The Discovery Of Polio Vaccine Essay

Poliomyelitis was a highly infectious disease that spread through many Americans in the early 20th century. As a matter of fact, over 3,000 Americans died of the disease each year. Families were overwhelmingly desperate for doctors to find a cure. When one suffered from polio, they generally experienced painful symptoms which included not only fatigue and muscle weakness, but even death. Therefore, when the polio vaccine was introduced by scientist Jonas Salk in 1953, it greatly contributed to Americans in numerous positive ways. Environmentally, the vaccine saved countless young American lives affected by the disease thus decreasing American mortality rates. Socially, the polio vaccine convenienced families who were either directly afflicted

When the Polio outbreak was thriving in 1953, Jonas Salk wasn’t just lying around. He was tiredly working on the improvement of the Polio vaccine (Fact Check). The previous vaccine was unreliable and unaffective. It led some patients to be infected with Polio and die

He knew that Polio caused paralysis, and invaded the nervous system. As a result, he wanted to end the greatest epidemic in America at that time. As he began researching, the president of the March of Dimes Foundation, Basal O’Connor, wanted to help Salk create the Polio vaccination. His goal was to fund Salk to find a cure against Paralytic Poliomyelitis, or Polio. Jonas devoted the next 8 years of his life working to develop the vaccine. He finally was able to create the vaccine, using formaldehyde, or a chemical compound. Salk used the killed Polio virus to immunize without being infected, or becoming infected after the injection. Soon after the vaccine was created, they began to test it on monkeys; and then they tested it on children who already had Polio at the Watson Institute. After that trial was done, the testing spread to volunteers who wanted the vaccine; this included Jonas, his wife, and his family. By 1954, national testing began on children between the ages of 6-9. On April 12, 1955, they were able to conclude that the vaccine was safe and effective. Salk became known as a miracle worker, although he remained selfless. Jonas wanted no major payment, or recognition for the creation of the vaccine. In fact, he credited that the vaccine creation was accomplished due to the help of John Enders, a Harvard researcher. Enders was the man

The history of vaccinations begin with Edward Jenner, the country doctor from Gloucestershire who found, growing on cows, a nearly harmless virus the protected people from smallpox. Jenner’s vaccine was safer, more reliable, and more durable than variolation, and it is still the only vaccine to have eliminated its reason for being-in 1980, when the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the disease extinct. For nearly a century and a half, smallpox was the only vaccine routinely administered, and it saved millions of lives . But the controversy that marked the return of the vaccine, amid bioterrorism hysteria in 2002, was only the latest twist in the remarkable, mysterious life of vaccines.

Polio had already killed 3,000 people at its peak rate in 1952; sadly, it had already paralyzed thousands of more people (Soylent 1)On April 12, 1955 the polio vaccine developed by Salk was allowed to be used by the public after it had been tested with 1.8 million children (Biography 1). The vaccine had drastically reduced the number of polio cases in children by 90%; 57,000 cases were recorded in 1952 and less than one thousand cases a decade later (Soylent 1). In addition, Jonas Salk later established his own institution for research named Salk Center for Biological Studies in 1963. The institution “remains one of the world's most prestigious facilities for research into AIDS, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's

On October 22nd, 2007 The United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention posted a web article which admitted that polio vaccines contained a cancer-causing virus. The United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention also known as the CDC, deleted the post within the week it was posted. The National Center for Biotech Information Center confirms that Micro biologist Maurice Hilleman discovered Simian Virus 40 was contained in polio vaccines administrated from 1995. (Hilleman) The CDC stated that the virus was removed from the vaccine in 1961. Records show that contaminated vaccines were used until 1963 and were used in different parts of the world until the 1980’s. (Varmus) As a result of the 98 million people given a polio vaccine; 30 million received the contaminated dose. (Hilleman) On May 10th, 2002 a Pathologist by the name of Dr. Michelle Cabone tested the

Dr. Mark Randall, a pseudonym for an ex-vaccine worker who spoke out about the truth of vaccination labs, worked in the vaccination world for over ten years. He witnessed many concerning things in labs, in statistics, and in the information the government gave out to the public. He gave the truth when no one else would speak out. His account helped open the eyes of many people. Dr. Randall said, “The decline of disease is due to improved living conditions” (qtd. in “Jon Rappaport Interviews”). His implication was that the vaccinations are not the cause of an increase in health. After doing his own investigation into vaccinations, he found that not all vaccines are proven to work. He even said that the vaccines can cause adverse side effects (1).

When Polio hit New York City the people were desperate for anything that would save their children’s live. When Jonas Salk came out with the vaccine the people were relief that there is a chance to protect their children from Polio. Little do they know that even with the ultimate goal of fighting the vaccine the people taking part in it had other ideas. Salk wanted to be the man that everyone looked up to because he had developed a vaccine that safe lives of thousands. The foundation that Salk worked under would show that the money that the government put in didn’t go too wasted. For the federal government by helping finding a vaccine they can say that they are there to protect the people and that the people would not have found the vaccination if it wasn’t for the government. Although the vaccine hadn’t proven to work the foundation decided that they are going to put $9 million more into the study. The press then took it as the vaccination is working and that no one would put $9 million in for just a vaccination trails and announce it to the people. Thomas Francis was Salk’s advisor at the time and he was asked to write a review about Salk work and he began his speech by saying that the vaccine is “safe, effective, and potent”. During his speech he also said other things to warn the people about the vaccine, but the people never listened because they have already heard what they want. The vaccine was given and the people had high hopes for it, but the vaccine didn’t work

The discovery of a chemical made by Canada was used to treat and cure Polio through a joint effort between USA and Canada. Canada developed a more effective oral vaccine after The United States drug trial caused severe backlashes. A graph published by Dr. Christopher J. Rutty visually depicts polio incidents till 1962 portrays the rates after each vaccine, like the Salk and Sabin vaccine made by United States and Canada respectively (Rutty). The graph shows a major decrease in Polio incidents after Canada created the Sabin vaccine in order to counteract the severe polio backlash caused by USA’s drug that was accidentally inactivated and caused polio instead of curing it. The graph is a major indicator that Canadian doctors working on the vaccine were extremely diligent and smart when working on the creation of the Sabin vaccine (the Canadian oral vaccine). The graph also signifies the speed at which Canada was able to release an effective cure for the backlash of the Salk vaccine (USA’s version of the polio vaccine) indicating, Canada was a growing nation in the 1970s in medicine. The creation of the Sabin vaccine led to copious numbers of Polio organizations in Canada doing worldwide care after a national vaccine was found. Canada’s role in the treatment of polio had resonating effects worldwide as a result. Canadian female doctor Vera Peters

With a substantial amount of preventive healthcare advancements behind them, the American medical community turned its attention to the deadly polio virus plaguing America. From 1937 to 1952, known cases of Americans contracting polio skyrocketed from ten thousand to a staggering figure of roughly fifty-seven thousand cases. Of those cases within that time period, approximately one thousand five hundred deaths as a result of polio were recorded. In the year 1953, The National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis provided the scientist Dr. Jonas Salk with the tools necessary to research, and develop a working vaccine to combat the devastating polio disease. After much trial and error, Dr. Salk was finally able to create what he felt was a successful polio vaccination, and proceeded to conduct a field test. After resounding success, manufacturing instructions for the Salk vaccine were sent to a series of scientific laboratories for immediate production and administration to American children. The disaster that occurred next will forever be known through American medical history as the Cutter Incident (named so after one of the labs that administered the polio vaccine). This medical crisis sent shockwaves throughout America and the medical community, and numerous lawsuits were filed against Cutter Laboratories, resulting in fewer and fewer labs willing to accept contract work in developing vaccines.

In 1955, Jonas Salk developed the polio vaccine, saving thousands of lives. Vaccines gained popularity throughout America, with millions hoping to stop the spread of deadly disease, and increase herd immunity. Recently, many Americans stopped vaccinating themselves and their children based upon articles they had read online that state that vaccines cause autism, epilepsy, and weakened immune systems. Despite scientific medical journal articles that suggest otherwise, parents continue to choose not to vaccinate their children based upon sources that are not considered credible in the scientific community. Thus, the vaccine debate comes down to a debate of credibility, distinguishing science from pseudoscience,

The possible side effects of hepatitis B, pertussis, pneumococcal disease and rotavirus may be alarming, but they highly outweigh the effects of the actual disease. “About one of every 600,000 doses of hepatitis B vaccine is complicated by a severe allergic reaction called anaphylaxis” (The Benefits of Vaccination Outweigh the Risks). No one has ever died from the hepatitis vaccination, but the symptoms of anaphylaxis- hives, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea- can be quite frightening (Mayo Clinic). During the polio epidemic of 1952, “of the 58,000 cases reported that year 3,145 died and 21,269 were left with mild to disabling paralysis” (History). After Jonas Salk developed the first polio vaccination in 1955, the number of polio victims dropped to nine hundred and ten. In addition to this claim, vaccines save the lives of many who could have died from vaccine-preventable

Roosevelt became president with infantile paralysis (polio), which was diagnosed in 1921, and the public found out.9 Having the American people's president seem weakened by such a disease but push on through expectations showed that little to nothing was going to get in his way and stop him.10 Including FDR's case, close to 25% of those age 21 and older had paralytic cases by the early 1950s.11 Before the vaccine, there was a peak of about 50,000 cases of polio in 1953.12 Concern of the people was also around it's highest point due to the increasing risk of the horrid disease most feared at this time. Hopes for a solution were still going strong. Friends, family, and even strangers kept prayers for those in need. Anything that could be done was done until the vaccine was established. There were even several hundred thousand children placed in a control study and out of the 749,000, only 33 from the vaccinated group developed paralytic polio.13 In addition to this trial and other performed, and conclusion was drawn stating that the vaccine was 80-90% effective against the paralytic branch of polio.14 Chances for a new beginning were showing up all over with this vaccine, even if it only helped those who haven't been diagnosed

Jonas salk invented the IPV vaccine. He was born October 28, 1914 to Russian parents. His parents had no education but wanted him to be successful so they encouraged him to work hard. “In 1939 he received a Medical Degree from New York University College of Medicine. In 1942 he joined one of his professors at the University of Michigan School of Public Health” (Petersen, Jennifer B). Jonas and his professor developed vaccine for influenza, which was Salk’s first invention. Then he traveled to Pittsburgh and became a Professor. There, he also became head of the virus research lab. He worked on a vaccine there. He used the killed virus to prevent people from contracting it. On July 2, 1952 he vaccinated 42 children who did not have polio and his trials succeeded. On April 12, 1955 Salk vaccinate 1.8 million children and right after he announced that his trial were effective and that the vaccine works (Petersen, Jennifer B).

The discovery of the polio vaccine was an important medical and scientific breakthrough because it saved many lives since the 1950s. In the summer of 1916 the great polio epidemic struck the United states. By the 1950s hundreds of thousands of people had been struck by the poliomyelitis. The highest number of cases occurred in 1953 with over 50,000 people infected with the virus.