version of that germ so you don’t get as sick. Other vaccines use only parts of the germ, like proteins or sugars, to trigger an immune response that protects you from getting sick.” (Tuttle)

Eradication programs were modeled on the smallpox program, one being a polio eradication program called GPEI. 

The smallpox vaccine provided the framework for vaccine safety regulations by showing the importance of testing for side effects. ​​​​​​​

It also helped prevent a similar, milder, pox disease called Mpox (Monkeypox). Mpox transferred to humans from animals, and is harder to eradicate because it has an animal reservoir.

“I think there's no question that vaccines have been absolutely critical in ridding us of the scourge of many diseases - smallpox, polio, etc. So vaccines are an invaluable medication.”

- Jill Stein, American physician, 2016 

“Ask the Aztecs and the Incas whether or not they would have liked to have access to vaccines. Oh, wait, you can't. They're dead. Vaccination is one of the best things that has happened to civilization. Empires toppled like sandcastles in the wake of diseases we do not give a second thought to today. If taking a moment to elaborate on that point will make this book unpopular with a large group of anti vaxxers, that’s okay. This feels like a good hill to die on. It’s surely a better one than the Incas got.”

- Jennifer Wright, 9