A járványos gyermekbénulás elleni vakcina a politikai és szakmai harc hálójában

The discovery of the polio pathogen and the development of eradication procedures represented a giant step in the man’s history. They demonstrated clearly the diversity of scientific approaches. Infectious diseases of poliovirus like other ones follow an ever-changing pattern. Examined in the global context, these changes burdened society from the very beginning. The invention of any vaccine did not result in peace of mind, because not only its quality but the effect of variable conditions must have been constantly monitored due to the changing patterns of viruses. Polio or poliomyelitis causes paralysis and death. Its history goes back to the prehistoric times thus the first evidence was found in the era of the 18th Dynasty in Egypt BC cc 400-1365 cut in stone. Although major polio epidemics were unknown before the 20th century, minor and sporadic endemics were always emerging. But after the turn of the century in the 1900s major epidemics started in North America and Europe at the same time, instigating intensive research in a number of laboratories using different methodological approaches. First, the pathogen was identified and then the vaccine developed. Finally remained 2 different vaccines on the market. The inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) was the first one administered at the beginnings after the discovery by Salk, changed later by the oral polio vaccine (OPV) in many countries. Political, health policy and mainly economic struggle were launched in the production of vaccines. This study presents the historical and political background that characterized and characterizes a pandemic. Back in the Cold War era, we demonstrate the business-economic-political-institutional background of the worldwide vaccine production, without neglecting the researchers’ individual competition and envy especially through highlighting the background of the Nobel Prize struggle.