A 100-Year-Old TB Vaccine May Help People With Type 1…

A 100-Year-Old TB Vaccine May Help People With Type 1 Diabetes Need Less Insulin Published: June 2026 | Category: Diabetes, Immunology, Medical Research | TALMedora Editorial Desk A vaccine developed more than a century ago to fight tuberculosis may have found an unexpected new role: helping people with autoimmune diabetes. Researchers have reported that the BCG (Bacillus Calmette-Guérin) vaccine, first introduced in the 1920s, helped improve blood sugar control and reduce insulin requirements in people with type 1 diabetes and a related autoimmune condition known as latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA). The findings, presented at the American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions, add to growing evidence that some vaccines may influence the immune system in ways that extend far beyond protection against infectious diseases. The BCG vaccine is one of the world's oldest and most widely used vaccines. It was originally developed to prevent tuberculosis and is still routinely administered in many countries. Over the years, researchers have noticed that BCG appears to affect the immune system in broader ways. The vaccine is already used as a treatment for certain bladder cancers and is being investigated for several other conditions. Now, scientists are exploring whether it can help slow the progression of autoimmune diseases. Type 1 diabetes develops when the immune system mistakenly attacks insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. Without enough functioning beta cells, the body cannot produce sufficient insulin to regulate blood sugar levels. LADA, sometimes called "adult-onset autoimmune diabetes," follows a sim