Sophisticated mRNA vaccines were never used in humans before, but this new technology was years in the making
In 1980, something incredible happened. Smallpox, a serious infectious disease, was declared eradicated in humans by the World Health Assembly. Once killing three in 10 people who contracted it, smallpox hasn't been seen in humans since 1977 — thanks to a vaccine.
But vaccines can take years to develop and test to ensure they're safe and effective. A made-in-Canada vaccine for ebola was approved in late 2019 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration 43 years after the virus was first discovered.
So when our world was plunged into the COVID-19 pandemic, scientists knew they had to act fast.
Inside the Great Vaccine Race, a documentary from The Nature of Things, follows teams of scientists around the world who dropped everything to research the novel coronavirus and worked together to create a vaccine in the fight against COVID-19. The key to their lightning-fast vaccine development? Sophisticated mRNA technology.
The right scientists at the right time
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