The Patch Vaccine

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Oct. 20 — If his plan works, Dr. De-Chu Tang may become a hero to children

everywhere. Even his son Andy.

“He doesn’t like needles, that’s for sure,” says Tang, a medical

researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

In his Birmingham laboratory, Tang, 49, is testing a very bold idea that

may spare his son — and millions of others worldwide — the sting of the

needles that for centuries have been the principle means for delivering

vaccines.

Fear and Loathing

We all need vaccinations, of course, because they save lives and make for

healthy children. But Tang understands that people fear needles.

“People hate needles,and I don't think it’s just because it’s painful,”

he says. “In ancient times, penetration into deep tissues represented horror

and death.”

Mankind has passed down that anxiety, year after year.

But Tang thinks he has found an antidote. He’s discovered that rather

than penetrate the skin with a needle, it is more effective to apply

vaccines to the skin with a patch.

It works like this: Receptor cells in the skin read the DNA of the

vaccine in the patch, which triggers the immune system, which creates

antibodies to fight disease.

“We actually have evidence that the deeper the vaccine is inoculated

into the body, the less potent the vaccine may be,” says Tang.

Implications of the Patch

His patch is in the animal testing phase and so far, there have been no

problems. He hopes to begin testing on humans soon — perhaps before the end

of the year.

“The procedure is so simple,” says Tang, “most people could immunize

themselves.”

And if it works on humans, it would be revolutionary in many parts of

the world. For one thing, the patch vaccines need no refrigeration. And

patches can’t be used twice, so the risk of contamination from a used needle

disappears.

Tang came to the United States from Taiwan 20 years ago and has been

doing research at the University of Alabama at Birmingham for the past six

years.

But it will take several years more before his idea gains approval from

the Food and Drug Administration and becomes available for public use. Then,

perhaps, the screaming at vaccination time will stop.

“I think adults would like that too,” says Tang. “Just a better way to

do business based on the evidence we have.”

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