The vaccines that changed human history
The top 3 according to 8 votes from people: Smallpox vaccine (1796) · Cholera and typhoid vaccines (1896) · Plague vaccine (1897). (Updated May 21, 2025.)
From the smallpox vaccine Edward Jenner tested in 1796 to the polio vaccine and the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines: the vaccines that saved millions of lives, in chronological order. Which do you think matters most?
Automatically translated (original in العربية). See the original
Top 18
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1
Smallpox vaccine (1796)
The first vaccine in history, by Edward Jenner; smallpox was declared eradicated in 1979.
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2
Cholera and typhoid vaccines (1896)
Among the first vaccines against bacteria.
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3
Plague vaccine (1897)
Against the disease that terrified the world for centuries.
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4
Diphtheria toxoid (1923)
Against diphtheria, a killer of children.
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5
Salk polio vaccine (1955)
An inactivated vaccine that cut cases astonishingly fast.
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6
Measles vaccine (1963)
Against one of the most contagious diseases.
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7
Rubella vaccine (1969)
It protects pregnant women and their babies from birth defects.
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8
Rabies vaccine (1885)
Louis Pasteur used it to save the boy Joseph Meister.
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9
Tetanus toxoid (1924)
Against tetanus.
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10
Pertussis vaccine (1926)
Against whooping cough.
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11
BCG tuberculosis vaccine (1927)
Still given to newborns in many countries.
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12
Yellow fever vaccine (1937)
Against a mosquito-borne disease.
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13
Influenza vaccine (1943)
The first licensed flu vaccine.
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14
Mumps vaccine (1967)
Against mumps.
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15
MMR vaccine (1971)
Measles, mumps and rubella in a single shot.
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16
HPV vaccine (2006)
It prevents cervical cancer.
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17
mRNA COVID-19 vaccines (2020)
From Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, developed in under a year.
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18
Hepatitis B vaccine (1981)
The first vaccine to prevent a type of cancer.
How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.
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