The Examiner reports that Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine researchers proved that a DNA-based vaccine protected study participants against fall ragweed allergies (hay fever) for at least two full seasons.

After just six injections over six weeks, participants experienced a 60 percent reduction in ragweed allergy symptoms. In contrast, users of over-the-counter allergy medicines reported a 7 to 11 percent decrease in symptoms.

“We are turning off an inappropriate or abnormal allergic response and returning the body to normalcy,” says head researcher Dr. Peter Creticos. "Our hope is that we can one day provide a long-term cure for hay fever and other chronic inflammatory diseases."