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Politics · 6 August 2026

New 'fridge-free' vaccines could stop half of global supply being wasted

New 'fridge-free' vaccines could stop half of global supply being wasted

Around half of all vaccines globally become unusable annually, primarily due to excessive heat or cold during transportation and storage. Scientists have now successfully trialled a new tetanus-diphtheria vaccine that stays as a dry powder at room temperature for a year. The "fridge-free" approach, inspired by resurrection plants, gave equivalent immune responses to traditional vaccines.

Reported by BBC · How we write briefs

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How do dry powder vaccines work? What are 'resurrection plants'? Who suffers from vaccine waste? Why do vaccines need fridges?

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