Inexpensive Plant-based oral Vaccines Against Diseases May Arrive Sooner Than You Think 07-018

A U.S. scientist is developing a method to produce inexpensive vaccines against disease. Professor Henry Daniell, from the University of Central Florida, has found a way to genetically engineer plants to make large amounts of certain vaccines. The drugs, taken orally rather than by injection, would be much cheaper than traditional vaccines -- making them ideal for use in poor countries. And the U.S. government hopes the research will boost the availability of medicines to fight bio-terror threats like anthrax.

It's estimated just one acre of tobacco plants, for example, could produce enough anthrax vaccine to inoculate everyone in the United States.

Professor Henry Daniell is hopeful:

"We have now developed this system for several vaccines -- for the bio-terrorism vaccines like anthrax and for plague, but for other important diseases in developing countries -- waterborne pathogens like cholera, amebiasis and also viruses like rotavirus. All of these vaccines have already been developed. We are also in the process of developing vaccines for malaria and tuberculosis".

Future  research could lead to novel treatments for other illnesses, including diabetes and hepatitis, as well as other bioterrorism agents.

see full story >> Voice of America, 16Jan07, Steve Mort

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Comments

[Elina Hiltunen]

Finnish researchers have invented chewing gum that prevents cancer in mouth. (i.e. another type of vaccine that does not need injections)
link here (sorry, only in finnish)
http://www.tiede.fi/uutiset/uutinen.php?id=2565