Scientist who homebrewed a beer vaccine: ‘It gave me immunity to virus’
The Times••health
Key Points:
- Robert Buck, a scientist at the National Institutes of Health, has developed a novel vaccine delivered via beer using modified yeast, which successfully generated antibodies against BK polyomavirus linked to bladder cancer in himself.
- Buck envisions expanding this food-based vaccine approach to target common viruses such as Covid, flu, herpes, and adenovirus, with potential delivery through other foods like yoghurt or crisps.
- Despite promising early results in mice and Buck himself, some experts express concern that self-experimentation and homebrewing vaccines could undermine public trust and emphasize the need for rigorous clinical trials involving diverse populations.
- Buck bypassed institutional regulatory hurdles by personally producing and distributing the vaccine beer, arguing that its status as a food product simplifies safety considerations
