Tuberculosis is a bacterial disease affecting our lungs. However, it can also spread to other parts of our body, including our kidneys, spine and brain. Researchers at University of Exeter Institute of Health in UK looked at a vial of tuberculosis vaccine developed in 1921 and wondered. Should they be testing the 1921 tuberculosis vaccine for COVID-19?
Exeter Begins Testing 1921 Tuberculosis Vaccine for COVID-19
Bacillus Calmette–Guérin vaccine (BCG) has had an interesting history. It halves the likelihood of contracting tuberculosis, and has successfully prevented military meningitis. It is also one of cancer’s best immuno-therapies, and only requires a single intra-dermal injection.
Trials for BCG as a type-1 diabetes treatment are in early stages. However, testing the 1921 tuberculosis vaccine for COVID-19 has been ongoing for a while. It is in Phase 3 trials in Australia and Greece. Testing in France, Germany, Netherlands and Spain is imminent, while they are talking about it in Greece and Poland too.
What Makes the Bacillus Calmette–Guérin Vaccine So Attractive?
BCG has medical approval in many countries in the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, Middle East, and South America. It is therefore already human safe. The current price of $100 to $200 in the United States is high, compared to other options. But this could be because it is rarely used there.
Researchers at University of Exeter Institute of Health aim to test 10,000 healthcare workers in Australia, Brazil, Netherlands, Spain, and UK. Their goal is to evaluate the BCG vaccine as early intervention during current and future coronavirus outbreaks.
Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Australia is collaborating in the research, while Gates Foundation and Peter Sowerby Foundation are providing critical funding. A BCG vaccine, if successful would be a step in the right direction, not a final solution for COVID-19. That’s because the treatment is not disease specific.
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Preview Image: Apparatus for BCG Vaccination
