In 1976, An H1N1 (swine flu) outbreak among recruits at Fort Dix leads to a vaccination program to prevent a pandemic. Within 10 months, roughly 25% of the US population was vaccinated (48 million people), about twice the level needed to provide coverage for the at-risk population.

Cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome, a neurologic condition that in rare instances has been associated with vaccination, among vaccine recipients appeared to be in excess of what was expected, so officials determine the vaccination program should be halted.