Historical Perspective on Vaccine Development, Corporate Influence, and Public Policy

by Shaz Khan and Pierre Kory

Vaccination began as a social experiment rather than a settled science.

The book traces the origins of vaccination back to early inoculation practices and the adoption of Edward Jenner’s smallpox vaccine. It highlights that vaccination was introduced at a time when medical knowledge of the immune system was limited, making it as much a social and political project as a scientific one.

Disease decline was driven by sanitation and nutrition before mass vaccination.

The author emphasises that improvements in clean water, sewage systems, nutrition, and general living standards were the primary drivers of reduced infectious disease mortality in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Vaccines often entered the scene after the steepest declines had already occurred.

Corporate influence shaped vaccine development and public policy.

The book argues that pharmaceutical companies, once small-scale producers, grew into powerful multinationals that now dominate vaccine policy. This influence has been enabled by close ties with regulatory bodies, international organisations, and political decision-makers. The text raises concerns about conflicts of interest, profit-driven research priorities, and the narrowing of scientific debate.

Mandates and liability protections reshaped the landscape.

Government mandates for schoolchildren and liability protections for manufacturers (such as the US National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986) are presented as turning points. These policies shifted the balance of power away from individual choice and towards institutional enforcement, while protecting corporate profits.

Vaccine safety debates are ongoing and often suppressed.

The book reviews historical and contemporary controversies around vaccine side effects, injury reporting systems, and compensation schemes. It claims that critical voices are frequently sidelined or censored, creating an environment where open scientific debate is discouraged in favour of a “one-size-fits-all” narrative.

Public trust has been eroded by lack of transparency.

The text argues that public scepticism about vaccination is not simply due to misinformation, but also to documented cases of corporate misconduct, hidden trial data, and shifting official narratives. Trust, once broken, is difficult to rebuild without transparency and accountability.

The COVID-19 era marked an acceleration of existing trends.

The book closes by examining the rapid rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, highlighting emergency authorisations, mass mandates, and unprecedented levels of government–industry partnership. It argues that the pandemic intensified pre-existing concerns about regulatory capture, censorship, and the erosion of informed consent.

Key Takeaways

  • Vaccination emerged before modern immunology and has always been shaped by politics as much as science.
  • Sanitation and nutrition were crucial in reducing disease before vaccines were widely adopted.
  • Corporate power and government mandates have reshaped vaccination from a medical option into a political requirement.
  • Safety concerns and debate suppression continue to challenge public confidence.
  • Transparency and accountability are central to rebuilding trust in vaccine policy.
  • The COVID-19 experience amplified long-standing issues, making the history of vaccination more relevant than ever to current discussions.

About the Authors – Shaz Khan

Background: London-born, Swiss-Indian creative designer and critical thinker, described as an “information-junkie” with a fascination for vaccines
Education: Holds a BA (Hons) in Product Design from Central Saint Martins, enriched with studies in nutrition, marketing and communications, anatomy and physiology, and immunobiology and vaccinology
Motivation and Method: After extensive archival and library research, Khan reports being troubled by the “undisclosed safety history of vaccines” and the documented injuries acknowledged by authorities. Driven by a commitment to truth, freedom, and health preservation, she authored this publication to illuminate what she perceives as overlooked or suppressed aspects of vaccine history.
Other Works: She previously self-published a small illustrated book titled The Virus and maintains content on HealthScienceSimplified.com Google Books.

Pierre Kory, M.D., M.P.A.

  • Education:

    B.A. in Mathematics (University of Colorado, Boulder)
    M.P.A. in Health Policy and Administration (New York University)
    M.D. (St George’s University, Grenada)
    Residency in Internal Medicine (Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York)
    Fellowship in Pulmonary Disease & Critical Care (Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Beth Israel Medical Center)

  • Professional Accomplishments: Former Associate Professor and Chief of the Critical Care Service at the University of Wisconsin, where he also served as Medical Director of the Trauma and Life Support Center. Pioneering figure in critical care ultrasonography: co-developer of national training courses, and senior editor of the award-winning textbook Point of Care Ultrasound, now in its 2nd edition and translated into seven languages
    Early adopter of therapeutic hypothermia after cardiac arrest; instrumental in NYC’s Project Hypothermia with FDNY/EMS protocols Co-author of the MATH+ and I-MASK+ COVID-19 treatment protocols and founding member of the Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance (FLCCC)

  • Recognition: Recipient of multiple teaching and research awards, including the British Medical Association’s President’s Choice Award (2015) for his textbook

  • Controversy & Media Engagement: Gained widespread attention—and criticism—for testifying before the US Senate on COVID-19 treatments, notably advocating for corticosteroids and ivermectin; “regulatory bodies” continue to speak against him.

Key Takeaways

A powerful reference timeline spans over a millennium and a half, consolidating key dates, developments, and corporate history in vaccination.
Balanced yet probing, it documents vaccine innovations and industry evolution while also encouraging critical reflection on transparency and public discourse.
Authorial insight is shaped by a unique blend of creative design flair and scientific curiosity, informed by thorough archival research and driven by principled concern.
Highly relevant for the present moment, the book seeks to bridge gaps in public awareness amid current debates on vaccine safety, regulation, and pharmaceutical influence.