A Fentanyl Vaccine Shows Promise

Fentanyl is many times more potent than heroin or morphine, and is responsible for a lot of overdose deaths. Recent news reports have covered a potential fentanyl vaccine - how does that work, and how far are we from human trials?

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Credits:
Aaron Carroll -- Writer
Tiffany Doherty -- Writer and Script Editor; Social Media
John Green -- Executive Producer
Stan Muller -- Director, Producer
Mark Olsen – Art Director, Producer

[muphynman]

Would love this topic to explain how a vaccine, normally expected to be a preventative measure against specific infections, to be something used as a preventative measure against chemicals (drugs).

Thought it might be a misnomer but this video discusses fentalnyl antibodies, so I'm just straight lost on how this is possible

[hunterGk]

Very pleased at the inclusion of information regarding sex differences in response to treatment, something that is notoriously lacking in lots of human trials. Is that something that you think/see is improving in medicine?

[AndrewBehm]

This is a nice bit of potential good news! Thanks for the update, Healthcare Triage!

[lankyjuggler]

So glad pharma is here with an invention to save us from the unrestrained, heavily-pushed use of their last invention.

[mattlm]

Weird to hear about a vaccine for a drug. How does it work? Do antibodies act in the BBB to filter out certain compounds?

[CaityLouise]

I do understand the harms illegal fentanyl does but there is also a legal, medical need for it and is it not problematic to render a crucial medical tool useless?

There’s also a social question of who should get this vaccine. There might be a large stigma associated with it which will put people off.

[SheilaTheGrate]

There are lots of people who would want to be vaccinated - emergency responders immediately come to mind. Same thing with anyone that does a lot of hiking in urban areas just in case you are accidently exposed to fentanyl.

[ninthundertow]

As someone who is very familiar with opiates and opiods I would like to point out that the fentanyl high is not pleasurable compared to heroin, oxy, hydromorphone, etc. Yes it's strong and cheap for dealers but many users don't like it but it's the only thing around. At least with prescriptions you used to know what you were getting but now most pills look like one thing but are just pressed fentanyl. Crazy times I tell you...

[polachelliot]

Do you know how long this is estimated to work for? Also, if a patient needs parenteral opioids later in life or would an intrathecal pump be the only option?

[sneakylemon]

Here's how to fight the opioid crisis.
1. Decriminalization
2. Free addiction healthcare.
Stop the war on drugs.

[elliottmcollins]

How does this not affect prescription Fentanyl? That seems like the most interesting and confusing part of the whole story but I can't find a straight answer.

[amydebuitleir]

Is this the first vaccine against a drug?

[grahamrankin]

It will also need to be tested by fentanyl analogs which sre also common in illicit drugs.

[yeetghostrat]

This is really good news. Even if this isn't the one that will save humans, it's a definitive proof of concept. It's possible. It's hope.

[Megaghost_]

I hope evidence shows its results are as good as they sound in rat experiments, otherwise it would be tragic for anyone involved in clinical trials. And even if it works as intended it would be unethical to make it mandatory for opioid users or as a prophylactic, patient consent is paramount. We must always keep in mind the political ramifications of technology.

[pokeitwithastick]

will this affect other opiates? what if someone is in accident and unconscious but clearly in pain/broken in half limbs or whatever and the er doesnt know they have been vaccinated and they need pain meds? as fentanyl is consider safer because it only last like 3 hours-
very confusing

[kdh]

Be the only time some of the dope heads run from a needle rather then to it 😂

[StonedtotheBones]

I'm really interested in how this trial would be run ethically in humans. I don't think we're quite at that stage of testing yet (personally, I would want to test in primates to see if the sex difference holds true for us first)... But I don't know how you would ethically have a control group.

[Kongolox]

This is sad, the issue can be easily fixed but the US gov refused to. And instead focusing on treating the symptoms.. :/

Keep it up Murica.

[odizzido]

Interviewer: So what do you currently do?
Researcher: Oh I burn rats on a hotplate while flicking their tails
...