History of Vaccine in Timeline

A vaccine is a biological preparation designed to induce active acquired immunity against infectious or malignant diseases. It works by introducing an agent resembling a disease-causing microorganism, often in weakened or killed form, to stimulate the body's immune system. This exposure trains the immune system to recognize the agent as a threat, destroy it, and develop long-term immunity. Vaccines have been extensively studied and proven safe and effective in preventing a wide range of diseases by preparing the body to defend itself against future encounters with the targeted microorganism.

1928: Diphtheria vaccine incident leads to deaths

In 1928, a lack of preservatives in a diphtheria vaccine led to a Staphylococcus infection that caused the deaths of 12 out of 21 children who were inoculated with it.

1931: Cultivation of Fowlpox Virus

In 1931, Alice Miles Woodruff and Ernest Goodpasture documented that the fowlpox virus could be grown in embryonated chicken eggs.

1935: Use of Eggs for Virus Propagation

In 1935, eggs were used for virus propagation in the development of a yellow fever vaccine.

1945: Use of Eggs for Influenza Vaccine

In 1945, eggs were used for virus propagation in the development of an influenza vaccine.

1958: Measles Outbreak in the United States

In 1958, the United States experienced a significant measles outbreak with 763,094 cases reported, leading to 552 deaths.

1959: Growth Media and Cell Culture Replaced Eggs

In 1959, growth media and cell culture replaced eggs as the standard method of virus propagation for vaccines.

1990: Pertussis vaccine used as adjuvant for anthrax vaccine.

In 1990, during preparations for the Persian Gulf campaign, the whole cell pertussis vaccine was utilized as an adjuvant for the anthrax vaccine to produce a more rapid immune response.

1999: DIVA vaccines coined

In 1999, DIVA vaccines were coined.

2001: Dengue Vaccine Study

A 2001 study found an issue with dengue vaccines, where the DEN-3 serotype predominated and suppressed the response to DEN-1, -2, and -4 serotypes.

2003: Identification of Vaccine Production via Transgenic Plants

As early as 2003, the concept of vaccine production through transgenic plants was identified.

2005: Thiomersal in Childhood Vaccines

As of 2005, the influenza vaccine was the only childhood vaccine in the U.S. containing thiomersal in greater than trace amounts, and it was recommended only for children with specific risk factors.

2005: Development of Bananas Producing Human Vaccine Against Hepatitis B

In 2005, bananas were developed that could produce a human vaccine against hepatitis B.

2006: Shingles Vaccine Introduction

In 2006, a vaccine against shingles, a disease caused by the chickenpox virus, was introduced, primarily targeting the elderly population.

2008: Measles cases associated with importation

In early 2008, there were 64 suspected cases of measles, with a significant portion (54 infections) linked to importation from other countries. A high percentage of those infected either had not been vaccinated against measles or were unsure if they had received the vaccine.

2009: HPV vaccine recommended in the UK.

As of 2009, the human papillomavirus vaccine was recommended in the UK.

2011: HPV vaccine recommended in the U.S.

As of 2011, the human papillomavirus vaccine was recommended in the U.S.

2013: Vaccine Market Share Concentration

In 2013, the vaccine market was highly concentrated, with Merck, Sanofi, GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, and Novartis holding 70% of vaccine sales, primarily in the EU and US.

2013: Development of Synthetic Third-Generation Vaccines

Since at least 2013, scientists have been working on developing synthetic third-generation vaccines by reconstructing the outer structure of a virus to potentially prevent vaccine resistance.

2016: DNA Vaccine Testing for Zika Virus

In 2016, a DNA vaccine for the Zika virus began testing at the National Institutes of Health, and Inovio Pharmaceuticals and GeneOne Life Science started tests of a different DNA vaccine against Zika in Miami.

2019: Vaccine Hesitancy as a Global Health Threat

In 2019, the World Health Organization characterized vaccine hesitancy as one of the top ten global health threats.

2020: Development of mRNA vaccines

In 2020, mRNA vaccines such as BNT162b2 were developed to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

2021: Horwitz Prize for mRNA Vaccine Technology

In 2021, Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman received Columbia University's Horwitz Prize for their pioneering research in mRNA vaccine technology.

2021: COVID-19 Vaccine Patent Debate

In 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Trade Organization and governments considered waiving intellectual property rights and patents on COVID-19 vaccines to improve access and scale up manufacturing.