The history of polio vaccination with “Sabin’s OPV” 60 years after its introduction in Italy: an unforgivable “delay”

Abstract

ABSTRACT

In the spring of 1964, polio vaccination with the oral vaccine developed by Albert Sabin began in Italy. Polio was feared in the world and in Italy. Thus, between 1957 and the beginning of 1958, Italian children began receiving the “Salk vaccine”, though the results were not particularly convincing. In July 1960, the international scientific community was able to verify the data from the mass testing of the Sabin vaccine. It became clear that the OPV, could prevent the virus from multiplying, thereby providing greater protection and determining the eradication of the disease. In 1960 over 70 million people in the USSR alone had already received the oral vaccine and mass vaccination in the USA would start in March 1961. However, in Italy there was no similar initiative; only later the new vaccine was accepted but was not made compulsory at the beginning. As a result of the commission’s report, registration of the “Polioral” vaccine, was authorized in September 1962 but the sale of the vaccine was not authorized until November 1963.  At the beginning of 1964, the production of “Polioral” started and the product was marketed and on the 1 st of March 1964, anti-polio vaccination with the “Sabin anti-polio vaccine” also began in Italy.

This manuscript focuses on a crucial issue about a historical delay for public health and it points out as the preparation and diffusion of the Sabin polio vaccine demonstrates that decisions regarding health treatments, and specifically vaccination campaigns, must be based exclusively on the results of clinical studies and on independent evaluation by the scientific community. This process ensures trust in vaccines, adequate protection of public health andcitizens’ well-being.