End of childhood jabs? Vaccines could arrive as a patch in the post
VACCINES could soon be given by using plasters sent in the post, effectively ending the childhood jab.
A landmark trial found the patches – which painlessly penetrate the skin – were just as effective as conventional injections against measles and rubella.
Doctors hope the alternative to a needle and syringe will encourage more parents to get their children vaccinated, preventing outbreaks like those seen in the West Midlands and London.
The patches do not need to be administered by trained medical staff, potentially taking the responsibility away from GP surgeries, the findings suggest.
Known as microarray patches, the vaccine is delivered with an array of microscopic projections that penetrate the top layer of skin rather than a conventional injection. Whereas liquid vaccines require constant refrigeration to remain effective – alongside trained professionals to inject and safely dispose of the syringes – the patches are more thermostable, easier to transport, and require minimal training to administer.
This would make delivery in hard to reach areas in the UK – and worldwide – much easier, according to the findings published in the Lancet.
The trial involved 120 babies aged between nine to ten months, 120 toddlers, between 15- 18 months and 45 adults, aged 18-40 in The Gambia. Placed on the arm, they found the microarray patch induced an immune response that was as strong as the response when the vaccine was given by needle.
More than nine in ten infants were protected from measles and all infants were protected from rubella following a single dose of the vaccine given by the microarray patch. Millions of children globally have been given the measles and rubella vaccine used in the study by conventional injection and it is known to provide reliable protection. But in the first trial to test the microarray patches, it was found just as effective and there were no safety concerns.
In low-resource settings, this method is easier to transport and would eliminate, or vastly reduce, the need for refrigeration of vaccines, which are both major barriers to reaching remote areas across sub-Saharan Africa. Unlike conventional needles and syringes, the microarray patches
‘Easy worldwide delivery’
do not risk ‘needlestick’ injuries which can transmit infections such as hepatitis and HIV.
Co-author Professor Ed Clarke, from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said: ‘Although it’s early days, these are extremely promising results which have generated a lot of excitement. It is certainly being looked at for numerous vaccines including flu and Covid19 which could even lead to patches in the post people could apply themselves.’