Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios
The RNA technology that helped us get a COVID vaccine may help the world get a vaccine for malaria, too.
Driving the news: Scientists have applied for a patent for an RNA-based vaccine that might circumvent the problems that have made it difficult to come up with any kind of malaria vaccine, per the Academic Times.
- It hasn't been tested on people yet, but one of the investors told the Times that it produced "probably the highest level of protection that has been seen in a mouse model."
- The only other vaccine we have right now for malaria — which killed 409,000 people throughout the world in 2019, mostly in Africa — is only about 30% effective.
What they're saying: "I'm as excited about the Covid vaccine as anyone, but THIS is huge news," health care economist Aaron Carroll tweeted.
Yes, but: They should really test it on people. Until they do, the breakthrough isn't complete.
- Still, if Aaron Carroll is excited about it, it's OK to get a little excited.