WELL, RESEARCHERS AT TULANE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, THEY ARE HELPING TO DEVELOP A POTENTIALLY LIFESAVING VACCINE, ONE THAT TARGETS THIS SYNTHETIC OPIOID. WDSU, ELIZABETH KUBLER SPOKE, THE TULANE PROFESSOR WORKING ON THIS GROUND BREAKING FENTANYL VACCINE. SHE’S AT THE MED SCHOOL WITH A STORY YOU’LL SEE ONLY ON WDSU. ELIZABETH. YES. AND WE, OF COURSE, KNOW ABOUT OUR COVID AND OUR FLU VACCINES. THIS IS ONE YOU MAY NOT HAVE OF YET. A FENTANYL VACCINE. RESEARCHERS HOPE IT IS A LIFESAVER. THE WORK NEVER INSIDE THE LABS AT TULANE OF MEDICINE. AND NOW SOME THAT WORK IS FOCUSING ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW GROUNDBREAKING FENTANYL VACCINE, ESPECIALLY THE DEATHS THAT WE’RE SEEING IN THE NATION, IN THE STATE AND THE CITY THAT IS VERY SAD TO BE A AND SEE THEM ONLY INCREASING. RIGHT. SO IT WOULD TARGET HELPING PROVIDE ANOTHER TOOL. THIS IS A COMPLEMENTARY TOOL TO OTHER STRATEGIES THAT EXIST. TULANE HAVE BEEN COLLABORATING WITH ONES IN TEXAS. ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR NORTON HELPED CREATE A SPECIAL PIECE OF THE VACCINE RIGHT HERE IN NEW ORLEANS. SHE EXPLAINS HOW IT WOULD WORK. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE ANTIBODIES IS THAT THEY’RE CIRCULATING AROUND THE BODY AND AS SOON AS YOU INJECT THE DRUG THEY BIND TO IT AND THEY PREVENT IT FROM GETTING INTO THE BRAIN, WHICH SHE SAYS MEANS THE USER WOULDN’T FEEL THE HIGH. THE CLASSIC TARGET FOR THESE TYPE OF VACCINES, VACCINES AGAINST SUBSTANCE ABUSE DRUGS WOULD BE PEOPLE WHO ARE USERS OR WHO ARE HAVE BEEN ADDICTS AND ARE IN A TREATMENT. RIGHT. BECAUSE OVERDOSE THAT’S WHEN YOU’RE AT HIGHEST RISK OF OVERDOSE AND FROM A RELAPSE. AND THAT IS THE GOAL PREVENTING FENTANYL RELATED DEATHS FROM HAPPENING OR POTENTIALLY SAVING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF AMERICAN LIVES. WE HAVE ALL OF THIS SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE. AND TO BE ABLE TO TRY TO PUT IT BACK THERE AND SAY, HOW CAN WE MAKE PEOPLE’S LIVES? HOW CAN WE PREVENT, YOU KNOW, CATASTROPHIC CHANGES IN SOMEBODY’S LIFE THAT AFFECTS THEIR ABILITY TO HAVE A HAPPY AND SUCCESSFUL LIFE OR EVEN TO LIVE THAT LIFE? SO I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT’S THAT IS THE DREAM OF ANY SCIENTISTS IS TO CONTRIBUTE BACK TO SOCIETY. AND AGAIN, THIS IS STILL DEVELOPED. RESEARCHERS TOLD IT COULD STILL BE ABOUT TEN YEARS BEFORE YOU ARE ABLE TO GET YOUR HANDS ON THAT VACCINE THAT DEPENDENT ON FUNDING AND FROM COMMUNITIES. LIVE ON TULANE AVENUE, I’M