Pharma's Alibi | The 15-Year S.M.O.N. Epidemic of Japan

An Epidemic swept through Japan from 1959 to 1973, but how come you have never heard of it? And what happened to the virus that caused it? This story is a reminder to keep our heads on straight.

In the Wake of Polio

In the 1950s, Japan was in the middle of a “war” on Polio. As such, there was a very active and well funded virological community - not unlike our own NIH.

In February 1962, Abraham Kaplan (Professor of Philosophy) gave a banquet speech at a conference of the American Educational Research Association held at UCLA. In June of the same…