#Influenza

A growing chorus of scientists is questioning the United States National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) high-profile effort to develop a universal flu vaccine, after it was revealed that the $500 million project relies on older, 20th-century vaccine technology rather than cutting-edge approaches. The controversy, which centers around the scientific and strategic direction of one of the world’s most ambitious attempts to eliminate seasonal influenza, has raised broader concerns about how public health investments are prioritized and the pace of innovation in vaccine development. For Thailand, where seasonal influenza takes a persistent toll each year, the debate underscores the complexities of global vaccine progress and the quest for more effective protection against a virus that continues to mutate and evade immunity.

A growing chorus of scientists questions the U.S. National Institutes of Health’s high-profile push to develop a universal flu vaccine. The$500 million project is said to rely on older, 20th-century vaccine technology rather than modern approaches. This controversy highlights how public health funding is allotted and the pace of innovation in vaccine science. For Thailand, where seasonal flu remains a yearly burden, the discussion underscores the global complexity of advancing vaccines that can outpace a rapidly mutating virus.

Researchers from a major U.S. university have unveiled an antiviral chewing gum designed to help reduce the spread of common viruses, including influenza and herpes simplex. The approach, described in a study published in Molecular Therapy, builds on earlier work showing the gum can lower viral loads in the mouth.

The gum uses ingredients from lablab beans, specifically a protein called FRIL, which can trap and neutralize viruses in the oral cavity. The study’s lead author, a professor from a dental school, says the formulation has the potential to reduce oral viral loads by a substantial margin, echoing prior results against SARS-CoV-2 detected in saliva. This points to a broader use for oral-transmitted viruses.

In an exciting development from the University of Pennsylvania, researchers have introduced an innovative means to combat the spread of common viral infections through the use of antiviral chewing gum. Responding to the global challenge posed by infectious diseases highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers have focused on reducing transmission rates of influenza and herpes simplex viruses, which remain prevalent around the world. This approach is highlighted in a study published in Molecular Therapy.