65 years ago, Jonas Salk, team at Pitt get polio vaccine approved

PITTSBURGH — It’s been 65 years since a medical breakthrough saved the lives of millions of people.

On April 12, 1955, the polio vaccine created by Jonas Salk and his team at the University of Pittsburgh was declared safe and effective.

“Victory Over Polio!”

Today in 1955 the polio vaccine developed by Jonas Salk and his Pitt team was declared safe and effective.

65 years later, Pitt is once again at the forefront of a game-changing vaccine—this time for #COVID19: https://t.co/w74HZnvQYl pic.twitter.com/Zr05FQt2iN
— University of Pittsburgh (@PittTweet) April 12, 2020

Thanks to the vaccine, the U.S. has been declared polio-free since the late 1970s.

From 1955 when Jonas Salk announced his successful #PolioVaccine, to today where the Center for Vaccine Research @PittCVR works towards a vaccine for #COVID19, the legacy of groundbreaking research lives on @PittTweet. pic.twitter.com/tuOXkRwqkl
— UPMC (@UPMCnews) April 12, 2020