Who developed the polio vaccine?

The development of the polio vaccine is attributed to Jonas Salk, a prominent American medical researcher and virologist. In the early 1950s, Salk created the inactivated polio vaccine (IPV), which was administered via injection. His work was groundbreaking, as polio was a devastating disease that caused paralysis and death, particularly in children. Salk's vaccine was tested in a large field trial in 1954, which proved to be highly effective in preventing the disease.

The significance of Salk's vaccine cannot be overstated; it played a crucial role in reducing polio incidence worldwide, ultimately leading to near-eradication in many countries. Salk's ethical choice to not patent the vaccine underscored his commitment to public health over profit, allowing for widespread distribution.

In contrast, Albert Sabin developed the oral polio vaccine, which became widely used in mass immunization campaigns after Salk's vaccine. Edward Jenner is known for developing the smallpox vaccine, while Louis Pasteur contributed to the germ theory of disease and developed vaccines for rabies and anthrax, but none of them worked specifically on the polio vaccine.