Vaccine History

Developments by year

Every year since 1995 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) has endorsed annual childhood and adult immunization schedules. Prior to 1995, these groups updated the immunization schedule every few years as needed. Find out more about the development of vaccines.

Vaccine availability timeline

Find out when specific vaccines first became available.

Contagious diseases in the U.S. from 1888 to 2011

Find out about a study that estimated the impact of vaccines in the U.S. using data on cases of disease reported weekly over a period of more than 100 years.

Scientists – in memoriam

Many scientists have made discoveries important to the development of vaccines. This page honors scientists who have died over the past several years whose work contributed to the science of vaccines.

Reviewed by Paul A. Offit, MD on January 17, 2024

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.