MMR vaccine
![Maurice Hilleman](/Images/godic/202502/04/Hilleman-Walter-Reed2722.jpeg")
![Measles cases reported in the United States fell dramatically after introduction of the measles vaccine.](/Images/godic/202502/04/Measles_US_1944-2007_inset2722.png")
![Rubella fell sharply when immunization was introduced.](/Images/godic/202502/04/Rubella-us-1966-93-cdc2722.gif")
![Two workers make openings in chicken eggs in preparation for a measles vaccine](/Images/godic/202502/04/Preparation_of_measles_vaccines2722.jpg")
The MMR vaccine is an immunization vaccine against measles, mumps, and rubella (German measles). It is a mixture of live attenuated viruses of the three diseases, administered via injection. It was first developed by Maurice Hilleman while at Merck.
A licensed vaccine to prevent measles first became available in 1963, and an improved one in 1968. Vaccines for mumps and rubella became available in 1967 and 1969, respectively. The three vaccines (for mumps, measles, and rubella) were combined in 1971 to become the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine.