Talk: “Vaccines: Efficacy and Safety” with Dr. Rebecca J. Anderson

California Los Padres Section of the American Chemical Society (CALPACS):

Vaccines: Efficacy and Safety   

Vaccines are among the most impactful public health innovations in human history, yet questions about their development, effectiveness, and safety remain widely discussed. This lecture explores the scientific foundations of vaccines, tracing their research and invention from early immunization practices to modern technologies such as mRNA platforms. Attendees will gain insight into how vaccines are designed, tested, approved, and continuously monitored for safety. The lecture will also address common concerns and misconceptions, explain how risks are evaluated and minimized, and highlight the role vaccines play in preventing disease and protecting communities. By examining both the science and the safety systems behind vaccines, this talk aims to provide a clear, evidence-based understanding of how vaccines work and why they remain a cornerstone of modern medicine.

Date: Sunday, February 8, 2026

Time: 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM, Lecture from 1:30-2:30 PM

Place: Santa Barbara Library, 40 East Anapamu St., Faulkner Gallery (Google Map)

Cost: Free, refreshments provided

Your RSVP via this form is kindly requested.

Rebecca J. Anderson holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Coe College and a Ph.D. in pharmacology from Georgetown University. She held a postdoctoral research fellowship at the University of Toronto and conducted basic research in pharmacology and toxicology at George Washington University Medical Center and the University of Michigan School of Public Health. She has served as an advisor to NIH, EPA, and FDA. After 25 years in research and development at several pharmaceutical companies, she became a freelance medical writer. She is a 50-year member of the American Chemical Society. Dr. Anderson is the author of two books: Career Opportunities in Clinical Drug Research (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press) and Nevirapine and the Quest to End Pediatric AIDS (McFarland Publishing).