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Super-Vaccine For Flu In Development

Posted by Zonk on from the just-what-i-wanted-for-christmas dept.

Adam9 tipped us to a DailyMail article about the possibility of a revolutionary flu vaccine that could work against all strains of the Influenza A disease. This 'holy grail' of vaccines would work on everything from the annual 'winter flu' to the 'bird flu'. The best part is that just a few vaccinations may provide complete immunity, unlike the annual boosters are current defenses require. From the article: "The new jabs would be grown in huge vats of bacterial 'soup', with just two pints of liquid providing 10,000 doses of vaccine. Current flu vaccines focus on two proteins on the surface of the virus. However, these constantly mutate in a bid to fool the immune system, making it impossible for vaccine manufacturers to keep up with the creation of each new strain. The universal vaccines focus on a different protein called M2, which has barely changed during the last 100 years."

7 of 165 comments (clear)

  1. They did have a cure for flu by Timesprout · · Score: 4, Funny

    But the formula was stored in a researchers gmail account.....

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    1. Re:They did have a cure for flu by bobsledbob · · Score: 2, Funny

      Well, you got to save that sick day for something else. I mean, at work you're just sick and miserable anyway, there's no difference if you've got a cold or not.

      Around here (in the Rockies), when you take a sick day, they call it "powder flu" which quite coincidently comes around just after a big snow storm has hit.

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      Beware of geeks bearing formulas.
  2. In other news... by gzerphey · · Score: 5, Funny

    Nature develops Super-Flu to counteract Vaccine.

    Nature sucks... We should just take off and nuke it from orbit.

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  3. Outlook Grim by soloport · · Score: 3, Funny

    In related news, the stock has plummeted for McAffee and Intuit as researchers discover a cure for all computer related viruses:
    "The universal 'vaccine' focuses on a different program called Outlook, which has barely changed during the last 100 years."

  4. Re:Do fix-alls really exist? by vertinox · · Score: 4, Funny

    Is it anyone's goal to truly fix a problem forever?

    I can think of two...

    Laser hair removal and vasectomies.

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  5. The secret ingredient by Rob+T+Firefly · · Score: 3, Funny

    The formula lies in a particular oleaginous substance which can be manufactured from refined cells of particular reptiles of suborder serpentes.

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  6. Re:Do fix-alls really exist? by Pharmboy · · Score: 2, Funny

    But you failed to mention that your "cure" can cause lead poisoning, a serious and sometimes fatal condition.

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