Rotavirus Vaccine — Ruth Bishop's Discovery to Global Rollout

The rotavirus vaccine, born from Ruth Bishop's 1973 discovery of the virus as the leading cause of childhood diarrhea, has prevented an estimated 140,000 child deaths annually since global rollout in 2006. This makes it 30% lighter than the runner-up in mortality impact for a single pathogen, with efficacy rates exceeding 85% in high-income settings and up to 50% in low-resource regions. It is cheaper than the typical rival intervention, costing under $2 per dose in many programs, and has slashed hospitalizations by 70% in countries like Mexico.