The History of Vaccines: Who We Are

An online project from The College of Physicians of Philadelphia

The History of Vaccines is an informational, educational website being developed by The College of Physicians of Philadelphia, the oldest medical association in the United States. A group of prominent Philadelphia physicians, including Declaration of Independence signer Benjamin Rush, established the College in 1787 “to advance the science of medicine and to thereby lessen human misery.”

Today, the College’s mission is to advance the cause of health, while upholding the ideals and heritage of medicine. All aspects of the College—its physician Fellows, its Historical Medical Library, and the world-renowned Mütter Museum—serve this mission.

The College is creating The History of Vaccines to provide a living, changing chronicle of the compelling history of vaccination, from pre-Jennerian variolation practices, to the defeat of polio in the Western Hemisphere, to cutting-edge approaches to vaccination for cancer, atherosclerosis, and addiction. This site will increase public knowledge and understanding of the ways in which vaccines work, how they have been developed, and the role they play in the improvement of human health.

For more information about the project, see About.