Vaccine in your beer and cola!

Scientists may create vaccines against diseases that could be administered by mixing them with ordinary food.

Imagine vaccinating a child against malaria by giving him a cola to drink! Scientists may soon create vaccines against a host of diseases that could be administered by mixing them with drinks and ordinary food.

Researchers at the Moredun Research Institute near Edinburgh are currently investigating a new method that allows vaccines to be administered orally rather than by injection, reports Scottish daily Scotsman.

This raises the prospect of immunising the general population with specially modified food -- something that could be particularly useful in third world countries with few health service facilities, said John March, the head scientist of the team.

Currently, putting vaccines in food is not particularly effective because they are often destroyed in the stomach.

But March's method, which uses DNA vaccine in a harmless bacterial virus "container", has been shown to be more effective in early tests.

"Once all the development and testing work has been completed, what we hope to achieve are 'vaccines in a pill', capable of cheap, local manufacture anywhere in the world, administered without the need of cold chains, needles and dedicated medical staff," he said.

"In effect, they would be stored and bought off the shelf from the local store. Who knows? If they can be added to food and drink we may be able to vaccinate a child against malaria by giving them a drink of Coca-Cola."