Evening star., 1954-04-26
Polio Tests Get
Green Light as
Vaccine Is 0K'd
Approval Is Given
By Advisory Group of
National Foundation


Half a million children today
began taking part in a Nation
wide test to learn if a success
full vaccine against polio has
been developed.
Approval to start the test was
given late yesterday when the
Vaccine Advisory Committee of
the National Foundation for In
fantile Paralysis released the
vaccine for use. First to receive
it will be 2.400 second graders in
Fairfax County. Va.
The vaccine being used was de-
veloped by DR.. Jonas E. Salk of
Pittsburgh. under grants from
the national foundation. The
light brown liquid contains in
activated polio virus. including
all three major strains of the
virus. It's purpose is to induce
the body to develop protective
antibodies against a possible at
tack by live polio virus.
The vaccine is injected into
the left arm by a hypodermic
needle, in the same way a child
is immunized against whooping
cough or diphtheria. Only chill
dren who have their parents
consent are receiving the vac
cine.
Results Due at End of Year.
It will take until late this year
or early in 1866 to know if the
vaccine is effective. An evalua-
ton of the entire test will be
made by a team of scientists.
A number of polio officials
pointed out yesterday that sue
cess of the test depends a great
deal on the way polio will act
this year. Unpredictable and
elusive, the disease may lie un-
noticed in some test areas, throw
ing a monkey wrench into the
machinery of evaluating the vac
cine. It is ironic, as one doctor
explained, that a heavy wave of
the disease through an area re-
ceiving the vaccine would insure
conclusive results. OF the 500.-
900 scheduled to receive the vac
cine, about $50 might be expected
to get polio of the paralytic type
without injected protection, polio
officials estimate.
Technically, the advisory COM
mittee, meeting here, recon-
mended that the Foundation go
ahead with the planned tests.
and President Basil O'Connor of
the Foundation said the organi-
Zation would do so, and would
assume administrative and fin
ancial responsibility for evalu-
ating the vaccine.
The decision was made at q
news conference where it was
said 1907 children already have
OCOA S1tO11 t11C Gu |
type of vaccine in preliminary
tests. 1t was emphasized there |
have been no recognizable un-
toward effects" in these tests.
Vaccine Tested Thoroughly.
Saying that specifications and
minimal requirements had been
established for the production
of the manufactured vaccine,
the advisory committee said "the
possibility of infections activity
remaining in any vaccine meet
ing the specifications and mini
NAL requirements has been re-
duced to the point below which |
it cannot be measured by prac-
ticable laboratory procedures.
Basil O'Connor, president of !
the foundation, declared:
THE tests set up (for testing
the vaccine in the laboratories |
before release) are far beyond |
those ever required for any vac i
cine to date"
Coincident with the advisory |
committees decision, the United |
States Health Service issued a
statement saying:
1--WE believe that the judg-
ment of the vaccine advisory
committee is sound and that the |
NIP is justified in proceeding
according to the committees
recommendations" |
Restrictions Ordered,
The committee also recon-
mended:
l. No vaccination program
shall be started in any area
where a paralytic case of polio
has been officially reported with
in the previous two weeks.
2. No inoculations shall be
started between June Is and
November l without the consent
of the advisory committee, nor
shall vaccine be given except in
accordance with the planned
study.
3. No area will be considered
suitable for study unless there
is a reasonable assurance that
the complete course of three in
iectionS can be offered.
First children to receive the
vaccine were those in Fairfax,
according to the National time
table for the shots set up by the
polio foundation.
States beside Virginia which
already have received the vac
cine include: Alabama. Arkan-
sas. Colorado. Illinois. Iowa,
Kentucky. Michigan. Montana,
Nevada. New Jersey. New Mex
leo, New York. Ohio. PennSyl-
vania, Tennessee. Texas, Utah,
Washington and West Virginia.
Polio officials said that in the
event case of polio cropped up
in Fairfax today or tomorrow,
health officials would have to
consult with the advisory COM
mittee to determine If the test
should be continued.