💉 Measles vaccine has saved 94 million lives since 1974

• Measles vaccines have saved 94 million lives globally since 1974, of which 92 million were children.
• The measles vaccine has saved more lives than any other childhood vaccine in the last 50 years.
• The vaccine costs less than 1 US dollar per child and has been used for 60 years.

Millions of lives saved each year

The measles vaccine has saved more lives than any other childhood vaccine over the past 50 years. New data from researchers led by Andrew Shattock shows that 94 million people have survived thanks to the vaccine since 1974. Of these, 92 million were children.

Before the vaccine was introduced in 1963, almost all children contracted measles. The disease then caused about 2.6 million deaths each year. The virus weakens the immune system and makes it harder to fight both measles and other infections. It can also erase the immune system's memory of previous infections and vaccines.

Global vaccination shows results

Today, 83 percent of the world's children receive the first dose of measles vaccine before one year of age. 74 percent receive both recommended doses. The vaccine is often given in combination with vaccines against mumps, rubella and chickenpox.

The vaccine costs less than one dollar per child. When combined with other vaccines, the cost increases slightly, but it provides protection against multiple diseases and enables shared distribution and administration.

In 2023, 107,500 people died from measles, mainly children under five years old. Routine vaccination along with mass vaccination campaigns in countries with high disease prevalence is crucial to reducing global deaths. The vaccine is also used in emergencies to stop outbreaks from spreading.

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