We have often heard about the problems of developing treatments and vaccinations, from the many stages of research required before treatment reaches the market to the difficulties of transporting treatment and equipment across the world.
Vaccinations are a good example of both of those areas, as manufacturers have long struggled to solve the problem of needing to store and transport liquid vaccines. Now, a US company states that they have developed a vaccination that comes in the form of a pill.
The company, which is called Vaxart, recently issued a press release where they stated that they had developed a pill containing a cold virus. According to the researchers, this treatment would work by inducing immunity through the gut rather than through the blood.
Moreover, the researchers argued that the development of this treatment was fast and straightforward, and the pills would be easier to transport and store than current vaccinations on the market.
Although the researchers are currently conducting Phase I trials to test the safety and efficacy of the vaccine pill, we remain somewhat sceptical about it. It seems like a neat solution, which makes us wonder why it has taken so long to develop it.
We also lack the data from the trials to date that could clarify how this rapid development is possible, to what degree the treatment would be safe to use and what for populations it would be suitable.