Jonas Salk developed the first successful vaccine against poliomyelitis (polio), a devastating disease that caused paralysis and death in thousands of children annually. Unlike previous live-virus vaccines, Salk’s version used a 'killed' virus, which was safer but still triggered the body’s immune system to produce antibodies. Salk famously chose not to patent the vaccine, famously asking, 'Could you patent the sun?' in an effort to make it as widely available as possible. A few years later, Albert Sabin developed an oral 'live-attenuated' vaccine that was easier to administer. Together, these inventions led to the near-total eradication of polio worldwide. The success of the polio vaccine project also established the model for large-scale, government-funded public health initiatives and modern clinical trials.