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Science & Technology
The vaccine to cure every strain of flu
2006-12-29
British scientists are on the verge of producing a revolutionary flu vaccine that works against all major types of the disease. Described as the 'holy grail' of flu vaccines, it would protect against all strains of influenza A - the virus behind both bird flu and the nastiest outbreaks of winter flu. Just a couple of injections could give long-lasting immunity - unlike the current vaccine which has to be given every year.

The brainchild of scientists at Cambridge biotech firm Acambis, working with Belgian researchers, the vaccine will be tested on humans for the first time in the next few months.

A similar universal flu vaccine, being developed by Swiss vaccine firm Cytos Biotechnology, could also be tested on people in 2007 - and the vaccines on the market in around five years.
Posted by:.com

#7  I can remember the first time I got a polio vaccination - in the second grade, in 1953. My class had great incentive - two of our classmates had had polio earlier. One had a leg brace, the other was always short of breath and very sickly. I haven't gotten a flu shot since I left the military, 16 years ago (haven't had the flu, either). If this thing works, I might be tempted.
Posted by: Old Patriot   2006-12-29 23:33  

#6  No probs :-)
Posted by: Steve White   2006-12-29 11:03  

#5  Sorry, I was kidding. Do you know why the March of Dimes is focused on birth defects? After the vaccine for polio was discovered by Dr. Koprowski and administered broadly, the MoD realized it had to change focus. So they asked themselves, "What is the disease least likely to be cured?" Birth Defects! Our new goal to stay in business by curing the uncurable. Sort of reminds you of the incentives to poverty pimps to lift people out of poverty or the incentives of teachers to actually educate children. Rentiers all.
Posted by: Nimble Spemble   2006-12-29 10:56  

#4  Are you kidding? March of Dimes is still around; now they focus on birth defects.

You name a medical charity that's gone out of business the last fifty years even though the disease they originally targeted has been cured/controlled. Name one.
Posted by: Steve White   2006-12-29 10:48  

#3  the jab will have to be regularly reformulated.

Ah, job security. At least M2 will be more cooperative than that nasty poliomyolitis vaccine that killed the Mothers' March of Dimes.
Posted by: Nimble Spemble   2006-12-29 08:07  

#2  Dozed during the evolution lecture---cause it has nothing to do with being a biomedical researcher---did we?
Posted by: gromgoru   2006-12-29 07:45  

#1  I'm curious as to why the human immune system doesn't recognize M2 without the 'vaccine' (which doesn't sound like a vaccine to me).
Posted by: phil_b   2006-12-29 05:12  

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