10/28/2014Himanish Raghunath1 Source: Google.com

10/28/2014Himanish Raghunath2 Brief - Dr. Salk Jonas Edward Salk (October 28, 1914 – June 23, 1995) American virologist and medical researcher. He discovered and developed the first effective polio vaccine. He conducted his first clinical trials at the D.T. Watson Home for Crippled Children, a school dedicated to the care and education of children with disabilities. The tests were successful, and Salk next tested the vaccine on volunteers - including himself, his wife, and his children.

10/28/2014Himanish Raghunath3 About Poliomyelitis Often called polio or infantile paralysis, it is an acute, viral, infectious disease spread from person to person, primarily via the fecal-oral route. Although approximately 90% of polio infections have no symptoms, symptoms can be exhibited if the virus enters the blood stream. In about 1% of cases, the virus enters the central nervous system, preferentially infecting and destroying motor neurons, leading to muscle weakness. Source:

10/28/2014Himanish Raghunath4 Before the Polio vaccine (America) In 1952, of the 58,000 cases reported that year, 3,145 people died and 21,269 were left with mild to disabling paralysis. Polio paralyzed between 13,000 and 20,000 children annually. After the Polio vaccine (America) More than 650,000 children were vaccinated.

10/28/2014Himanish Raghunath5 Patenting the vaccine…??... On April 12, 1995, Salk was hailed as a “miracle worker” and the day almost became a national holiday. Salk chose not to patent the vaccine and did not earn any money from his discovery, preferring to see it distributed as widely as possible. When asked who owned the patent to it, Salk said "There is no patent. Could you patent the sun?“ Dr. Salk would have been an estimated $2-2.5 billion richer. salk-potentially-forfeit-by-not-patenting-the-polio-vaccine/