Biotechnology | Infectious Disease | Polio | Vaccine | WHO
The entire Western Hemisphere was certified as “polio-free”
On Aug. 20, 1994, the entire Western Hemisphere was certified as “polio-free” by the International Commission for the…
The last case of indigenous polio in the Western Hemisphere occurred in a 5-year-old boy, Luis Fermin Tenorio, in Pichanaqui, Peru
In 1991, the last case of indigenous polio in the Western Hemisphere occurred in a 5-year-old boy, Luis…
Biotechnology | Infectious Disease | Polio | Vaccine | WHO
The Global Polio Laboratory Network was established
In 1990, the Global Polio Laboratory Network (GPLN) was formally established by the World Health Organization (WHO), national…
The World Health Assembly passed a resolution to eradicate polio by the year 2000
On Mar. 11, 1988, the World Health Assembly (the ministers of health of all member states of the…
Biotechnology | Infectious Disease | Polio | Vaccine | WHO
Global Polio Eradication Initiative was launched as global burden of polio impacts 350,000 in 125 countries annually
In 1988, the World Health Assembly adopted a resolution for the worldwide eradication of polio, marking the launch…
Biotechnology | CDC | Infectious Disease | Polio | U.S. Congress | Vaccine
The National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986 was enacted by Congress
In 1986, the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act was enacted by Congress. The Department of Health and Human…
Biotechnology | Infectious Disease | Polio | Vaccine | WHO
Rotary International established its PolioPlus program
In 1985, Rotary International established its PolioPlus program, which held two fundraising events. Rotary has contributed over $500…
The last cases of wild type 1 poliovirus occurred in the U.S.
On Jul. 27, 1979, the last cases of wild type 1 poliovirus occurred in the U.S. among unvaccinated…
The last wild case of polio was recorded in the U.S.
In 1979, the last wild case of polio was recorded in the U.S. However, in 1993, the virus…
The last naturally occurring case of smallpox in the world was diagnosed in Somalia
On Oct. 30, 1977, Ali Maow Maalin, a hospital cook in Merca, Somalia, was diagnosed with smallpox by…
Biology | Infectious Disease | Life Science History | Measles | NIH | Polio | Therapeutics
The National Childhood Immunization Initiative was launched
In 1977, Joseph A. Califano, Jr., Secretary of the Dept of Health, Education, and Welfare (later Health and…
Biology | Infectious Disease | Life Science History | Polio | Vaccine | WHO
The World Health Assembly created the Expanded Programme on Immunization to bring vaccines to the world’s children
In 1975, The World Health Assembly passed a resolution to create the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) to…
Life Science History | Polio | Vaccine | WHO
The Expanded Programme on Immunization was created within WHO
In 1974, the Expanded Programme on Immunization was created within World Health Organization (WHO) in response to poor…
Agriculture | Biotechnology | Environmental | Infectious Disease | Life Science History | Polio | Vaccine
Molecular biologist Robert Pollack published “Biohazards in Biological Research”
In 1973, the publication “Biohazards in Biological Research,” was edited by S. Hellman, M. Oxman, and R. Pollack. …
President Richard Nixon renounced the use of lethal biological agents and weapons
On Nov. 25, 1969, President Richard Nixon issued his “Statement on Chemical and Biological Defense Policies and Programs”…
The Serum Institute of India was founded
On Jun. 12, 1966, the Serum Institute of India was founded in 1966 by Dr. Cyrus Poonawalla with…
Trivalent oral polio vaccine was licensed
On Jun. 25, 1963, the Trivalent oral polio vaccine was licensed. The vaccine development began in 1957 by…
U.S. Congress established the Immunization Grant Program
In 1963, the U.S. Congress established the Immunization Grant Program; polio incidence plummeted to only 396 reported cases…
Oral polio vaccine type 3 and trivalent product licensed in the U.S.
On Mar. 27, 1962, the Sabin oral polio vaccine (OPV) type 3 MOPV was licensed in the U.S.,…
Oral polio vaccine types 1 and 2 was developed by Dr. Albert Sabin
In 1962, oral polio vaccine types 1 and 2, developed by Dr. Albert Sabin and grown in monkey…
Life Science History | Polio | Vaccine | WHO
Oral polio vaccine, developed by Dr Albert Sabin, was licensed for use in the U.S.
In 1961, oral polio vaccine, developed by Dr. Albert Sabin, was licensed for use in the U.S. In…
The National Medal of Science was established by the 86th Congress
On Aug. 25, 1959, the National Medal of Science was established by the 86th Congress as a Presidential…
Biology | Diagnostics | Disease | Life Science History | Medicine | Non-Profit Research | Polio | Therapeutics | Vaccine
The Salk Institute was envisioned
In 1959, the Salk Institute was initially envisioned by Jonas Salk, M.D., the developer of the polio vaccine,…
Dr. Jonas Salk received gold medal from President Dwight Eisenhower, designating him “a benefactor of mankind”
On Jan. 27, 1956, Dr. Jonas Salk, developer of the Polio vaccine released in 1955, received a special…
FDA hired temporary investigators to prevent polio vaccine black market
On Aug. 17, 1955, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the hiring of 48 temporary investigators…
Officials discover polio cases after vaccine produced by Cutter Laboratories accidently contained live virus
On Apr. 26, 1955, Officials first noticed an increase in reported polio cases in California. Soon it was…
Salk polio vaccine was announced
On Apr. 12, 1955, the polio vaccine developed by Dr. Jonas Salk at the University of Pittsburgh was…
Convocation held at the University of Michigan proclaimed “The Vaccine Works!”
On Apr. 12, 1955, a convocation was held at the University of Michigan (UM), where Dr. Thomas Francis…
The Cutter Incident, a production error, caused some polio vaccine to be tainted with live polio virus
In April 1955, Cutter Laboratories, located in Berkeley, California and one of several companies licensed by the U.S….
Simian virus 40 accidentally administered to humans through contaminated Poliovirus vaccines
From 1955 through early 1963, millions of people were accidentally exposed to simian virus 40 (SV40) as a…