How to Promote Vaccines Better?

Our first time guest poster, Chris Jones, is a marketing expert onall things related to health and fitness. Take a look at his take onthe science of vaccines and how this can help not just childrenbut adults too.

Vaccines are one of the best ways to prevent the development ofdiseases in the human body. Understand, however, that thesemiracle liquids are not medicine per se.

When kids are vaccinated, they are actually being injected withbacteria or virus. Since these are weakened versions of thedisease (i.e. influenza, Hepatitis A, tetanus, etc.), the child’s bodycan fight it off, hence the fever a day after.

In analogy, this is a form of training for the immune system, like afire drill. With the presence of weaker and therefore defeatableversions of bacteria or virus, the body is taught to recognize,fight, and develop antibodies against these invaders. Therefore,when the real unstaged attack comes, the child will have thenecessary defenses to survive it.

Understand that viruses and bacteria are still living organisms.Therefore, vaccines are not created by merely mixing differentchemicals.

There is a specific process for each kind of virus, but there are threegeneral steps; inactivation, purification and formulation.

1. Inactivation

• Basically, the main goal of this step is to generate antigens from microbes, and weaken it.

• Before proceeding, understand that microbes are the microorganisms that consisted viruses andbacteria. Whereas antigens are the substances that triggers the antibody production alarm of theimmune system.

• The first step here is to culture the microbe on living cells. Of course, different viruses have differentneeds for growth. Therefore, some will make do on egg cells, while others would need to be cultivatedon cultured human cells. There are also what’s called bioreactors -- a kind of vessel where thesemicrobes can be grown. These are contained biologically active environments that can supportorganisms.

• Of course, every lab personnel wouldn’t want to create an outbreak. Despite the need to produce asmany microbes to harvest as many antigens, they need to control it. Thus, they weaken the virus orbacteria, and they do so by applying heat or using chemicals.

2. Purification

• Once the virus thrives in their controlled environment, the next step is to separate the antigen and isolateit. There will be other parts of the virus that would be dragged along in the process, like proteins. These,however, should be removed, and thus the purification process.

• There are some types of antigens that wouldn’t need to undergo this step. The viruses that had alreadybeen weakened in the first phase can move directly to the third and final step. Those coming fromrecombinant proteins, however, would go along this process.

• Basically, there are two methods needed for this; ultrafiltration and chromatography. The former is muchlike the process used on aquarium filters. The difference is that it works in microbic levels. Chromatography,on the other hand, makes use of fluids and equipment to separate mixtures or materials.

• By this step, the vaccine itself is essentially created. The weakened and purified antigens, after all, are thevery core of it. A final process, however, is needed to adhere to FDA regulations and worldwide distribution.

3. Formulation

• Now, in this final method, three essential chemicals will be added to the antigens; adjuvants, stabilizers andpreservatives.

• The adjuvant is needed to enhance antigen immune responses. Stabilizers, on the other hand, are added toprolong the vaccine’s shelf life. And preservatives are so the vaccine can be safely stored in multi dose vials.

• Multi dose vials are large enough to contain a single dose of the vaccine or any kind of medication intendedfor infusion or injection administration. The reason why preservatives are added is so that bacteria won’tdevelop when a syringe -- a foreign object -- is injected through its sterile stoppers.

• Once all these four components are ready, they will be placed in a vessel that uniformly mixes substances.Afterwards, the formulated vaccine will be filled into vials and syringes, then sealed properly.

Of course, these are just the basic steps. A lot more happens afterthe third step.

First off, a certain amount of the formulated vaccine needs toundergo rigorous testing. This is to assure the vaccine adheres tothe requirements and regulations of the FDA. Not one drop of it isto leave the laboratory if it doesn’t gain approval.

Once it has been cleared, the next step is to prepare the vials fordistribution. Depending on the vaccine, some may have to be freeze-dried. And these are only to be rehydrated right before administration.

Generally, however, the vaccines need to be protected fromcontaminants such as air, water and human residues (i.e. sweat, skin oil,saliva, etc.).

More importantly, every packaging needs to be tested for spillage. Afterthat, it’s just a matter of logistics.

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