mRNA Vaccines: A Turning Point for Global Health?

Vaccines are the most effective public health intervention, offering the highest social and economic return. The COVID-19 pandemic once again demonstrated their strategic value and brought mRNA technology to the forefront. These vaccines represent a technological leap with transformative potential: they allow for rapid, flexible, and adaptable design in response to emerging or evolving pathogens, can be produced at large scale without relying on biological systems, and have applications beyond infectious diseases, including cancer and other pathologies.

However, their consolidation as a transformative technology will depend on overcoming a series of challenges:

• On the scientific front, it is crucial to improve their stability and ability to generate long-lasting immunity.
• On the industrial side, solutions are needed to scale up production and optimize logistics, including the cold chain.
• Economically, high costs and intellectual property barriers pose risks to equity.
• Politically, it is essential to promote global mechanisms for universal access, technology transfer, and cooperation.
• Finally, strengthening public trust in the face of misinformation is more urgent than ever.

In summary, mRNA vaccines represent a turning point in immunization. Their real impact on global health will depend on our collective ability to overcome these challenges.

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