The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends certain vaccines for adults. This is because some vaccines administered to a person when they are a child are expected to lose their effectiveness over time. Sometimes, this is because the vaccine’s targeted disease changes somewhat every year (such as seasonal influenza).
Whatever the reason, these recommended vaccines should be administered according to your age. Which vaccines should be administered at which age is published in a schedule produced by the CDC. That schedule can be found here: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/hcp/imz/adult.html
The vaccines on the schedule generally recommended for all adults include:
Seasonal Influenza; Tdap or Td; MMR; VAR; RZ5 or ZVL5; HPV-female or HPV-male; PCV13; and PPSV23.
Certain other vaccines are recommended for adults who are within certain risk groups specific to each vaccine. These vaccines may include:
HepA; HepB; MenACWY; MenB; andHib.
These recommendations have not only been approved by the CDC, they have also been reviewed and approved by the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Physicians, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American College of Nurse-Midwives.
By viewing the CDC schedule, you can learn whether you may potentially need a particular vaccine, but you should consult with your physician to determine your particular needs.
Vaccines are incredibly safe. However, side effects and injuries do occur, however rarely. It is for that reason that a program exists, called the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP), to compensate those who are injured by vaccines. However, not all vaccines are covered. So, if you suspect you have been injured by a vaccine, you should contact an attorney experienced with the VICP. There are also strict deadlines for applying to the program, so you should do so, as soon as possible.