Lozenges to Cure the Flu

Here's a novel approach to curing flu outbreaks: a preventative lozenge. If you think you have been exposed, you pop a lozenge in your mouth and ready-made antibodies give you protection. The lozenge works by using the immune system of the stomach and intestines. The challenge with this approach is that the benefits are short-term. You are only protected for one day. A single flu shot for the year seems much more practical, particularly considering the fact that influenza is the only virus that requires a new vaccine every year; it is constantly changing.

There do seem to be benefits to the flu lozenge as an alternative therapy. If you haven't been able to get your flu shot yet, you can suck on a lozenge each day until you make it to your doctor or clinic for the vaccine. Researchers hope their lozenge can be sold over the counter, which would make it readily available.

For more details about the flu lozenge research, you can refer to the article Suckers for flu research go ferreting for a cure. Perhaps the journalist had a bit too much fun with puns.