if antibodies against several viruses are extremely necessary. Why are we not able to create them artificially?
In: Biology
We are able to create antibodies [artificially](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetic_antibody). In fact, a great deal of cell bio research techniques depend on the use of antibodies created in a lab. There is, however, a reason that we don’t really use artificial antibodies as a therapeutic agent.
In terms of treating patients sick with a virus, they already have begun to develop their own antibodies against the virus. Many of their symptoms are a result of their immune system having sprung into action to fight off the pathogen. There have been efforts to have COVID-19 survivors donate plasma for gravely ill individuals, but it is not cost effective to produce these antibodies artificially for someone who probably already has their own working for them.
In terms of vaccinating individuals against a virus, giving antibodies directly only induces what is called *passive immunity,* not active immunity. Passive immunity occurs when one acquires antibodies from an external source (like what occurs when a mother breastfeeds a baby) and is only temporary. It doesn’t induce an immunologic memory for the recipient. When we use real vaccines, we expose a person to a piece of the virus so that they create antibodies *and* immunologic memory. They can produce the antibodies on their own.
You could make artificial antibodies, but that’s not much help. They only last a few weeks, and nobody’s going to want a shot every other week. The real concept of vaccines is to produce memory cells so that the body will produce the antibodies continuously.
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