New Atlas

Health & Wellbeing Audio available

Measles resurgence raises concerns over vaccine exemptions

Rich Haridy February 10, 2019

A major measles outbreak in Washington state is being blamed on low-vaccination rates. In response, Washington lawmakers are currently debating a measure seeking to remove a current exemption that allows parents to refuse vaccinating their child based on philosophical or personal beliefs.

Officials in Washington are debating removing personal belief vaccine exemptions in the wake of an ongoing ...

Medical Audio available

"Whole bacterial" pneumonia vaccine approaches human trials

Darren Quick February 3, 2019

GPN Vaccines has developed a vaccine that is claimed to be effective against all forms of Streptococcus pneumoniae, the main cause of pneumonia, and the Australian company has now secured funding to conduct preclinical trials.

A new pneumonia vaccine that is claimed to be effective against all strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae ...

Medical

World Health Organization lists "vaccine hesitancy" as a global health threat

Nick Lavars January 17, 2019

Vaccine hesitancy, where people are reluctant or refuse to have themselves or their children vaccinated, is a growing problem and has now gathered such momentum that the World health Organization (WHO) sees fit to list it as one of its 10 threats to global health in 2019.

WHO sees vaccine hesitancy as a rising threat

Medical Audio available

Single-dose drug protects against all forms of Ebola

Ben Coxworth January 11, 2019

Although Ebola vaccines have been developed, each one has typically only been able to protect against a single strain of the virus. A new medication, however, has been shown to ward off all types of Ebola – and it does so via just one low dose.

There are currently five known strains of the Ebola virus

Medical

Freeze-dried vaccine may help eradicate polio once and for all

Ben Coxworth November 27, 2018

Although polio is now rarely heard of in First World countries, it still occurs in developing nations which lack facilities for refrigerating the vaccine. That may soon no longer be a problem, however, as scientists have developed a freeze-dried vaccine which can be stored at room temperature.

A computer rendering of the human polio virus

Health & Wellbeing Audio available

Peanut allergy desensitization treatment shows success, but for how long?

Rich Haridy November 20, 2018

A new oral desensitization treatment for children with peanut allergies is on the cusp of FDA approval, however questions remain over both the long-term efficacy of the treatment and the ultimate cost for what is essentially not that different to peanut flour in a capsule.

A desensitization treatment that involves slowly introducing small doses of peanut protein to a child's diet ...

Medical Audio available

Promising DNA vaccine for Alzheimer’s moves closer to human trials

Rich Haridy November 20, 2018

Researchers may be one step closer to finding the holy grail of Alzheimer’s treatments - a single dose vaccine that prevents the onset of the disease. A study has revealed a DNA vaccine can successfully reduce the accumulation of toxic proteins associated with the progression of Alzheimer’s.

After success in three separate animal models an Alzheimer's vaccine is on the cusp of human ...

Biology Audio available

Oxford scientists lay out blueprint for universal flu vaccine

Michael Irving September 23, 2018

Every year, the world enters an arms race with the flu. Creating a universal flu vaccine would give us the upper hand for the foreseeable future, and a new study from Oxford has identified a way to make that possible.

Scientists at Oxford have used mathematical models to get a better understanding of the evolutionary dynamics ...

Medical

Potential acne vaccine goes after bacterial toxins

Ben Coxworth August 29, 2018

Acne sufferers, take heart. Scientists from UC San Diego are now in the process of developing what could – eventually – be a vaccine for the skin disease. Not only may it drastically reduce inflammation, but it's also unlikely to have the side effects of currently-used medications.

If developed for use in humans, the vaccine would be the first to target bacteria already ...

Medical Audio available

Promising new universal flu vaccine may be just a few years away from market

Rich Haridy August 22, 2018

A new study led by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania has demonstrated the efficacy of a new universal flu vaccine. Having been proven impressively effective in animal tests, the team hopes to move the vaccine into human trials within the next couple of years.

Yet another candidate is in the running to be the first safe and effective universal flu ...