Type 1 diabetes 'reverse vaccine' promises to let patients forget about insulin needles

Those who are suffering with Type 1 diabetes may be able to ditch the needles in the future, thanks to a new treatment that enables patients to produce their own insulin instead of having to inject it. Dr. Lawrence Steinman of Stanford University recently announced that the new treatment has passed its first human test, paving the way for wider use in the future.

The so-called “reverse vaccine” works by suppressing the immune system at the DNA level, which in turn stimulates insulin production. It could stand to be the first DNA-based vaccine approved for human use. …