Inside TriHealth: mRNA Vaccines

The emerging use of mRNA vaccines, such as those developed for COVID-19 by Pfizer and Moderna, leads many to believe that it is a new technology. However, mRNA technology has been in development for about 30 years with some promising uses. In this segment of Inside TriHealth, Kevin Joseph MD, TriHealth’s Chief Medical Officer, gives an overview of mRNA vaccines such as those being used against COVID-19. Topics include:

• History of the development of the vaccines
• What makes mRNA vaccines unique compared to other vaccination methods
• What vaccines have been or are being developed using mRNA technology
• How mRNA vaccines push your body to develop immunity to specific viruses
• Operation Warp Speed to speed up the development of COVID-19 vaccines
• Confusion between RNA DNA and why it has caused unnecessary public fear over the new vaccines
• Pros and Cons of mRNA vaccines versus other vaccination options