One reason why contagious vaccines are controversial is that we can’t guarantee that the viruses used to spread these vaccines can’t mutate and jump species. To create contagious vaccines, scientists take antigens (proteins that trigger an immune response) from a microbe and splice them into viruses that naturally infect only one type of animal. By design, this means that they aren’t meant to be able to cross species barriers, but many experts are still against it because we know very little about the disease dynamics of wild animals. Read full article here
Societal Issues
To curb drug deaths, communities turn to Reddit, texts and wastewater
With drug overdose deaths on the rise, authorities are attempting to curb the epidemic by tracking and sharing information in real time. In one unique effort, a nonprofit in New York City is using drug-testing equipment and stamping or marking habits of dealers to identify drug batches that may endanger users. Other approaches are also being used, such as monitoring drug-related chatter on Reddit and analyzing local wastewater for opioid and other drug levels. With the combination of these efforts, researchers hope to put a dent in the opioid crisis and reduce overdose deaths. Read full article here
Merv
June 1, 2023
