Cocaine vaccine?

Post by Sarah Wilde

A recent report from CNN London discusses the possibility of a cocaine vaccine tested by researchers at Yale School of Medicine.  The vaccine essentially makes people produce antibodies to cocaine, with the theory being that high levels of anti-cocaine antibodies can inactivate cocaine before it enters the brain.   This inactivation would in turn prevent the vaccinated cocaine users from getting high.

This may sound like a good idea but hardly practical.  The thought is that this cocaine vaccine takes away the high effects of the cocaine, making it less desirable for the user … so much so that they will eventually kick the habit.  A vaccine may take away the drug but unfortunately there is no such quick fix for the rest of the life of the addicted individual.

Even more disturbing part are these two comments

1) There is also a risk that some patients will increase their intake of cocaine to overcome the antibody effect, and

2) the thought that it usually takes about two years for addicts to become drug-free, and that patients would have to be vaccinated every three months for that period to maintain antibody levels.

Again, hardly a fix in our opinion and we believe that an entire lifestyle change – beyond just abstinence – is necessary for long-term sobriety and the opportunity for a drastically improved quality of life.

To read the article from CNN click here.