Specifically, Dr Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, believes that in the next five years, there’ll be a long-term flu vaccine that can act as an umbrella solution for that pesky seasonal sickness. Collins told USA Today that a universal flu vaccine was far-fetched only a few years ago because the virus mutated every year (with changes in its surface coating) making that specific vaccine obsolete. However, Collins said:
Scientists have found “there are parts of the viral coat that don’t change …. If you designed a vaccine to go after the constant part of the virus, you’d be protected against all strains.”
Five years is a bit ambitious but it’s becoming a matter of when, not if. One shot to rule them all. [USA Today]
EckyThump
Thursday, July 28, 2011 at 8:48 AMThere is a serious flaw in this,.. There is no way in hell that they would be able to vaccinate the entire planet! In fact it would probably only get to those who could afford it. So what happens when one of the the vaccinated, gets a strain that is resistant to this so called ‘Universal Flu Vaccine’… Bye bye,.. kiss yo ass goodbye!! #}
Scott
Thursday, July 28, 2011 at 2:01 PMListen up Bill Oddie,
They are targeting aspects of the virus that dont change when the virus mutates to a new strain. Im not a virologist but it would be like when our robot overlords make something that attacks all humans regardless of their height, colour, speed, strength, intelligence or any other biological variations we have. If you target something or things that are always common to us then you still get us all. That’s not say they will be 100% successful but it sounds like a massive improvement on the current state of things. If something slips through the net because it is so different that the new weapon doesn’t identify it as part of the group to kill well then that would have happened anyway. Then we will need to develop a new weapon to target the specifics of the new threat. just like any ongoing wars.
EckyThump
Thursday, July 28, 2011 at 4:00 PMErm,.. Bill Oddie,.. thought he was an ornithologist…? I don’t mind a lesson in virology, but is it really necessary to be so snarky about it? #}
Scott
Thursday, July 28, 2011 at 4:33 PMMate, I wasnt being snarky. It was a friendly nod to your name. Sorry to ask, but do you know who Bill Oddie is?
Scott
Thursday, July 28, 2011 at 4:35 PMMay be what I should have asked is how did you come up with EckyThump?
EckyThump
Thursday, July 28, 2011 at 5:20 PMActually I didn’t even make the connection, cos my feelins was hurt! :) It’s been a long time but I was a big fan, and the Eckythump ep was one of my fav’s, as was the Rolf harris one… infact I’ve even got an oversized rolling pin that I keep incase of intruders, with “EckyThump” on it! No sweat eh! #]
Scott
Thursday, July 28, 2011 at 5:37 PMHa Ha, yes it was a great series.
Now I feel like locating some decent quality examples of the episodes. Time to hit google.
Charlie Foxtrot
Thursday, July 28, 2011 at 6:39 PMPeople seem to overlook there own immune system, or the fact that pharmaceutical companies make a killing using peoples fears to generate profit. There is no need to inject yourself with a foreign substance unless you stand to face life threatening circumstances, something flu only does for those with weak immune systems. So really all this does is short circuits Darwin’s theory (cold, but true). Of course someone said it better…
George Carlin – On Germs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnmMNdiCz_s
“take, a fn chance