New Herpes Vaccine Nearing Human Clinical Trials
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania recently reported that they are close to developing a herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) vaccine for humans. HSV-2 primarily causes genital herpes and is contracted through forms of sexual contact with a person who has HSV-2. An estimated 14 percent of Americans between the ages of 15 and 49 […]
One in Four Vaccinated Children in Chinese City Got Measles
Story Highlights A new study shows that despite a measles vaccination rate of more than 97 percent, over a quarter of vaccinated children in Tianjin, China still became infected with measles. Even with two or more doses of measles vaccine, 8.5 percent of cases in the surveillance dataset and 26 percent in the case series […]
Kenya Launches Malaria Vaccine Pilot Program
Kenya has become the third African country, along with Ghana and Malawi, to launch a pilot program for the world’s first malaria vaccine, Mosquirix, which has been developed by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). The vaccine is available to children from six months of age in specific locations in Kenya due to its phased pilot introduction.1 2 Malaria […]
Medical “Experts” Were Wrong About the Safety of Opioids
Story Highlights Addiction to and death from prescription painkillers is now a public health crisis in the United States. In the early 1990s, medical “experts” and “thought leaders” made claims convincing the medical community and the public that prescription painkillers were non-addictive when used in the long-term. Financial conflict of interest between opioid manufacturers and […]
American Academy of Neurology Recommends Routine Vaccination for MS Patients
New guidelines released by the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) recommend that patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) should get routine vaccinations, including annual influenza vaccinations. Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that can affect a person’s brain, optic nerves and spinal cord. Patients with MS often experience muscle weakness and have difficulty with balance and […]
Skin Inflammation in Elderly Obstructs Vaccine Efficacy
Story Highlights It is known that people over 65 do not respond well to vaccination because aging immune systems do not mount a robust immune response to pathogens. A 2018 study showed that that an excessive inflammatory response at the skin level in elderly patients obstructs immune system function and diminishes a vaccine’s efficacy. The […]