Polio Vaccine Developer: Who is Jonas Salk?

Jonas Salk was appointed director of the Virus Research Laboratory at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in the United States in 1947, where he conducted research and studies for the much-feared poliovirus. Contrary to the era, which believed that vaccines could only be developed with weakened viruses, Jonas Salk decided that working directly with the virus itself was the safest and most accurate way. Jonas Salk believed that patients could develop immunity to vaccines containing dead polio virus strips.

Jonas Edward Salk (born October 28, 1914 – June 23, 1995) was an American virologist and medical researcher who developed one of the first successful polio vaccines. He was born in New York City and attended the City College of New York and New York University School of Medicine.

This meant that the risk of accidental transmission was much less when experimenting with a dead virus. Jonas Salk administered the polio vaccine he developed to volunteers who survived polio, including himself, his wife, and his children. Everyone who had received the vaccine developed antibodies to the polio virus and did not experience any adverse reactions to the vaccine.

Polio Pioneers!

In 1954, the national administration of the polio vaccine began on one million children, known as the “Polio Pioneers.” The results of the applications made in 1955 were announced. According to the results announced, the vaccine was quite safe and effective. Two years before the vaccine became available, the number of polio cases in the United States was over 45,000. With the polio vaccine in 1962, that number dropped to 910. Known as a miracle by many, Jonas Salk never patented the vaccine. Jonas Salk preferred that this vaccine he developed to be distributed nationally as much as possible.

"Can you patent the Sun?"

Jonas Salk was a famous scientist. Since his childhood, he continued his life as a child who loved to explore and explore. He continued this in his later years. He attracted attention with his medical research in his later years. In particular, he was working on polio. His work bore fruit and he found the vaccine against this incurable disease.

After finding the vaccine, what he said should have a profound effect on all of us. When he was asked about the patent of the vaccine in a television program he participated in, he said, "What patent? It belongs to humanity, there is no patent. Can you patent the sun?" gave the answer. This answer made him better known around the world. He could very well patent it and earn his money, but he gifted this invention to humanity. Perhaps he had taken the biggest step towards eradicating the disease himself.

Jonas Salk set an example for us both with his invention and his ethical stance. You don't need superpowers to be a superhero. Thank you, good person…