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Celebrities Who Advocate For Vaccines

Vincent Iannelli, MD

Some of the first celebrities to advocate for vaccines did so to help combat polio.

In 1954, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz asked everyone to “give every dime and dollar” they could spare to fight polio, becoming some of the first celebrity vaccine advocates.

From Grace Kelly to Elvis and Marilyn Monroe, stars lined up to support the efforts of the March of Dimes to end polio, with celebrity comedian Eddie Cantor leading the way.

Joan Crawford, Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Red Skelton, Johnny Cash, Jack Benny, Bing Crosby, and many others were a part of the Polio Crusade.

Before that though, there were celebrities that were working to fight smallpox. Celebrities of the time like Lewis Carroll, who is best known for writing Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass.

Celebrity Vaccine Advocates

There are, not surprisingly, many pro-vaccine celebrities now too.

And like Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz in the 1950s, many celebrity vaccine advocates work with organizations to help fight vaccine-preventable diseases and protect children.

Many, like Ewan McGregor and Salma Hayek, work with UNICEF.

Others promote flu vaccines, combat pertussis, or simply fight the anti-vaccine misinformation that is that out there.

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