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Experimental vaccine patch embeds invisible dots under the skin, leaving record of immunization

In a prototype inspired by "Star Trek," MIT scientists have developed a way to deliver a vaccine that leaves an invisible record of the immunization under the skin.

Ana Jaklenec readily acknowledges she’s inspired by “Star Trek.” The Massachusetts Institute of Technology scientist envisions a future in which devices like Mr. Spock’s tricorder scan the body for health information, making medical records relics of the past.

Today, though, they are still crucial. Global health experts attribute some of the 1.5 million deaths each year from vaccine-preventable diseases to gaping holes in medical record-keeping, especially in developing countries where resources to properly document immunizations may be lacking.

To solve that problem, Jaklenec and

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