As the new millennium dawns, a number of factors have conspired to make the outlook for global immunisation truly promising. These include private philanthropy aiming to raise immunisation rates in developing countries; a real head of steam behind the global poliomyelitis eradication campaign; the very recent introduction of several powerful new vaccines; and a 2-year-long effort to make the various elements of the United Nations system work closely together with non-governmental organisations and the private sector in wide co-operation. The aim is to prevent 3-4 million deaths per year. Despite a great deal of heartening progress, there is still need for further research. We have no vaccine for HIV/AIDS or malaria, and the only tuberculosis vaccine, namely BCG, is poorly effective in the prevention of adult pulmonary tuberculosis. However, new resources are bringing new players into the research field as well, so the longer term outlook is heartening.