Influenza causes as many as 500,000 deaths annually. The virus is constantly changing, challenging scientists to make a vaccine that matches the circulating flu viruses and protects people for the upcoming flu season. But the cost to do so runs close to $4 billion annually. A universal flu vaccine that protects against all flu viruses could save lives and money, and scientists are getting closer to creating one. This article tells the story of a key discovery in the hunt for a universal flu vaccine–and how it was ignored for 20 years because the research community put too much trust in a flawed test, and ignored a lone researcher’s results.
