We have a safe and effective vaccine that can stop measles and rubella
- The combined measles and rubella vaccine is one of the most cost-effective health interventions available.
- Global progress against measles has been stunning. Nearly 60 million lives have been saved by measles vaccination since 2000. More than 4 billion doses of measles vaccine have been delivered to children around the world with support from the Measles & Rubella Partnership.
- Measles vaccination coverage is now 84% globally compared with 72% in 2001.
Updated on November 18, 2025
Prior to the measles vaccine, the United States alone had nearly 4 million cases of measles each year. The introduction of the vaccine led to a dramatic decline in measles cases
A measles vaccine, engineered by Nobel Prize-winning virologist John F. Enders, first became licensed in 1963 and was followed by an improved vaccine in 1968. A vaccine for rubella became available in 1969. In many countries, the vaccines are combined into an “MR” vaccine, or with a mumps vaccine into an “MMR” vaccine. Individual governments make decisions about which vaccines to use.
Today, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that children receive two doses of measles vaccine. The WHO also recommends that measles and rubella efforts be combined.
The Measles & Rubella Partnership is making great strides to bring this opportunity to the world’s children.The vaccines are safe and effective, and when coverage in a population is very high (95% coverage is recommended to prevent outbreaks), the viruses stop circulating. Very high coverage can thus lead to the elimination of measles and rubella.
To eliminate measles in the United States for example, the country focused on securing high vaccination coverage among preschool and school-aged children. In the 1990s, countries in South and Central America began conducting campaigns, vaccinating all young people between 9 months and 15 years to rapidly interrupt the spread of the measles virus. This approach was a significant factor in achieving measles elimination in the Western Hemisphere in 2002, and the elimination of indigenous rubella in 2016. With increased outbreaks in the wake of COVID-19 paired with reduced global health spending on vaccinations, this progress is threatened and countries that have previously eliminated measles are experiencing a resurgence.
The Measles & Rubella Partnership helps procure the measles-rubella vaccine from pharmaceutical companies and delivers it to countries organizing vaccination campaigns. The vaccine used by the Measles & Rubella Partnership is verified to be safe and effective by the WHO.
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