Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 23, 2025

Author Spotlight: An Efficient Methodology to Confidently Differentiate and Characterize Fentanyl Analogs
10:13

Author Spotlight: An Efficient Methodology to Confidently Differentiate and Characterize Fentanyl Analogs

Published on: November 8, 2024

2.4K

Acceptability of a Fentanyl Vaccine to Prevent Opioid Overdose and Need for Personalized Decision-Making

Elissa R Weitzman1,2,3, Joe Kossowsky3,4, Laura M Blakemore1

  • 1Division of Adolescent/Young Adult Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

Clinical Infectious Diseases : an Official Publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America
|May 17, 2022
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

A new fentanyl vaccine shows promise for preventing overdose deaths, with most participants favoring its development. Concerns about safety and efficacy were noted, highlighting the need for further research into its implementation.

Area of Science:

  • Pharmacology
  • Public Health
  • Vaccinology

Background:

  • The opioid epidemic has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, with synthetic opioids like fentanyl being primary drivers of overdose fatalities.
  • A novel vaccine designed to prevent fentanyl overdose by blocking its access to the brain is currently under development.
  • Understanding public and stakeholder attitudes towards this vaccine is crucial for its successful implementation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the acceptability and identify concerns regarding a potential fentanyl vaccine among diverse populations.
  • To explore attitudes towards a fentanyl vaccine in the context of opioid use disorder (OUD) and pain management.

Main Methods:

  • Semi-structured interviews were conducted with individuals with OUD, their families, healthcare professionals, and the general public.
  • Fictional clinical vignettes were used to gauge reactions to fentanyl vaccination scenarios.
  • Interview data were transcribed, coded, and thematically analyzed, with vignette responses quantified for favorability.

Main Results:

  • A majority of participants (70.3% female, average age 32.4 years) expressed favorable attitudes toward the fentanyl vaccine, with a strong preference for lifelong durability.
  • Key perceived benefits included life-saving potential, reduced suffering, healthcare cost savings, and harm reduction.
  • Primary concerns involved vaccine safety, efficacy, potential impact on future pain management, stigma, and the need for personalized counseling.

Conclusions:

  • The study indicates positive reception for a fentanyl vaccine, alongside an acknowledgment of the complexities surrounding its use, particularly regarding durability and integration into pain management.
  • Further research is essential to address operational, ethical, and communication strategies for advancing this harm reduction approach.
Keywords:
acceptabilityfentanyl vaccineharm reductionopioid overdoseopioid use disorder

More Related Videos

Determining Pain Detection and Tolerance Thresholds Using an Integrated, Multi-Modal Pain Task Battery09:38

Determining Pain Detection and Tolerance Thresholds Using an Integrated, Multi-Modal Pain Task Battery

Published on: April 14, 2016

12.8K
Fabrication of Pulsatile Polymeric Microparticles Encapsulating Rabies Antigen07:44

Fabrication of Pulsatile Polymeric Microparticles Encapsulating Rabies Antigen

Published on: May 12, 2023

1.3K

Related Concept Videos

Opioid Analgesics: Synthetic and Semisynthetic Opioids01:15

Opioid Analgesics: Synthetic and Semisynthetic Opioids

Synthetic and semisynthetic opioids are pivotal in pain management and tackling opioid addiction. Semisynthetic opioids, including morphinans (morphine derivatives), oxycodone, oxymorphone, hydrocodone, and hydromorphone, have improved pharmacokinetic profiles compared to morphine. Additionally, heroin and 6-MAM (6-Monoacetylmorphine) show better CNS penetration than morphine due to heightened lipid solubility. Hydromorphone, a potent opioid, undergoes hepatic metabolism to form the active...
456
Analgesia and Pain Management01:25

Analgesia and Pain Management

Pain is critical to various clinical pathologies, provoking an urgent need for effective management. Pain, whether acute or chronic, is a complex neurochemical process. Its alleviation depends on the type, with nonopioid analgesics effective for mild to moderate pain, such as musculoskeletal or inflammatory pain, while neuropathic pain responds best to anticonvulsants, tricyclic antidepressants, or serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. For severe acute or chronic pain, opioids may be...
834
Opioid Analgesics: Morphine and Other Natural Cogeners01:20

Opioid Analgesics: Morphine and Other Natural Cogeners

Opioids are a class of drugs that mimic endogenous opioid peptides and act on opioid receptors, and help in pain relief. These compounds are classified as natural, synthetic, or semi-synthetic. Natural opioids, like morphine, codeine, and thebaine, are derived from the opium poppy plant (Papaver somniferum or Papaver album) and are termed opiates. Synthetic opioids are artificial, while semi-synthetic opioids combine natural and synthetic compounds. Morphine, a prototypical opioid, possesses a...
387
Opioid Receptors: Overview01:22

Opioid Receptors: Overview

Opioid receptors, including the mu (μ, MOR), delta (δ, DOR), and kappa (κ, KOR) types, belong to the rhodopsin family of G protein-coupled receptors. These receptors are located throughout the central and peripheral nervous systems and in non-neuronal tissues such as macrophages and astrocytes. Opioid receptor ligands can be categorized into agonists or antagonists. Highly selective agonists include [d-Ala2, MePhe4, Gly(ol)5]-enkephalin or DAMGO for MOR, [D-Pen2,...
2.1K
Parenteral Anesthetics: Overview01:24

Parenteral Anesthetics: Overview

Intravenous anesthetics are drugs administered parenterally to induce anesthesia or sedation. Propofol is a widely used agent formulated as a 1% emulsion in soybean oil, glycerol, and egg phosphatide. It induces rapid anesthesia primarily due to its rapid distribution from the bloodstream to target tissues and is metabolized in the liver. However, it can cause significant pain on injection and hypertriglyceridemia. Fospropofol, a water-based prodrug of propofol, lacks these adverse effects.
214
Dose-Response Relationship: Potency and Efficacy01:22

Dose-Response Relationship: Potency and Efficacy

The potency of a drug is the measure of its ability to produce a biological response and can be compared by looking at the half-maximum effective concentration or EC50 values of different drugs. A lower EC50 value indicates higher potency of the drug. In the dose–response curve of two antihypertensive drugs, candesartan and irbesartan, a significant difference is observed in their EC50 values. A lower EC50 value for candesartan indicates that it is more potent than irbesartan, as it...
5.3K