Common Cold vs. Science: Why No Vaccine Exists

Got a cold?

Take meds and you will be alright in a week

Take rest and you will be alright in 7 days

Does this sound familiar? Imagine it’s the flu season and you’re down with a cold. You have a sore throat, you are sniffing, and you have a runny nose. Humankind has seen a lot worse – COVID-19, Omicron… and we have battled them with vaccines.

With the current advancements in science and technology, we can even send rovers to Mars. But, have you ever wondered why the most common- common cold cannot be treated using a vaccine? Why is that? Read till the end to know more.

Reason 1- too many viruses, each with its mutants

To make a vaccine, Scientists need to study the genome of the virus. The common cold is not caused by a single virus, but 200 of them! This group of viruses includes rhinovirus, adenovirus, coronavirus, etc. They can mutate very fast, creating new versions of themselves. So, we have 200 viruses in addition to shifting mutants of each of the 200! Isn’t that a large number of viruses to study?

Reason 2- manageable symptoms

Let’s be honest. The symptoms of a common cold, including runny nose, stuffy nose, fever, cough, or sore throat, might spoil your day, but not your life. These symptoms are still manageable. A vaccine production requires a huge investment to incur the costs of clinical trials, research, and distribution. Why spend billions of dollars on something that a few tissues, a warm soup, and a nap can solve?

Reason 3- Not enough clinical evidence

Even if we start a clinical trial, people recover within a few days, so there is no clinical evidence that the treatment worked.

How would researchers know whether the vaccine worked, or the cold just went away on its own? There’s not enough measurable data to prove effectiveness, which makes vaccine approval even harder.

Silver lining-There is still hope.

Don’t lose hope just yet. With the rise of AI-powered drug discovery, better understanding of immune responses, and advancements in antiviral therapies, we may someday have a universal cold vaccine.
It won’t be easy, but the science is catching up.

Now you know why the common cold is still vaccine-proof. Yet there is a silver bullet. Let’s keep hopeful that one day we may have a vaccine for the common cold and make it easier to manage our colds.

Love watching videos? Check out this short explainer on itsbiodiaries (and subscribe to it!). Until the next science story, stay healthy, stay informed.

Stay Happy, Stay Healthy!

Happy reading!