BCG is a potent vaccine against tuberculosis. The acronym BCG stands for Bacille Calmette-Guerin. This vaccine is a weakened form of a bacterium called Mycobacterium bovis, which is closely related to Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the microorganism that causes tuberculosis. The BCG strain was developed by Camille Guerin (1872-1961) and Albert Calmette (1863-1933) at the Pasteur Institute in Paris in 1921. By the early 1930s, the BCG vaccine was being administered in France and numerous other countries. By 1928, it had been given to 116,000 infants in France alone. Despite its early success, concerns about its efficacy delayed its introduction in the United States until 1950. In addition to its role in tuberculosis prevention, BCG is utilized as an immunostimulant and in cancer treatment.
