In honor of Dr. Peter Marks’ last few days as director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research I present to you what is possible when there is a compassionate, empathetic occupant at the White House.
Dr. Marks was given the choice of resigning or being fired for not agreeing with HHS Secretary, AKA the black sheep of the Kennedy clan. Dr. Marks wrote in his resignation letter, ““It has become clear that truth and transparency are not desired by the Secretary, but rather he wishes subservient confirmation of his misinformation and lies.” Dr. Marks’ last day will be April 5.
It’s significant all this is happening in April. Just a week after Dr. Marks closes his office door for good, we will celebrate the 80th anniversary of the death of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. It will also be the 70thanniversary of the announcement that the Salk polio vaccine was safe and effective. It is clearly not the most remembered thing about the Roosevelt administration, but had it not been for his instigation, Jonas Salk may have never had the funding behind his monumental research and discovery.
It is no secret that President Roosevelt suffered from polio. He was stricken with the disease in 1921, at age 39 and 11 years before being first elected President of the United States. Polio left him paralyzed from the waist down for the remainder of his life.
During his presidency he founded the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis (NFIP), a philanthropic organization dedicated to treatment and care for polio victims, raising millions of dollars through “Birthday Balls,” fund-raising dances held across the country on his birthday.
In the late 1930s, the NFIP began soliciting contributions directly from everyday citizens through a counter display program known as the March of Dimes. Through the 1930s and 1940s, through the March of Dimes, the NFIP raised enough money to support the care of every polio patient in the United States and began setting aside funds for preventative care.
With funds raised through the March of Dimes, Dr. Jonas Salk began research in 1947 into a vaccine against the poliovirus, an extremely contagious viral organism in the enterococcus family of viruses. Five years later, safety trials began on human volunteers. After three years of testing, on April 12, 1955, the polio vaccine was determined to be safe and effective for human use.
Within two years of its release, polio in the United States had declined over 90% from 58,000 cases to 5,600 cases. By 1961 only 161 cases of polio were reported in the U. S., a decrease of 97.7% from the 1945 baseline.
Dr. Salk was the single largest beneficiary of the NFIP March of Dimes fundraising efforts, began because of the philanthropic efforts of the man in the White House.
A couple parting thoughts. Roosevelt’s image appears on the American ten cent piece, the dime, because of his efforts behind the March of Dimes campaign. In 1945, Congress voted to feature his likeness on the dime, specifically in honor of his role in the March of Dimes.
If you have an interest in virology, public health, or just curious about what research looked like 80 years ago, an exhibit of Salk’s lab equipment and memorabilia is on display at the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, in the common areas of the lobby and second floors of Salk Hall, Fifth Avenue, in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh, PA.
Some may argue Roosevelt would never have been so active in pursuing research for the fight against polio is he himself has not contracted the disease. A valid point but also a petty argument. Nearly all research and funding for research is accomplished through endowments made by patients or patient families. Fortunately sometimes those afflicted with diseases are prominent and/or wealthy citizens who do not mind giving of their time and fortunes to see good is done. Good that can be experienced by all.
Dr. Jonas Salk
Is there any possible way to work in my weekly plug for the latest Uplift post. Hmm. It would be stretch. Last week we published, Coming Attractions, a discussion on balancing progress with the present. Fortunately for us, there are people like Dr. Salk who will always be looking for that next big thing.
The Real Reality Show Blog 
So many talented and well-regarded public servants leaving posts. Horrifying…truly horrifying. 💔
Indeed it is, and proof of the adage that nobody quits a difficult job. The quit a difficult boss.
Truth!!! 💔
The work done by Jonas Salk was not only revolutionary but helped us see an end to a debilitating disease. Until folks started talking about vaccinations being bad. It’s sad that Dr. Marks is leaving his role when he’s been such a help and hope to many. It seems, however, that more people are punished for doing good than doing evil. Just a thought.
I truly never understood how someone could think a vaccine is something bad. How any medication or biological used properly could be considered something not to want to take advantage of. I don’t know if people are being punished for good. Punished might not be the right word. Perhaps ridiculed by the backward hat wearing crowd who don’t understand what good and decent people get out of life. Others see the bullying as a way of feeling superior and jumping on the bandwagon. Dr. Marks is a remarkable man. Some where someone will appreciate his legacy and put his intelligence and compassion to use.
I hope so. I have tiny grands who are worrisome in a world where they’ve not yet been vaccinated because of age, and measles and other things are popping up all over the place. I just don’t get it.
They sprout from a good family tree. I’m sure they will be protected until they are old enough to be vaccinated.
Wow – this 10 cents is a wonderful post. Thank you for filling in some of the history that I didn’t know. I continue to be shocked at this turn away from science and research. I suppose I should be worried when I’m no longer shocked. Thanks for bringing us Dr. Marks along with Roosevelt and Salk! Here’s to science!
Thank you Wynne! Sometimes my serious side shows up. Vaccines and virology are right in my backyard, professionally and physically. So much research goes into them and their safety protocols far exceed anything else we put in or in our bodies. People would rather believe TV personalities and Internet sensations rather than science. To me, that’s more mysterious than how vaccines and drugs do their work.
Well said – it is more mysterious!
I remember a kid who got polio and how his life changed. Why he wasn’t vaccinated I can only guess, but he was an outlier. Salk did everything to help other people. A good role model in our stupid times.
Yes there were still some cases when I was a kid. When you look at pre-mid-60s there were still circulating viruses from then current cases. The best vaccines in the world are 95-97% successful which still leaves an opening for an aggressive virus to find its way to a susceptible host. Polio, mumps, measles are among viruses who do not easily mutate so the percent effectiveness can be very high in a well vaccinated population. Letting kids die from these and other stables viruses is as cruel as slowly poisoning them. Absolutely no need for it. People like Salk. Sabin, Marks should be enshrined in the Humans Hall of Fame for what they gave back, and are still giving back to humanity.