RFK Jr., in his relentless pursuit of discrediting science and promoting bogus medical claims, has cancelled a $590 million contract awarded to Moderna for developing bird flu vaccines for humans. The initiative was started by Joe Biden in January to advance the development of vaccines and expand clinical studies for different subtypes of Influenza.
The Health Department under RFK Jr. has also cancelled an additional $176 million contract for the development and testing of a pre-pandemic mRNA-based vaccine to fight against the H5N1 avian influenza. More than 70 people were infected with Bird Flu in the past couple of years, while it has been ravaging among cattle and poultry flocks.
According to researchers from Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, the cancellation of these initiatives means that the government is refusing one of the most effective tools for combating bird flu. This approach by RFK Jr. is starkly opposite to what Trump took with Operation Warp Speed to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Move Has Raised Critical Public Health Concerns
Experts have called this move a significant setback for pandemic preparedness. While bird flu vaccines have existed for some time, they rely on an older production method. Moderna was contracted to research a newer approach that relied on mRNA technology. mRNA vaccines use messenger RNA that guides cells to produce a harmless version of the virus, which trains the immune system to create antibodies.
The move also highlights the growing divide between RFK Jr. and the broader medical community. An HHS spokesperson told Reuters that after conducting a thorough internal review, they have determined that the Biden-era initiative did not meet the scientific standards necessary for more federal investment. However, the broader scientific community supports mRNA vaccines as safe and effective.
Instead of relying on extensive real-world data and scientific knowledge, RFK Jr. has touted unconventional cures for managing bird flu. One of the suggestions was to let the virus spread among the poultry to identify what Kennedy calls “naturally resistant birds.” Scientists were quick to call out these “unconventional methods” as risky and unethical.
The Politics of RFK Jr.
There is also politics hidden behind this move. The move stems from RFK Jr.’s infamous distrust of mRNA vaccines and a general anti-vaccine stance. Kennedy has often questioned the safety of mRNA vaccines while ignoring the large amount of evidence supporting the safety of COVID-19 vaccines and others. HHS has also officially stated that mRNA vaccines are “under-tested,” and they don’t want to repeat the same mistake with COVID-19 vaccines in vaccine safety transparency.
The cancellation also signals an ideological shift within the HHS, away from science and towards an approach that aligns closely with Kennedy’s political views on vaccines and public health. The wider medical community believes that mRNA vaccines are the way to go when it comes to emerging infectious threats.
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