[aruanan]

How about a translation into standard English as to what this is about.

In this context, an adjuvant is a substance that increases immune response. So, let's say that if you need 10X of a particular pathogen to provoke an adequate (meaning sufficiently protective) immune response but that if you use an adjuvant you need only 1/10 X of it. This means that you're able to immunize 10 people for the cost of preparing the immunizing agent for one. Think of it as a hamburger helper for vaccines. It's nothing new.

[Right Wing Assault]

Why does that happen?

[facedown]

Think of it as a hamburger helper for vaccines.

LOL!

[Wonder Warthog]

"In this context, an adjuvant is a substance that increases immune response. So, let's say that if you need 10X of a particular pathogen to provoke an adequate (meaning sufficiently protective) immune response but that if you use an adjuvant you need only 1/10 X of it. This means that you're able to immunize 10 people for the cost of preparing the immunizing agent for one. Think of it as a hamburger helper for vaccines. It's nothing new."

Thanks. I'm reasonably scientifically literate, but this was just a tad too much "medicalese" for me.

Hmmmm.... I wonder if the same effect happens with allergies. That's what I immediately thought of when I read the piece.