Arthritis Vaccine: Possible Medical Breakthrough Could Help Osteoarthritis Patients

Scientists have created what appears to be a medical breakthrough that could serve as a vaccine for arthritis patients. The potential vaccine is expected to eradicate painkiller dependence among patients and block the adverse effects of its prolonged use.



Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients suffer a lot of pain. Medical practitioners usually recommend painkillers to remedy the unwanted sensation. However, painkillers were found to increase the risks of infection and could even lead to tuberculosis. Thus, the recently developed vaccine can be considered as a better alternative to painkillers in addressing the pain arthritis patients experience.

Vaccinations were found to significantly prevent the risks of infection. Rheumatology Advisor reported that the American College of Rheumatology recommends vaccinations instead of endorsing disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs to patients. These include the varicella-zoster virus, human papillomavirus (HPV), pneumococcal, influenza and hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccines.

Oxford University researchers developed a vaccine that remedies the nerve growth factor (NGF) that is responsible for arthritis pain. It is said to improve the immune system’s ability to numb the sensation and the researchers noted that this could lead to the possible discovery of an absolute cure for the disease.

Tonia Vincent, co-author of the study published Annals and Rheumatic Disease, stated that the arthritis vaccine is a medical breakthrough that could enable the body to produce antibodies that would serve as painkiller.

The study conducted mice tests to arrive at a conclusion that the uneven distribution of weight across the animal’s legs were found to be an effect of osteoarthritis, as MSN reported. The mice were then injected with the arthritis vaccine. Afterward, their bodies developed higher levels of antibodies that battled the pain recognized as an analgesic response.

The researchers recommended that the vaccine is a better alternative to painkillers. However, a 2018 study conducted by the American College of Rheumatology and Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals revealed that more than half of the patients diagnosed with RA have acquired influenza vaccinations. Therefore, the researchers are hopeful that medical practitioners would promote the arthritis vaccine instead of painkillers.

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