Swedish reserachers have joined an international body of researchers in the fight against smoking and have now developed a vaccine that should stop the cravings. Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm have, with the help of the company Independent Pharmaceutica, developed a vaccine that will be tested at five different clinics in three Scandinavian countries.
400 people will get help and support to stop smoking and will receive anti-smoking medication, as well as 4 injections every other month. Half the group will get the vaccine, whereas the other half will get a placebo.
The vaccine, namde Niccine, helps the body develop antibodies to nicotine, and will prevent nicotine from reaching the part of the brain that registers pleasure from the drug. In so doing, the “high” reached from smoking which keeps the addiction going, will be bypassed. The hope is that once weaned off cigarettes, the ex-smoker will no longer wish to return to the habit.
Here in the US, Pfizer offers a vaccine called Chantix, which largely does the same thing. Perhaps there’s finally hope for those who wish to stop smoking but find it hard to kick the habit.
May 1, 2008 at 6:38 am |
Wow that sounds awesome! Look forward to seeing what the results of the study will be (if in fact those with the vaccine were able to quit vs those who weren’t able to do so)
Nice find!
Anyhow all the best
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