Polio Vaccine by Jonas Salk is Best Treatment for Virus; Will End Disease 'For Good'?

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April 12 marks the 60th anniversary of the injectable polio vaccine by Jonas Salk. With the alleged success of the oral polio vaccine, it seems the injectable version of the medicine is making a comeback thanks to a newer technology, according to the CNN.

The microneedle patch is a result of a new medical technology that is easier to apply and could help in eradicating the disease for good. The patch is a small adhesive bandage that is easily administered in a few minutes as all you need is to do is to directly apply it to the skin and push it down. It can easily be delivered by personnel with minimal training as compared to relying on skilled health workers.

This new version came about in developed countries in the recent years to replace the oral version of the vaccine. Even though this method of delivering the vaccine is cheaper and more effective, it carries a rare risk. According to NPR, approximately 1 in 750,000 vaccinations can cause an infection. The oral drops are made with a live virus which, according to Science Direct, can make the recipient susceptible to the poliomyelitis virus, the microorganism responsible for polio. This is why the United States uses the injectable version with the killed virus.

The oral vaccine is mainly used in many countries especially in poverty-stricken ones. Injections were not worth the effort given that they cost more and need trained medics to be properly administered. However, this will be reverted once again with the injectable version using the microneedle patch. The reason for doing so is because health specialists do not want to risk causing polio with the oral version.

This change may cost more but the planners believe it is worth it. "Including one dose of injectable polio vaccine is necessary to eliminate even the very rare vaccine-derived cases," according to Carol Pandak, director of Rotary's Polio Plus Program. The Polio Eradication and Endgame Strategic Plan aims to phase out the oral version for the injectables and promises to provide adequate funding to countries with low-income.

Poliomyelitis affected thousands of Americans in an epidemic in the beginning of the 20th century. Polio is a disease that causes partial or full paralysis and even deaths because it attacks the central nervous system. The introduction of the vaccine by Jonas Salk in 1955 was considered to be a hallmark in the American medical history. Within two years of the announcement of the vaccine, the polio cases in the United States dropped by 85 to 90 percent, according to the  NPR History Department.