#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.

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.