DNA Vaccines: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
In a world where everyone wants to be superior, humans are lacking in a specific way. We, as humans, our DNA was not set up for us to be the top dog. Humans DNA was made for us to be weak to some things. Yet, scientist are trying to change that. Many have come up with the thought of DNA vaccines that help our bodies become that superior organism that we all hope to be. Those scientist have used animals in preliminary trials since the vaccines are still in the early stages of development. DNA vaccines have emerged just recently out of the minds of scientists. In the past couple years, they have tried to use rodents, or other small animals and insects. DNA vaccines are playing a crucial role in science because they are helping animals avoid diseases, make their DNA more superior than it was before and lastly, and makes their immune system stronger. DNA immunization is a novel technique used to efficiently stimulate humoral and cellular immune responses to protein antigens.(Khan) The main purpose of DNA Vaccines is to put them inside a host to control
…show more content…
Some ways include a regular injection with a needle, like a shot, Electroporation, and a “gene” gun. The Gene Gun is also called Particle Acceleration or Microprojectile Bombardment. The gun is used by “shooting” DNA into a plant cell or an animal cell.(Plant and Soil Science eLibrary) This method is used in plants to protect them as well. “Electroporation is the application of an electric current to a living surface ,as the skin or a cell membrane, in order to open pores or channels through which something as a drug or DNA may pass.” (Jaquith) The process of electroporation is done with a tool that creates that creates an electromagnetic field in a cell suspension, called an electroporator. The cell suspension is pipetted into a glass, which has two aluminum electrodes on its sides.
Vaccines have become an important innovation to health throughout the years. A vaccine is a product that produces immunity from a disease and can be given by the nose or the mouth.
The choice to vaccinate a child holds much debate in society today. As a person that lives in America, you may feel it is your right to be able to choose what medical needs and necessities you would want for your child or yourself. “The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends getting 29 doses of 9 vaccines (plus a yearly flu shot after six months old) for kids aged 0 to six. No US federal laws mandate vaccination, but all 50 states require certain vaccinations for children entering public schools. Even though vaccines are considered extremely safe there are cases where in some people have a type of allergic reaction. Most states offer medical and religious exemptions; and some states allow philosophical exemptions” (Wadman, 2017). This point calls for a lot of debate, both in the scholarly world and among average citizens. Some people claim that such medical conditions, such as autism are the result of over vaccinating or dosing at early ages of development. Reasons on the topic vary, and concerns can end up in long legal disputes. Such disputes have raised the question of vaccine safety, prevention, and government intervention.
The authors created a gene-based vaccine since DNA vaccines have several advantages: the ability to quickly test several
Vaccines that prevent individuals from contracting deathly illnesses are one of the greatest achievements in the history of epidemiology. A vast majority of individuals choose to get their children as well as themselves vaccinated. However, there are some people who choose not to get vaccinated because they believe that vaccines are dangerous and unnecessary. This dilemma emphasises the vastness of the controversy between choosing to get vaccinated or not. The subject of this dispute is difficult to resolve since each individual has their own opinion on the topic and is in control of whether or not they want to get vaccinated.
Anti-vaccination movements are hurting children and the people surrounding them. On the contrast, there is a pro-vaccination movement to advocate for those who cannot protect themselves. However, this movement is diminishing due to skewed facts in the media. This only comes back to haunt the parents who do not vaccinate their child, and the people who cannot be protected against it. Using vaccinations can irradiate diseases that have evolved over the years, saving millions of lives, and giving peace to lives lost from the disease (Jacobs, Charlotte DeCroes).
Vaccines protect the body from infection. When your immune system comes in contact with a bacteria or virus, this infection begins to attack your body. Your immune system then has to fight the infection off, by producing antibodies. People who are vaccinated are introduced to a minor version of an infection, but this infection does not cause infection. This causes the
Nearly three hundred years ago, Edward Jenner made a scientific breakthrough as he developed a vaccine for smallpox from cowpox pustules. By 1980, a WHO-led vaccination campaign had eradicated the disease from the face of the planet. As immunologists realized the value of this discovery, this catalyzed research for vaccines for numerous other diseases, until scientists had not only started discovering vaccines for previously elusive viruses such as HIV, but also for diseases such as cancer, that weren’t necessarily infectious. However, conventional vaccines that used live-attenuated or dead pathogens were limited in safety and ability to provide an adequate cytotoxic T-Cell response. This led to the development of third generation DNA
Over the last couple decades the debate over vaccines has been heated. In the last week there seems to have been a renewed interest. This is likely to the recent occurrence of measles around this country. I feel compelled to share some basic information that will hopefully address concerns regarding vaccines. At the very least, my friends and family can know where I stand.
Everyone asks why they should get their vaccines, but they don’t realize the risks their taking if they don’t get vaccinated. Adults are more at risk to catch diseases than children. Some reasons you should get your vaccines are because you may be at risk for many serious diseases that can be prevented by vaccines. You can reduce your chances of spreading a disease to your friends and family. Last but not least you don’t want to get sick, when you get sick there’s too much that you could miss. Being sick can cost you so much of money and memories.
Thanks to animal testing, millions of lives are saved per year from otherwise untreatable diseases. When vaccines or antibodies are tested, mice are usually the ones being tested on. In order for humans to stay healthy, other animals are used to test out new medicines that can save lots of lives. Human benefit outweighs the lives of other animals, because If we don’t test out vaccines, there will be no verifiable vaccines to use as a cure.
In the gene gun method, as little as sixteen nanograms of DNA are fired directly into the abdominal epidermis
There are cons of the DNA vaccine but also pros, so another aspect came up among several researchers is that it is worth to continue its research to develop the DNA vaccine-derived other scientific methods and ideas. One of most important facts for the DNA vaccine to develop is its delivery approach. To improve more effective way, scientists enhanced the knowledge of new molecular adjuvants and understanding of the T-helper types of immune responses (Kutzler & Weiner, 2008). Researching time and cost will not be wasted.
Why wouldn’t people want to be vaccinated when there is diseases out there that can cause them to be in pain and sometimes it can be fatal?
Throughout history, illnesses have plagued mankind. Things as simple as having the measles or as serious as polio could have been a death sentence 100 years ago (“Five Important Reasons” 2017). Vaccines are societies way of fighting back. The world now has and needs to use the capability to vaccinate children when they are young to protect them from these deadly diseases, as well as helping to prevent others that have not been cured.
In 2014, one of the worst contagious disease outbreaks in recent United States history was at its height. Measles, a highly infectious respiratory illness, spread through workers at Disneyland in California and from there, it spread throughout the American Southeast. At the end of the outbreak in February 2015, the Center for Disease Control reported approximately 147 cases in Oregon, Mexico, California, Nevada, Colorado, and Washington. While no deaths occurred because of this outbreak, vaccines could have entirely prevented the epidemic (Chemerinsky and Goodwin 590). Vaccines are a controversial subject within the United States with two very clear sides. While some believe that compulsory vaccination laws violate the ability of the parents to make decisions for their children, in reality it will only serve to improve public health and decrease the risk of preventable disease outbreaks.