‘The vaccine works.’ Remembering the 70th anniversary of the polio vaccine

By Dennis Archambault

Of the great moments in public health history, few match the excitement of April 12, 1955, when the University of Michigan announced, “The vaccine works. It is safe, effective, and potent.” The vaccine in question was the polio vaccine.

Dr. Thomas Francis, Jr., director of the U-M Poliomyelitis Vaccine Evaluation Center, told an anxious world of parents that the Salk vaccine had proved to be 80 to 90 percent effective in preventing paralytic polio. The vaccine was developed by his former U-M graduate student, Dr. Jonas Salk. Over 1,800,000 children participated in the field trails, which were unprecedented in magnitude. But for any parent who heard the announcement, it was the equivalent of the end of a war.

Today, polio is close to being eradicated worldwide, thanks to a partnership between the World Health Organization and Rotary International.

Ironically, this is a bittersweet anniversary for those in the biosciences community as they respond to national leadership that is not only wary of vaccines in general, but the polio vaccine in particular.

Still, it’s a time to honor the great research work that began at one of Michigan’s major academic institutions. Just as there was a desperate need for the polio vaccine in 1955, and 2021, when the first Covid vaccine was released, the need for vaccines will always be present. Unfortunately, the need to communicate their value has increased considerably.

Dennis Archambault is vice president of Public Affairs for Authority Health.