Vaccine Availability Timeline
These dates represent when vaccines first became available. Please note that if you are unsure about having received a vaccine, this table can only tell you whether the vaccine was available, but cannot confirm whether you personally had the vaccine since not everyone in the population was immunized.
| Routinely recommended vaccines | Vaccines not routinely recommended |
|---|---|
| 1914 – Pertussis vaccine | 1798 – Smallpox vaccine (discontinued use for general population in US 1971) |
| 1926 – Diphtheria vaccine | 1885 – First rabies vaccines |
| 1938 – Tetanus vaccine | 1896 – Typhoid fever vaccine |
| 1945 – Inactivated influenza vaccine (shot; not routinely recommended) |
1927 – Tuberculosis vaccine (BCG) |
| 1948 – Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccines combined to form DTP | 1930s – Japanese Encephalitis vaccine |
| 1955 – Inactivated polio vaccine (shot) | 1935 – Yellow fever vaccine |
| 1960 – Live polio vaccine (oral) | 1954 – Anthrax vaccine |
| 1963 – Measles vaccine | 1965 – Currently used anthrax vaccine |
| 1967 – Mumps vaccine | 1986 – Currently used JE vaccine |
| 1969- Rubella vaccine | 1997 – Currently used rabies vaccines |
| 1971 – Measles, mumps and rubella vaccines combined to form MMR | 1999-2002 Lyme disease vaccine (no longer available) |
| 1981 – Hepatitis B vaccine | |
| 1985 – Hib vaccine | |
| 1992 – DTaP vaccine | |
| 1995 – Varicella vaccine | |
| 1995-1996 – Hepatitis A vaccine | |
| 1998 – Rotavirus vaccine (Rotashield®) (removed from market 2000) |
|
| 2000 – Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine | |
| 2003 – Intranasal influenza vaccine | |
| 2005 – Meningococcal vaccine for adolescents | |
| 2005 – Tdap vaccine for adolescents | |
| 2006 – HPV vaccine for adolescent girls | |
| 2006 – Rotavirus vaccine (RotaTeq®) | |
| 2006 – Shingles vaccine (60 yrs & older) | |
| 2008 – Rotavirus vaccine (RotaRix®) | |
| 2009 – HPV vaccine for adolescent boys |
Reviewed by: Paul A. Offit, MD
Date: October 2012
Materials in this section are updated as new information and vaccines become available. The Vaccine Education Center staff regularly reviews materials for accuracy.
You should not consider the information in this site to be specific, professional medical advice for your personal health or for your family's personal health. You should not use it to replace any relationship with a physician or other qualified healthcare professional. For medical concerns, including decisions about vaccinations, medications and other treatments, you should always consult your physician or, in serious cases, seek immediate assistance from emergency personnel.
Contact Us
We would like to hear from you. Please use our online form to contact us with questions or comments.
- Parents PACK
- Vaccine Update for Healthcare Providers