First Vaccine Licensed
At least 8,000 were born deaf, 3,500 deaf and blind due to rubella. Over the course of the rubella outbreak the country tallied approximately 12.5 million cases of rubella and more than 2,000 deaths. Resulting medical costs reached the billions; this outbreak prompted the discovery of a new vaccine that could be easily distributed and was accessible. Because of the frequent outbreaks and epidemic there had to be a vaccine that could cure more than one thing at a time to effectively end the numerous outbreaks of the time. The first vaccine licensed in the United States was for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR). The vaccine for measles and mumps was originally made by Maurice Hilleman and distributed by large amounts of physicians. In 1969 Hilleman decided to modify the vaccine for Rubella which was made by Paul Parkman and Harry Meyer. The product of modifying the rubella vaccine was MMR and it entered commercial use in 1970. The MMR vaccine became widely used and in 1971 the vaccine was licensed
"Vaccine Timeline." History of Vaccines. N.p., n.p. Web. 9 Mar. 2014. <http://www.historyofvaccines.org/content/timelines/ >.
"Vaccine Timeline." History of Vaccines. N.p., n.p. Web. 9 Mar. 2014. <http://www.historyofvaccines.org/content/timelines/ >.