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Gene Therapy May Protect Against Flu

Posted by samzenpus on from the shields-up dept.

sciencehabit writes "In 2009, a global collaboration of scientists, public health agencies, and companies raced to make a vaccine against a pandemic influenza virus, but most of it wasn't ready until the pandemic had peaked. Now, researchers have come up with an alternative, faster strategy for when a pandemic influenza virus surfaces: Just squirt genes for the protective antibodies into people's noses. The method—which borrows ideas from both gene therapy and vaccination, but is neither—protects mice against a wide range of flu viruses in a new study."

2 of 72 comments (clear)

  1. How long before this scenario happens? by RogueWarrior65 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Some radical environmentalist person on their online dating profile writes "Genetically modified people need not apply."

    1. Re:How long before this scenario happens? by gnoshi · · Score: 3, Insightful

      That's ok, for two reasons:
      1. The 'gene modification' disappears over time
      2. Who here would want to date someone that boring anyway?