Did you know In Sweden, examinations in 1978 showed that 84% of children who were verified to have pertussis had previously received three doses of vaccine. As a result, the whole-cell DTP vaccine was deemed ineffective. Combined with the concerns over its safety, the Swedish health ministry recommended discontinuation of the whooping cough vaccination in 1979. From 1979 to 1996 (17 years), there was no national vaccination program. However, notice that there isn’t any increase in deaths, which were close to zero before they began vaccinating in 1953.