Not even a year since we had the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine authorized for human use, many of us have already forgotten about the winding path of its' development. Kudos to the perseverance of many scientists who worked diligently on mRNA vaccines for decades – going through a series of twisting routes with dead-ends, frustrations, and rejections – finally providing us with a successful vaccine.
Although the history of mRNA vaccine development goes as far back as the 1960s, the significant stepping stone in development was established by Dr. Robert Malone in 1987, when he performed a landmark experiment mixing mRNA with a fat globule and produced protein from it. This vaccine went through every possible hurdle – including the denial of technology, dispute for the patent, ownership of the technology among the scientists, manufacturing challenges including hesitancy of the companies to invest, etc. – before utilizing an opportunity like the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to the long-awaited breakthrough of one of the safest and most profitable vaccines in history.
Already saving thousands of lives, none of the hurdles deterred the scientists; they kept incrementally adding knowledge which finally led to the successful discovery that is the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine. For more information on mRNA vaccines, read the full article here.
Comments