2022-06-20 14:59:18
Since time immemorial, infectious diseases have been a great scourge for humanity. Tuberculosis, leprosy, smallpox, the plague and many others have taken millions of lives in their wake and many more human beings have long suffered the consequences of infections. That terrible story of suffering began to change in 1796 when the English doctor Edward Jenner discovered the first vaccine against smallpox. The main consequence of that discovery is measured today in millions of lives saved from both smallpox and many other diseases whose vaccines have been developed since then.
The history of vaccines, their constant evolution, the types that exist and the challenges that still remain to be overcome are topics covered in the book “Las Vacunas”, written by researchers from the CSIC Mercedes Jiménez, Nuria E. Campillo and our guest on Talking to Scientists, Matilde Cañelles.
Matilde Cañelles comments on one of the most impressive stories of vaccines: The Royal Philanthropic Vaccine Expedition, led by Francisco Xavier de Balmis between 1803 and 1810, a story that we have also told on the Jenner and Balmís podcast, doctors for humanity ..
That first vaccine, and those that were discovered shortly after, were live vaccines, that is, they were based on the attenuated pathogens themselves or on others different but similar to those that caused the disease. These microorganisms were introduced into the person to stimulate their immune system and thus achieve a rapid response that protected them from the disease. Faced with the administration of complete pathogens, other types of vaccines have been developed that use only a part of them, including toxins from bacteria or genetic material from viruses. The latter have taken a leading role in the development of vaccines against SARS-CoV-2, the cause of the pandemic COVID-19 against which we still fight.
Current vaccines are the safest that have ever been used because, before being authorized, they have had to go through a series of very restrictive and demanding tests, without which their distribution is not allowed. In the reference book we learn some of the requirements that a vaccine must meet in order to be authorized. It must reproduce a response from our immune system similar to that produced when we are naturally infected by the pathogen. It must be safe and not present toxicity. Ideally you should get long term immunity. They must get a high percentage of the population to generate an immune response. It must be prepared in such a way that it is stable and effective under different conditions. And finally, they must be cheap so that they can be administered to as many people as possible.
The safety and efficacy of vaccines are an essential priority that must be above, and in fact is, all other medicines. This requirement is understandable because it is administered to a large volume of the population. For this reason, before authorizing the use of a vaccine, there are national and international agencies that first monitor the quality, purity, ingredients and manufacturing process. Once this phase is verified, the medicine must be tested, first in laboratory animals and later in humans.
The book that serves as support for the interview with Matilde Cañelles talks about many other aspects of vaccines: Vaccination campaigns, anti-vaccination movements, why are there diseases for which vaccines have not yet been obtained? And the new knowledge that is enabling the development of new vaccines.
We invite you to listen to Matilde Cañelles López PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Cantabria, immunologist and scientific researcher in the Philosophy of Science area in the Science, Technology and Society group (CTS) of the Institute of Philosophy of the CSIC (IFS–CSIC).
References:
Vaccines book
On the Science and Genius podcast: Edward Jenner, the winner of smallpox.
In the Oceans of Science podcast: Jenner and Balmís, doctors for humanity..
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