U.S. researchers announced they will conduct clinical trials on a vaccine that officials hope will wipe out cases of childhood ear infections and some cases of adult bronchitis, according to CNN.
The vaccine, Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae or NTHi, is unique because it does not aim to prevent serious illness, but it attempts to cut down on ear infections, which are considered a nuisance rather than a serious health threat to children, CNN reported.
"We are now in an era where we look to vaccines that make life better," Dr. Michael Pichichero, a professor at the University of Rochester Medical Center who is leading the trial, told CNN.
Pichichero's team recently won a $3.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to study the new vaccine, according to CNN.
