- Developed the polio vaccine. Salk never patented it nor earned any money from his discovery, preferring to see it distributed as widely as possible. He injected his wife, their sons and himself during the experimental stages of his vaccine.
- His second wife, Françoise Gilot, was the longtime companion of Pablo Picasso.
- Son of Russian-Jewish immigrants.
- Brother of Dr. Lee Salk, a distinguished specialist in neuromuscular diseases.
- Engaged in a four decade long rivalry with Dr. Albert Sabin. Sabin's live oral polio vaccine was developed at about the same time as Salk's injected killed virus vaccine, and the debate rages on over which vaccine has been more effective in combating polio in the long run.
- On 8 March 2006, the USA issued postage stamps in the Distinguished Americans series to honor two polio vaccine researchers. A 63¢ stamp pictured Jonas Salk, and an 87¢ stamp pictured Albert Sabin.
- Depicted with President Franklin D. Roosevelt on the obverse of the USA's March of Dimes silver dollar commemorative coin, dated and issued in 2015.
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