Vaccine being prepared by a person in a white lab coat and blue gloves

Vaccines and clots; how to balance medical risks

Anthony Mitchell Coronavirus COVID-19, Learn more, Research, Treatments

We have explored the general medical theme behind many of the COVID-19 headlines over the past year. The latest hot topic is the apparent risk of blood clots as a side effect of some COVID vaccines. So what are the risks, and what can this teach us about medicine? All medicines carry the risk of side effects or severe adverse …

mRNA vaccines for antibiotic-resistant infections?

Could mRNA vaccines protect us from antibiotic-resistant infections?

Alison Staples Research, Treatments

A new type of vaccine – mRNA vaccines – were first seen in clinical practice as COVID-19 vaccines. These vaccines offer hope for much faster production of vaccines, even those for bacterial illnesses (remember, COVID-19 is caused by a virus). Traditional vaccines include a dead or weakened (also called ‘attenuated’) sample of the bacteria that we want the immune system …