mRNA technology has constantly been worked on for the past 30 years but did not get global recognition in medicine until early 2020 when the pandemic hit the world, and it was a vital part of fighting COVID-19.
It will interest you to know that apart from COVID vaccines, this technology can be used to make advanced vaccines for other diseases, e.g., influenza and Lassa fever.
You might have questions such as, “What is mRNA technology, and how does it affect health technology?”
Messenger RNA, popularly known as mRNA, is a cellular architecture in which the RNA molecule is an instruction molecule and sends genetic information and instructions about a particular virus to the immune system to warn it about that virus or infection.
mRNA vaccines enable the body to make vaccines, proteins, or antigens from its cells to fight the virus. With the help of health technology and billions of data gathered and analyzed, mRNA technology is now possible, easier, and faster to produce.
The same mRNA technology can be edited or updated depending on the virus it is working on; this helps in advancing medicine across different areas.
Currently, mRNA technology is been used by many advanced medical institutions to target cancer, observe the genetic changes in cancer, and develop a targeted treatment.Currently, mRNA technology is been used by many advanced medical institutions to target cancer, observe the genetic changes in cancer, and develop a targeted treatment. It can also be used to speed up the discovery and manufacture of different vaccines, potentially reducing manufacturing time from years to months or even weeks.
Although the technology has prospects, it has not yet reached its full potential. It is currently facing some challenges; for instance, over 75% of Africans do not have access to it or the vaccines it provides. Still, hopefully, in the coming years, there will be more diversity in the individuals that the technology can serve.
Another challenge the technology is facing is a sense of acceptance, as most individuals are misinformed about mRNA technology because it is new and seems to cause a genetic change to our body structure, but that is not the case as it only takes a message to the cell protein to help it make the protein that fights this infection, and immediately that message is delivered, the mRNA gets disintegrated.
mRNA technology has helped move health technology to a new dimension and has the potential to do better. What do you think about mRNA technology? Is it safe to call it the future of healthcare?
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Photo by Spencer Davis
