It is now being suggested that there could be a single injection that delivers every childhood vaccine in one go. The multi-jab stores stores the vaccines in microscopic sealed cups that release the initial dose and then boosts. Their ‘lids’ degrade at specific times, letting the contents spill out.
UK kids typically receive 15 injections under the childhood immunisation programme before their fourth birthday.
But scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology hope to cut this to just one. This is likely to boost the number protected against hepatitis, meningitis and measles as parents will not need to make repeat visits to a clinic or their GP.
Professor Robert Langer said, “This could have a significant impact on patients everywhere, especially in the developing world where patient compliance is particularly poor.”