Whose vaccine helped prevent chickenpox?

Michiaki Takahashi developed the live attenuated varicella vaccine after studying the virus and weakening it for safe use in humans. The vaccine was first licensed in Japan in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and later adopted in other countries. Chickenpox was once considered a routine childhood illness, but it can cause serious complications in infants, adults, and immunocompromised people. Vaccination also reduced shingles risk later in life when paired with broader varicella control.