former U.S. President Jimmy Carter brokered a six-month cease-fire in Sudan to help eradicate Guinea worm disease
On Mar. 27, 1995, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter brokered a six-month cease-fire in Sudan to help eradicate…
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 Global Programme for Vaccines and Immunization was created
In March 1994, the Global Programme for Vaccines and Immunization was created, merging two World Health Organization (WHO)…
Japanese encephalitis virus vaccine inactivated was licensed
On Dec. 10, 1992, the Japanese encephalitis (JE) virus vaccine inactivated (JE-Vax by Research Foundation for Microbial Diseases…
The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed December 3 as the International Day of Disabled Persons
On Dec. 3, 1992, The United Nations (UN) General Assembly proclaimed Dec. 3 as the International Day of…
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…
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The Safe Water System was developed by the CDC and the Pan American Health Organization
In 1990, the Safe Water System (SWS) was developed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention…
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The CDC established a World Health Organization (WHO) collaborating center for disaster preparedness
In 1989, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) established a World Health Organization (WHO) collaborating…
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…
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…
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The World Health Organization launched its Global Program on AIDS
On Feb. 1, 1987, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched its Global Program on AIDS as the architect…
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The CDC co-sponsored the first International Conference on AIDS
In Apr. 15, 1985, the first International AIDS conference, held in Atlanta, Georgia, was organized by the WHO,…
The USDA’s Germplasm Resources Information Network went on-line
In 1985, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), the remnant of the effort…
Rotary International established its PolioPlus program
In 1985, Rotary International established its PolioPlus program, which held two fundraising events. Rotary has contributed over $500…
World’s genetic resources placed under the auspices and jurisdiction of the FAO
In 1983, at the 22nd session of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), germplasm becomes a political football…
the 21st session of the FAO Conference in Rome, genetic resource conservation becomes an internationally politicized issue
On Nov. 25, 1981, at the 21st session of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Conference in Rome,…
The World Heath Organization announced that “smallpox has been eradicated from the world”
On May 8, 1980, members of the World Heath Organization (WHO) in Geneva announced that “smallpox had been…
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The World Health Assembly certified the world free of naturally-occurring smallpox
On May 8, 1980, the World Health Assembly certified the world free of naturally-occurring smallpox. Smallpox is an…
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…
The IBPGR project to develop a standardized computer system for germplasm was cancelled due to cost
In 1977, the International Board for Plant Genetic Resources (IBPGR) having inherited from the Food and Agriculture Organization’s…
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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…
Bioversity International established as the International Board for Plant Genetic Resources
In 1974, Bioversity International was established as the International Board for Plant Genetic Resources (IBPGR) to coordinate an…
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)Â in response to poor…
FAO’s Plant Introduction Newsletter was renamed Plant Genetic Resources Newsletter
In 1971, The Plant Genetic Resources Newsletter was one of Bioversity Internationalï¾’s flagship publications. Though no longer published,…
The FAO sponsored the first attempt to develop a computerized data bank for the world’s genetic resources
In 1969, The FAO’s Crop Ecology Unit sponsored the first attempt to develop a standardized, computerized data bank…
FAO’s Crop Ecology Unit srvey revealed that only 28% germplasm samples held worldwide are stored properly
In 1969, a survey by the FAO’s Crop Ecology Unit reveals that only 28% of the approximately two…
The FAO created a Crop Ecology and Genetic Resources Unit
In 1968, The FAO created a Crop Ecology and Genetic Resources Unit to act as a clearinghouse for…
The FAO and the International Biological Programme put on the second major conference on germplasm
On Sept. 18, 1967, the FAO and the International Biological Programme put on the second major conference on…
The Global Smallpox Eradication Program was launched by WHO
In 1967, the Global Smallpox Eradication Program was launched by WHO. During the first year of the program,…
Bifurcated needle for smallpox vaccine introduced
In 1965,tThe bifurcated needle for smallpox vaccine was introduced. In 1961 the bifurcated needle was developed as a…