German Measles vaccine developerHarry M. Meyer Jr

A physician, Meyer co-developed the vaccine for rubella (“German measles”), now part of one of the most commonly given vaccines — MMR, for mumps, measles and rubella. From 1964-1966, 12.5 million cases of rubella left 20,000 children with birth defects. But since Meyer’s vaccine was introduced in 1966, there have been no major epidemics of the disease. Dr. Meyer died August 19 in Washington state from lymphoma. He was 72.