NicVax: Vaccine against tobacco

US scientists have found a new nicotine vaccine called NicVax that can help quit smoking and still be safe for users.

A 38-week study was conducted by scientists at the University of Minnesota on 68 smokers. These people received one of three different doses of vaccine or were given placebo.

Initial research was not intended to evaluate the effectiveness of this vaccine, but scientists also found that 38% of those who received the vaccine at high doses quit smoking for at least 30 days.

Dorothy Hatsukami, director of the Center for Tobacco Use Research at the University of Minnesota Cancer Center explained: The mechanism of the vaccine is to produce a special antibody 'bind' nicotine, and by That prevents a lot of nicotine from going into the brain.

Hatsukami says more research is needed to answer questions about this vaccine, including how it maintains effectiveness in smokers and whether it can be used to prevent relapse in smokers or not .