History of Vaccination in Timeline

Vaccination is the process of administering a vaccine to stimulate the immune system and develop immunity against a specific disease. Vaccines contain weakened, live, or killed microorganisms, or their components, to trigger adaptive immunity. A high vaccination rate leads to herd immunity, protecting vulnerable individuals who cannot be vaccinated. Vaccination is a highly effective method for preventing infectious diseases, evidenced by the eradication of smallpox and the elimination of polio and tetanus in many regions. The WHO estimates that vaccines prevent 3.5-5 million deaths annually. However, declining vaccination rates due to vaccine hesitancy have contributed to the resurgence of some diseases.

1905: Jacobson v. Massachusetts U.S. Supreme Court ruling

In 1905, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld compulsory vaccination laws in the landmark case Jacobson v. Massachusetts, ruling that laws could require vaccination to protect the public from dangerous communicable diseases.

1959: WHO calls for smallpox eradication

In 1959, the WHO called for the eradication of smallpox worldwide, as smallpox was still endemic in 33 countries.

1963: Introduction of the measles vaccine

In wealthy nations the number of measles cases had dropped dramatically after the introduction of the measles vaccine in 1963.

1966: Global smallpox cases

According to the WHO, there were in 1966 about 100 million cases of smallpox worldwide, causing an estimated two million deaths.

1974: Smallpox confined to parts of Asia and Africa

By 1974, the WHO smallpox vaccination program had confined smallpox to parts of Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Ethiopia and Somalia.

1974: Vaccination prevents deaths

In 1974, a WHO-funded study by The Lancet estimated that, during the 50-year period starting in 1974, vaccination prevented 154 million deaths, including 146 million among children under age 5.

1974: WHO adopts goal of universal vaccination

In 1974, the WHO adopted the goal of universal vaccination by 1990 to protect children against six preventable infectious diseases: measles, poliomyelitis, diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, and tuberculosis.

1977: Last case of smallpox infection acquired outside a laboratory

In 1977, the WHO recorded the last case of smallpox infection acquired outside a laboratory in Somalia.

1979: Smallpox eradication

In 1979, smallpox was finally eradicated, after causing an estimated 300–500 million deaths in the 20th century.

1980: WHO officially declares the world free of smallpox

In 1980, the WHO officially declared the world free of smallpox.

1990: Vaccination rates in developing countries

In the 1980s, only 20 to 40% of children in developing countries were vaccinated against six diseases. The goal set by WHO in 1974 of universal vaccination by 1990 was not met.

2000: Establishment of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization

In 2000, the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization was established to strengthen routine vaccinations and introduce new and underused vaccines in countries with a per capita GDP of under US$1,000.

2001: Thimerosal removed from childhood vaccines in the United States

In 2001, thimerosal was removed from childhood vaccines in the United States as a precaution, even though evidence supported its safety and efficacy in vaccines.

2003: SARS Outbreak Cost

In 2003, the SARS outbreak in East Asia resulted in an economic cost of $54 billion.

2004: Retraction of Wakefield's article

In 2004, 10 of the original 12 co-authors of Andrew Wakefield's 1998 paper published a retraction of the article and stated that no causal link was established between the MMR vaccine and autism as the data were insufficient.

2006: Eradication of polio depends on improved sanitation

By 2006, global health experts concluded that the eradication of polio was only possible if the supply of drinking water and sanitation facilities were improved in slums.

2007: Vaccine effectiveness on mortality or morbidity rates

In 2007, studies regarding the effectiveness of vaccines on mortality or morbidity rates of those exposed to various diseases found almost 100% decreases in death rates, and about a 90% decrease in exposure rates.

2009: Adverse events associated with Pandemrix vaccine

In 2009, Pandemrix, a vaccine for the H1N1 pandemic given to around 31 million people, was found to have a higher level of adverse events than alternative vaccines, resulting in legal action. A CDC study found that FDA-approved 2009 H1N1 flu shots were not associated with an increased risk for neurological disorder.

2009: Public Health Law Research Report on Vaccination Effectiveness

In 2009, Public Health Law Research reported insufficient evidence to assess the effectiveness of required vaccinations for specific jobs to reduce disease incidence among vulnerable populations, sufficient evidence supporting the effectiveness of required vaccinations for child care and school attendance, and strong evidence supporting the effectiveness of standing orders for vaccine administration by healthcare workers without prescription authority.

2010: The Lancet retracts Wakefield's article

In 2010, The Lancet officially retracted Andrew Wakefield's 1998 article, stating that several elements of the article were incorrect, including falsified data and protocols.

2011: Andrew Wakefield stripped of medical license

In 2011, Andrew Wakefield, a leading proponent of the theory that MMR vaccine causes autism, was found to have been financially motivated to falsify research data and was subsequently stripped of his medical license.

2013: Vaccine preventable deaths among children

In 2013, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that 29% of deaths of children under five-years-old were vaccine preventable.

2015: Study confirms no link between autism and the MMR vaccine

In 2015, a study confirmed that there is no link between autism and the MMR vaccine. Infants were given a health plan, that included an MMR vaccine, and were continuously studied until they reached five years old. There was no link between the vaccine and children who had a normally developed sibling or a sibling that had autism making them a higher risk for developing autism themselves.

2017: Dengvaxia vaccine suspension in the Philippines

In 2017, a mass vaccination program in the Philippines was suspended after Dengvaxia, the only approved vaccine for Dengue fever, was found to increase the risk of hospitalization for Dengue fever by 1.58 times in children of 9 years or younger.

2019: Vaccinations Prevented Deaths

According to a 2021 paper, vaccinations against haemophilus influenzae type b, hepatitis B, human papillomavirus, Japanese encephalitis, measles, neisseria meningitidis serogroup A, rotavirus, rubella, streptococcus pneumoniae, and yellow fever have prevented an estimated 50 million deaths from 2000 to 2019. The paper represents the largest assessment of vaccine impact before COVID-19-related disruptions.

2020: COVID-19 pandemic disrupts vaccinations

UNICEF has reported on the extent to which children missed out on vaccinations from 2020 onwards due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

December 2021: COVID-19 vaccinations prevented deaths

According to a June 2022 study, COVID‑19 vaccinations prevented an additional 14.4 to 19.8 million deaths in 185 countries and territories from 8 December 2020 to 8 December 2021.

June 2022: COVID-19 vaccinations prevented deaths

According to a June 2022 study, COVID‑19 vaccinations prevented an additional 14.4 to 19.8 million deaths in 185 countries and territories from 8 December 2020 to 8 December 2021.

2022: Global immunization coverage

In 2022, a WHO/UNICEF report found that the number of children who did not receive a single dose of the vaccine increased from 13.9 million in 2022 to 14.5 million in 2023.

2023: Vaccination programs get back on track

By summer 2023, UNICEF described vaccination programs as getting "back on track" after disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2023: Global immunization coverage stalled

In 2023, a WHO/UNICEF report found that the number of children who received three doses of the vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP) in 2023 stalled at 84% (108 million). The number of children who did not receive a single dose of the vaccine increased from 13.9 million in 2022 to 14.5 million in 2023.

2024: WHO/UNICEF report on global immunization coverage

In 2024, a WHO/UNICEF report found that the number of children who received three doses of the vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP) in 2023 stalled at 84% (108 million).