Tufts University: There Is a Human EEE Vaccine

With the news that a third person has now died from EEE, Tufts University is saying that there is, in fact, a vaccine to protect humans from the mosquito-borne virus. So, why is no one getting vaccinated?

As hundreds of thousands of people on the SouthCoast and beyond are worried every night about mosquitoes and the threat of West Nile Virus and EEE, there's surprising news from Tufts University that there actually is a vaccine for EEE. According to the article on the Tufts website, Cummings School Professor Sam Telford, an expert on infections spread by mosquitoes and ticks, says that, unfortunately, we'll never see the EEE vaccine unless there is a dramatic increase in the number of people who contract it.

It all boils down to money, explained Telford. It costs an incredible amount of money to do all of the clinical trials required to gain approval from the FDA. Telford says that it usually costs upwards of 150 million dollars to get the amount of data required to satisfy the FDA.

Don't get me wrong, the FDA serves a vital role in the health and wellness of American citizens. There's no debating that. But it's hard not to wonder what vaccinations and medicines aren't available to people who might choose to use them. If I live in an area that is ripe with EEE mosquitoes, why shouldn't I be able to make the choice to vaccinate my family?

As I mentioned on the air this morning, there is the risk/reward factor. When you remove fear and emotion from the equation and look at the numbers logically, it's almost certainly riskier to try an untested vaccine for EEE than to live in an area with EEE infected mosquitoes.

My question is that maybe it should be up to us to make an informed position.