d) Jonas Salk

Jonas Salk, an American virologist, halted the scourge of polio with his development of the polio vaccine. Born in 1914 in New York, Salk’s vaccine was introduced in 1955 and was the first of its kind to effectively combat poliomyelitis, a crippling and potentially deadly disease. Prior to the vaccine, polio outbreaks caused widespread panic and left thousands of children paralyzed each year. Salk’s inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) provided a safe and effective means of prevention, leading to a dramatic decrease in polio cases worldwide. Salk’s refusal to patent the vaccine, making it widely available, showcased his dedication to public health. His work not only changed the course of medical history but also represented a major milestone in the fight against infectious diseases.