The federal government is calling for a vaccine development projects worth about $ 500 million, which uses MRNA technology, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Junior announced on Tuesday.
22 The projects to end now were funded through Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, or Burda. Most of the canceled projects were for vaccines that fight Kovid -19 or Flu, Kennedy Said,
These include proposals from Physics, Sanofi Pasteur and other drug manufacturers who were rejected or canceled Modern now closed prizes According to an HHS statement, to develop a bird flu vaccine. Kennedy said the projects were reviewed and canceled in the last few weeks.
The modern spokesperson told CBS News that the company’s H5N1 (bird flu) contract was canceled in May, and does not know about any new Barda cancellation.
Kennedy Flighted this step As a part of a step away from research in MRNA vaccines. This type of vaccine Use Messenger RNA, or MRNA, to motivate the body to create proteins that induce antibody production to protect against an infection. The approach has drew more interest since the Covid-19 epidemic, when MRNA vaccines by Pfizer and Modern Found safe and effective Against Koronwirus. Public health officials credited the rapid development of vaccines Save millions of people,
Nevertheless, Kennedy said, “HHS has determined that MRNA technology causes more risk than the benefits for these respiratory virus.”
He argued that MRNA-based vaccines can stop functioning properly if the virus they target, it makes a lot of mutations, which is cited Corona virus as an example. “A single mutation mRNA can make the vaccine ineffective,” Kennedy said.
Leading infections criticized the decision and said it would leave Americans weak.
A virologist and vaccine specialist at the Children’s Hospital, Philadelphia. Paul offt said that Kennedy “once again has taken a decision, not on the basis of scientific evidence that puts this country at risk.”
Epidemicer Dr. Michael Oosterhom has called it “one of the worst decisions that I have seen in the work of 50 years of public health preparation.”
He said, “If an influenza epidemic hit us yesterday, the global flu vaccine will produce enough vaccine in only 18 months using the standard method of increasing the virus in chicken eggs to produce enough vaccine in only 18 months to have only a quarter vaccination of the world,” he told CBS News. “We are in dire need of a vaccine technique where we can create enough vaccine for the world in a year.”
many Experts say a major benefit MRNA vaccines that can be developed, manufactured and can be replaced quickly, allowing drug manufacturer and public health authorities Answer fast The novel to mutate the virus like viruses and flu continuously.
In 2020, the first Trump administration funded the development of mRNA Kovid -19 vaccines of Fizer and Modern, which were developed much faster than traditional vacancies.
Former Director of Medical and Biodefense at the National Security Council, Dr. Luciana Borio said, “Whatever the US achieved during the epidemic does not match,” Dr. Dr., former Director of Medical and Biodefens preparations at the National Security Council. Luciana Borio told CBS News. “We took up and distributed the life -saving MRNA vaccine at an unprecedented speed. This is a historical achievement that we should celebrate. It is a serious mistake to stick to old techniques to combat future flu epidemic.
Kennedy has Long history Of Raise doubts About vaccines. Since he joined the Trump administration, he has Fire members An expert panel recommended the vaccine, and announced Delete a recommendation To vaccinate against Covid-19 for children and healthy pregnant women. Disease Control and Prevention Center Still says that children can get vaccine And it is safe and beneficial for pregnant women.
Kennedy said on Tuesday that HHS is now “carrying funding” on a safe, broad vaccine platform which is also effective as a virus. “
The Health Secretary said, “I must be completely clear: HHS supports safe, effective vaccines for every American, which they want.”
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Contributed to this report.
