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. The MMR vaccine is generally administered to children around the age of one year, with a second dose before starting school (i.e. age 4/5).