Scientists are testing a vaccine they believe could prevent heart disease and reverse damage to clogged arteries. It works by priming the immune system to recognise types of cholesterol in the blood as foreign, so that it attacks and destroys them. New Scientist magazine reports animal tests by Sweden’s Lund University found the jab could significantly reduce the build up of harmful deposits. However, some experts have cast doubt on whether it would work on humans. Professor Chris Packard, an expert in vascular biochemistry at Glasgow Royal Infirmary, said: “The theory is very attractive. “But there are big question marks over it.” Professor Packard warned that while laboratory tests show the immune system can be primed to wipe out oxidised low-density lipoprotein - a form of cholesterol involved in heart disease - bigger studies showed little impact on heart attack rates.
