History of Polio Vaccination: From Salk's 'Patent the Sun' to Global Eradication
How Did Two Different Polio Vaccines Eliminate a Disease That Terrorized the World?
Polio vaccination history centers on two breakthrough vaccines: Jonas Salk’s inactivated vaccine (IPV) in 1955, which reduced U.S. cases from 58,000 to 161 by 1961, and Albert Sabin’s oral vaccine (OPV) that interrupted transmission chains and enabled global eradication campaigns. Together, these vaccines eliminated polio from entire continents and reduced global cases by over 99%.
Dr. Kumar’s Take
The WHO’s vaccination timeline reveals a fascinating scientific rivalry that saved millions of lives. Salk’s killed-virus approach seemed “too safe” to work, while Sabin’s live-attenuated vaccine faced Cold War politics for testing. Both were essential - IPV for individual protection, OPV for stopping transmission. Salk’s refusal to patent his vaccine (“Could you patent the sun?”) enabled global access that made eradication possible.