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Kisby, T., Yilmazer, A. & Kostarelos, K. Reasons for success and lessons learnt from nanoscale vaccines against COVID-19. Nat. Nanotechnol. 16, 843–850 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41565-021-00946-9
Almost all currently used vaccines against COVID-19 consist of either non-viral or viral nanoparticles. Here we attempt to understand the reasons behind the success of such advanced nanoscale vaccine technologies compared with clinically established conventional vaccines, and the lessons to be learnt from this potentially transformative development in the adoption and acceptance of nanotechnology for medicine.
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The current scale of administration and therefore exposure to non-viral or viral nanoparticles constitutes an unprecedented phenomenon of historic proportions and implications. The immediate reaction, even by some members of the scientific community, has been to acclaim nanoscience and nanomedicine as ‘saviours’ of humankind. However, what should be emphasized is that the successful implementation and mass rollouts of nanoscale vaccines we are now seeing are the result of years of research and product optimization that should certainly be celebrated, with investment in the area maintained. On the other hand, we believe that shallow glorification of nanomedicine should be avoided, and that consideration, caution and retrospective thinking should prevail, as we move forward epidemiologically in managing the pandemic...