Who discovered the Polio vaccine?

Dr. Jonas Salk, an American medical researcher and virologist, discovered the first effective polio vaccine in 1955. This discovery is considered one of the greatest achievements in medical history because it led to the near eradication of poliomyelitis (polio), a deadly and disabling viral disease that mainly affects children.

Polio is caused by the poliovirus, which spreads from person to person, typically through contaminated food or water. It attacks the nervous system and can cause permanent paralysis or even death. Before the development of the vaccine, polio outbreaks caused widespread fear, with thousands of cases reported every year around the world.

Dr. Salk developed the inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) using killed polioviruses. This meant that the vaccine could not cause the disease but could still stimulate the body’s immune system to produce antibodies, providing protection against infection. The first successful field trials of Salk’s vaccine were conducted in 1954, involving more than 1.8 million children in the United States — an event known as the “Polio Pioneer” program. The results were overwhelmingly successful, and the vaccine was officially approved for use in 1955.

Later, in 1961, Dr. Albert Sabin developed an oral polio vaccine (OPV) using weakened live viruses, which made mass vaccination easier. Together, both vaccines played a vital role in reducing polio cases worldwide.

Thanks to global vaccination campaigns, polio has been eradicated from most countries, though some regions still report occasional cases. The World Health Organization (WHO) continues its efforts to achieve complete global eradication.

In summary, Dr. Jonas Salk is credited with discovering the first polio vaccine, which transformed global public health and saved millions of lives.

✅ Correct Answer: A) Jonas Salk