FDA hired temporary investigators to prevent polio vaccine black market
On Aug. 17, 1955, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the hiring of 48 temporary investigators…
Agriculture | Biology | Environmental | EPA | Forestry | Life Science History | USDA
USDA Forest Service Spayed DDT to Control spruce budworm in Oregon Forest
In Jul. 1955, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) sprayed DDT as…
Officials discover polio cases after vaccine produced by Cutter Laboratories accidently contained live virus
On Apr. 26, 1955, Officials first noticed an increase in reported polio cases in California. Soon it was…
Salk polio vaccine was announced
On Apr. 12, 1955, the polio vaccine developed by Dr. Jonas Salk at the University of Pittsburgh was…
Convocation held at the University of Michigan proclaimed “The Vaccine Works!”
On Apr. 12, 1955, a convocation was held at the University of Michigan (UM), where Dr. Thomas Francis…
The National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Chemotherapy National Service Center was established
On Apr. 1, 1955, the National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Chemotherapy National Service Center was established in the institute…
The Cutter Incident, a production error, caused some polio vaccine to be tainted with live polio virus
In April 1955, Cutter Laboratories, located in Berkeley, California and one of several companies licensed by the U.S….
The first Citizens Advisory Committee held a meeting in Washington, DC
On Feb. 3, 1955, the first Citizens Advisory Committee met in Washington, D.C. to assess the effectiveness of…
Simian virus 40 accidentally administered to humans through contaminated Poliovirus vaccines
From 1955 through early 1963, millions of people were accidentally exposed to simian virus 40 (SV40) as a…
University of Alaska started offering PhDs
In 1955, by the time Alaska became a state in 1959, students could earn Ph.Ds at the university,…
The Priestley Medal was awarded to Charles A. Thomas
In 1955, the Priestley Medal was awarded to Charles A. Thomas by the American Chemical Society “to recognize…
The National Chemotherapy Program was launched
In 1955, The National Cancer Chemotherapy Program was initiated. It was administered and integrated by the Division of…
Roy Hertz and Min Chiu Li achieve total cure of a human solid tumor
In 1955, Drs. Roy Hertz and Min Chiu Li discovered that the same methotrexate treatment alone could cure…
The National Cancer Institute’s Clinical Trials Cooperative Group Program was established
In 1955, the NCIﾒs Cooperative Group Program for clinical research was established in 1955 and has grown to…
Biology | Diagnostics | Life Science History | NIH | Polio | Vaccine
The Division of Biologics Control became an independent entity within the National Institutes of Health
In 1955, the Division of Biologics Control (DBS) became an independent entity within the National Institutes of Health…
HEW Secretary Oveta Culp Hobby appointed a committee of 14 citizens to study the adequacy of FDA’s facilities and programs
In 1955, HEW Secretary Oveta Culp Hobby appoints a committee of 14 citizens to study the adequacy of…
Hydroxychloroquine was approved for medical use in the United States
In 1955, Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) was approved for medical use in the U.S. Chloroquine was discovered in 1934 by…
The Polio Vaccination Assistance Act was enacted by U.S. Congress
In 1955, the Polio Vaccination Assistance Act was enacted by the U.S. Congress, the first federal involvement in…
The Scripps Metabolic Clinic West Annex was completed in downtown La Jolla
In 1955, the Scripps Metabolic Clinic West Annex was completed in downtown La Jolla to house divisions of…
Physician and researcher Edmund Keeney became director of the Scripps Metabolic Clinic
In 1955, physician and researcher Edmund Keeney became director of the Scripps Metabolic Clinic after Sherrillﾒs death. That…
Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation was established
In 1955, TSRI’s modern beginnings date to the establishment of Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation, when a major…
New Armed Forces Institute of Pathology building was built on the Walter Reed Army Medical Center campus
In 1955, a new Armed Forces Institute of Pathology building was built on the Walter Reed Army Medical…
An extensive renovation began on the National Naval Medical Center
In 1955, an extensive renovation began which included the construction of two buildings: Building 9, a three-story outpatient…
CDC established the Polio Surveillanceﾠ Program
On Apr. 28, 1955, The National Poliomyelitis Surveillance Program was established by the Surgeon General of the Public…
The new Cook County Hospital central diagnostic x-ray department opened
In 1955, the new Cook County Hospital central diagnostic x-ray department opened with the worldﾒs first radiographic rooms…
Biology | Diagnostics | Disease | Life Science History | Measles | Non-Profit Research | Therapeutics
Mayo Clinic Heritage Hall opened its doors
In 1955, The Mayo Clinic Heritage Hall museum opened in Rochester, Minnesota with a generous gift from John…
Hoffmann-La Roche Research Laboratories, Squibb Institute for Medical Research jointly received the Lasker Award award
In 1955, Edward Robitzek, Irving Selikoff, Walsh McDermott and Carl Muschenheim, The Hoffmann-La Roche Research Laboratories, Squibb Institute…
Canada contributed to the safe cultivation of the poliovirus for polio vaccine
In 1955, Canada contributed to the safe cultivation of the poliovirus, using Medium 199, and an incubation process…
The Medical College of Virginia graduated its first African-American student, Jean Harris
In 1955, new doors were opened as the Medical College of Virginia graduated its first African-American student, Jean…
Frank Dixon was recruited to La Jolla from Minnesota with four other young scientists, forming the core of what would later become The Scripps Research Institute
In 1955, The Scripps Research Institute’s modern beginnings date to the establishment of Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation,…