A team of Welsh scientists have found a way to make a flu vaccine in pill form.
The method uses stereo-isomers* of the proteins that exist within the flu virus. Because the enzymes in our gut, which digest our food, are specific to only one isomer, they avoid being digested. They are stable at room temperature too. This avoids the need for both needles and refrigeration, more pleasant and far cheaper. The logistics of vaccines which require refrigeration can be problematic in remote areas.
Source and full article: https:///www.walesonline.co.uk/news/health/flu-vaccine-pill-form-been-14401840" rel="nofollow - https:///www.walesonline.co.uk/news/health/flu-vaccine-pill-form-been-14401840
*Stereo-isomers are mirror image chemicals. They have the same chemical formula but the parts are arranged on a different symetry. This is like your hands -which have a thumb next to an index finger, followed by a middle finger, then a ring finger and lastly a little finger; they match exactly, but cannot be superimposed because one is right-handed and the other left.
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