The word you’re looking for is vaccination.
- Definition: Vaccination is the act of introducing a vaccine into the body to stimulate the immune system to develop protection against a disease. This typically involves a preparation that resembles a pathogen but is designed not to cause illness.
- Purpose: The goal is to “train” the immune system so that if the real pathogen is encountered later, the body can respond more quickly and effectively.
- Forms: Vaccines can use weakened or killed organisms, or just specific proteins or toxins from the pathogen, sometimes with an adjuvant to boost the immune response.
If you’d like, I can provide a brief glossary or explanation tailored to a particular age group or educational level.