Trump Administration Cans Bird Flu Vaccine Contract With Moderna
From bird flu to COVID-19 vaccines to alleged corruption in journals, we look into recent moves from US Health Secretary RFK Jr.
The Trump administration continues to approach life sciences in much the same way as a bull approaches a china shop; this time by reportedly pulling a $590 million federal contract with Moderna on the development of an mRNA-based bird flu vaccine.
The contract, agreed at the end of the Biden administration, was part of a broader initiative to bolster US pandemic preparedness. Moderna had reported promising results from early-stage trials, with the vaccine showing a strong immune response in 300 healthy adults, yet the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) concluded that the project did not meet the necessary scientific or safety standards for continued federal investment.
In a statement, Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel said, "While the termination of funding from HHS adds uncertainty, we are pleased by the robust immune response and safety profile observed in this interim analysis of the Phase 1/2 study of our H5 avian flu vaccine and we will explore alternative paths forward for the program.”
As bird flu continues to spread among livestock and has infected at least 70 people in the US, the decision to halt the vaccine's development raises concerns about the nation's readiness for potential pandemics.
Whilst Moderna will look to explore alternative options to continue its vaccine development efforts, the industry’s eyes remain on RFK Jr. and his decision that COVID-19 vaccines are no longer recommended for healthy children and pregnant women.
In a video posted on X, RFK Jr, flanked by FDA Commissioner Martin Makary and NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya, cited a lack of evidence supporting the need for repeated boosters in healthy kids. Makary added that most countries have ceased recommending the vaccine for children. However, the announcement lacked detailed explanations, leaving many questions unanswered.
Speaking to CBS News, Naima Joseph, Assistant Professor, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, said, "Infants are the second leading group of our population being hospitalized. And when we look into those risks, it's really that they're born to moms who haven't received an updated COVID-19 vaccine.”
Critics argue that RFK Jr's unilateral decision bypasses established protocols and could undermine public trust in health recommendations.
“Corrupt” medical journals
RFK Jr has also forth plans to ban federal scientists from publishing in prestigious medical journals such as The Lancet, JAMA, and The New England Journal of Medicine. Why? “They’re all corrupt,” he said in a podcast conversation with “biohacker” Gary Brecka.
RFK Jr. proposes the alternative of state-run journals, where NIH funding would bestow the title of “good, legitimate scientist” upon researchers. He wants these state-sponsored publications to become the new gold standard in medical research dissemination.
Critics argue that sidelining peer-reviewed journals could undermine scientific integrity and global collaboration. Supporters, however, see it as a necessary step to reclaim science from the perceived corporate influences RFK Jr. and Brecka allude to.
Will these state-led journals usher in a renaissance of unbiased research, or are we venturing into uncharted territory where science and state become indistinguishably entwined? Let me know what you think: [email protected]
Following a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature and a Master’s in Creative Writing, I entered the world of publishing as a proofreader, working my way up to editor. The career so far has taken me to some amazing places, and I’m excited to see where I can go with Texere and The Medicine Maker.
