Hello: I am a neonatologist. I practiced general pediatrics for 7 years (11 if one counts my time with newborn babies only). Children and even more parents will be very glad for this vaccine. The actual intramuscular vaccines are avoided a lot for a large part of the population that could be help.
I would not worry much about the lack of a vaccine version for adults older than 65. The children's version will not be a problem below that age. It could be use for the family members of the older patients, to curtail transmission, until they have a suitable vaccine.
In neonatal intensive care units the staff is recommended to use the vaccine to protect premature babies, and the same in pediatric wards. For the staff this will be a very nice vaccine.
If one looks at the polio vaccine, the oral version in the 1960s quickly replaced the intramuscular form, just one season. Today newly improved intramuscular polio vaccine (with no paralitic polio as a side effect) is still struglind to replace the most demanded oral one, and of 4 to 5 inoculations only 1 or 2 are intramuscular (this schedule is actual recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics, and other organizations)
The nasal vaccine trial itsel is astounding. FDA approval is almost certain, especially with the NIH backup for this enterprise.
The use of this nasal technology for other vaccines is very promising, even with the lack of patent, this is very difficult to replicate, and any replication will need independent trials by the rivals, and with an established vaccine in the US market very-very-very difficult even to justify based on ethical considerations , if something is working how anyone will be a control patient and subject to be exposed to a disease that could be fatal, rival companies will have to take their trials overseas at the least. A rival will be better off trying a different disease, or start their trials before this one come to market.
The Epstein-Barr vaccine is interesting, but the probable population is limited, this is in the family of Herpes virus, associated with many diseases including cancer and neoplasias. It is a dormant virus, that stays in your body forever, more benign varicella (chicken pox) took a long time to be approved (more than 10 years).
Parainfluenza virus is mentioned as a candidate for nasal vaccine in the Sturza letter. It is a very common cause of (sometimes fatal) pneumonia and bronchilolitis in babies and infants. I think is a good one to research.
My speculation: measles, mumps and rubella, especially measles is a great candidate to research with this technology. All this viruses are of nasal transmision and all are actively use in inmunization schedules. Ethical considerations for new research will made this possible trials a difficult and expensive enterprise, but doable.
I am considering to buy some for a long position, I think in two or three years it will be significantly up, despite the short term downs.
Mr. Brad C. Dunlap: your postings are highly appreciated.
Thank You,
Cacaito |
