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Many used Neosporin during the COVID-19 outbreak amid rumors that it could help one avoid the virus, and there might be some truth to such claims.
Neosporin Contains Antibiotics
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many turned to the common ointment. They coated their noses, and their interest in nasal Neosporin grew.
A new study found that such a belief might have some merit. However, researchers do not encourage the public to start putting ointment on their noses.
The researchers discovered that Neosporin contains antibiotics that target bacteria, not viruses. Compared to preliminary data from a small-scale human trial, their experiment in rodents showed interesting signs that the antibiotic might be boosting the body's innate immune system.
An aminoglycoside prevents a bacterium from producing proteins by acting as an antibiotic against the microorganism. However, Neosporin may not be able to combat infections in that way. In this instance, however, neomycin activates the innate immune system. Unlike the adaptive immune system, which identifies and targets certain foreign elements it has previously come into contact with, that system can identify foreign materials in general.
In particular, neomycin seems to activate the expression of hundreds, possibly even a tenth, of a human gene thought to be involved in the innate immune system. These genes are referred to as taste interferon-stimulated genes. The body creates an agent known as interferon during an infection, which attaches to these genes and activates the innate immune system. Neomycin seems to achieve the same outcome; however, experts are unsure how.
Thstudy's goaldy was to ascertain whether it would be worthwhile tconductut further research into this potential neusege of a readily available OTC medication.
Akiko Iwasaki, an immunologist at Yale University and a co-author of the new research, says that this is a research study, not a clinical study, and that individuals are not supposed to start using Neosporin daily. She added that it was just an initial pilot study.
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AstraZeneca Withdraws COVID Vaccine
AstraZeneca is no longer permitted for use in Europe. The pharmaceutical behemoth was the first to request permission to remove its vaccine from Europe.
AstraZeneca applied to remove the COVID-19 vaccine's European marketing license. The European Commission approved the request on May 7, 2024, and declared the vaccine was no longer licensed.
The EMA first authorized AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine in January 2021. However, weeks later, concerns regarding the vaccine's safety grew, and as a result, dozens of countries suspended its use after a small number of injected people experienced unusual but rare blood clots. Despite ongoing doubts, the EU regulator concluded that AstraZeneca's injection did not raise the overall risk of clotting.
Many of the outcomes of the vaccine's first large trial, which Britain used to approve it, were compromised by a manufacturing fault that researchers neglected to reveal immediately. Because there was inadequate information on how well the vaccine protected older adults, some countries initially restricted vaccination to younger populations before reversing their decision.
Through a concerted effort led by the UN, billions of doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine were distributed to developing countries because it was simpler to manufacture and distribute. But further studies showed that the more costly messenger RNA vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna provided better protection against COVID-19 and its several variants, therefore the majority of countries decided to use those shots.
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