FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Brian Tiburzi, Executive Director, Post-Polio Health International

Email: director@post-polio.org | Phone: 314-534-0475

 

POST-POLIO HEALTH INTERNATIONAL URGES LEADERS TO DEFEND AND PROMOTE POLIO

VACCINE TO SAFEGUARD PUBLIC HEALTH

 

St. Louis, MO — [12/18/2024] — Post-Polio Health International (PHI), the country’s oldest and

largest advocacy organization for polio survivors, is calling for unwavering support for the

continued use and promotion of the polio vaccine to protect public health and ensure polio

remains a disease of the past.

 

Brian Tiburzi, Executive Director of PHI, emphasized the historic success of the polio vaccine and

the need to remain vigilant against the re-emergence of this devastating illness.

 

“The introduction of the polio vaccine in 1955 transformed public health, saving millions of lives

and preventing incalculable suffering,” said Tiburzi. “Polio was officially eliminated in the United

States by 1979 thanks to rigorous vaccination campaigns. However, global travel, vaccine

misinformation, and declining immunization rates in some regions now pose a renewed threat.

We cannot let our guard down.”

 

Polio, a disabling and potentially fatal disease, has been controlled worldwide primarily due to

vaccination efforts. Yet experts, including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers

for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), caution that the disease could re-emerge without

continued vigilance.

 

PHI called on policymakers and public health leaders to prioritize vaccine education to combat

misinformation and increase awareness of the historical benefits of life-saving vaccines.

 

“The polio vaccine is not only a scientific triumph but a moral commitment to protect future

generations,” Tiburzi continued. “Now is the time for leadership and action to preserve decades

of progress. We owe it to polio survivors, the medical community, and the children of

tomorrow.”

 

Post-Polio Health International remains steadfast in its advocacy to promote polio eradication

and protect public health through vaccines.

 

For more information or to schedule an interview with Brian Tiburzi, please contact Post-Polio

Health International at director@post-polio.org or call 314-534-0475.