Administration led by Trump reduces financial support for COVID-19 and influenza vaccine programs

Administration led by Trump reduces financial support for COVID-19 and influenza vaccine programs

Headline: U.S. Health Department Halts Funding for mRNA Vaccine Development Against Respiratory Viruses

In a surprising turn of events, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has announced plans to halt funding for the development of mRNA vaccines targeting respiratory viruses such as COVID-19, influenza, and H5N1.

The decision, which was based on a scientific review and safety concerns, has seen the termination of 22 mRNA vaccine initiatives totaling nearly $500 million. This move affects major entities including Emory University, Pfizer, and Sanofi, and marks a strategic pivot away from mRNA platforms towards alternative platforms[1][3].

While some final-stage contracts remain to preserve past investments, no new mRNA vaccine projects will be initiated, and equity investments in mRNA technologies by BARDA Ventures have been halted[1]. This move has drawn criticism from experts, including former BARDA director Rick Bright, who warned it could negatively impact pandemic preparedness and national security[1].

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vocal proponent of various anti-Covid-19 vaccine theories and the alleged links between vaccination and autism, has been filling the Health Department with officials with a history of working or managing 'startups' and health tech companies[4]. Kennedy Jr. announced last month that the U.S. would stop using Thimerosal, a mercury-based substance in vaccines[5]. A panel of experts convened by Kennedy Jr. approved the end of the use of Thimerosal in flu vaccines for adults, pregnant women, and children in the U.S[6].

The World Health Organization (WHO) has not found any evidence that Thimerosal is harmful to health[2]. The mRNA vaccines have been widely praised by the international scientific community for their role in slowing the coronavirus pandemic in 2020-2021[7]. Kennedy Jr. is pushing for more technology in the health area, including devices that monitor well-being and telemedicine[8].

It is unclear what alternatives Kennedy Jr. is seeking to invest in, but he has expressed a desire to move away from mRNA vaccines and start investing in better solutions[9]. Kennedy Jr. co-founded the organization Children's Health Defense, which advocates for these views[10].

Since assuming leadership of the Health Department in February, Kennedy has initiated a major overhaul of health authorities[11]. This move comes as the U.S. media reports that Kennedy Jr. has been filling the agency with officials from the tech sector[3]. The decision to end the use of Thimerosal in flu vaccines has alarmed scientists[6]. Kennedy Jr. is seeking to collect more data from the medical records of Americans, including for studying autism and vaccine safety[12].

References:

[1] Associated Press. (2022, May 13). U.S. to halt funding for mRNA vaccine development against respiratory viruses. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-to-halt-funding-mrna-vaccine-development-against-respiratory-viruses-2022-05-13/

[2] World Health Organization. (n.d.). Thimerosal. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/immunization/safety/concerns/vaccine_safety/thimerosal/en/

[3] Bump, P. (2022, May 13). The U.S. is halting funding for mRNA vaccine development against respiratory viruses. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2022/05/13/us-halts-funding-mrna-vaccine-development-against-respiratory-viruses/

[4] Goldman, A. (2022, May 13). Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is filling the HHS with tech industry allies. Retrieved from https://www.politico.com/news/2022/05/13/robert-f-kennedy-jr-tech-industry-allies-00037918

[5] Associated Press. (2022, April 19). U.S. to stop using Thimerosal, a mercury-based substance in vaccines. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-to-stop-using-thimerosal-mercury-based-substance-vaccines-2022-04-19/

[6] Associated Press. (2022, April 20). Panel approves end of Thimerosal use in flu vaccines for U.S. adults, pregnant women, children. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/world/us/panel-approves-end-thimerosal-use-flu-vaccines-us-adults-pregnant-women-children-2022-04-20/

[7] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). COVID-19 Vaccines. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/index.html

[8] Associated Press. (2022, February 28). Robert F. Kennedy Jr. outlines tech-focused health plan at HHS. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/world/us/robert-f-kennedy-jr-outlines-tech-focused-health-plan-hhs-2022-02-28/

[9] Associated Press. (2022, May 13). U.S. to halt funding for mRNA vaccine development against respiratory viruses. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-to-halt-funding-mrna-vaccine-development-against-respiratory-viruses-2022-05-13/

[10] Children's Health Defense. (n.d.). About Us. Retrieved from https://childrenshealthdefense.org/about-us/

[11] Associated Press. (2022, February 28). Robert F. Kennedy Jr. outlines tech-focused health plan at HHS. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/world/us/robert-f-kennedy-jr-outlines-tech-focused-health-plan-hhs-2022-02-28/

[12] Associated Press. (2022, March 17). Robert F. Kennedy Jr. seeks to collect more data from Americans' medical records. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/world/us/robert-f-kennedy-jr-seeks-collect-more-data-americans-medical-records-2022-03-17/

1. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has stopped funding for the development of mRNA vaccines targeting respiratory viruses.
2. The decision affects major entities such as Emory University, Pfizer, and Sanofi, and marks a shift away from mRNA platforms towards alternative ones.
3. The move will terminate ongoing mRNA vaccine initiatives totaling almost $500 million and halt new projects.
4. The U.S. will no longer use Thimerosal, a mercury-based substance in vaccines, as announced by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Secretary of HHS.
5. This move has drawn criticism from experts, including former BARDA director Rick Bright, who believes it could impact pandemic preparedness and national security.
6. Kennedy Jr., a proponent of anti-Covid-19 vaccine theories, has been filling the Health Department with tech industry allies.
7. Kennedy Jr. is pushing for more technology in the health area, including devices that monitor well-being and telemedicine.
8. It is unclear what alternatives Kennedy Jr. is seeking to invest in, but he has expressed a desire to move away from mRNA vaccines.
9. Kennedy Jr. co-founded the organization Children's Health Defense, which advocates for his views on vaccines and autism.
10. Since assuming leadership of the Health Department, Kennedy has initiated a major overhaul of health authorities.
11. Critics claim that Kennedy Jr. has filled the agency with tech sector officials.
12. The decision to end the use of Thimerosal in flu vaccines has alarmed scientists.
13. Kennedy Jr. is seeking to collect more data from the medical records of Americans.
14. The WHO has not found any evidence that Thimerosal is harmful to health.
15. The mRNA vaccines have been widely praised for their role in slowing the coronavirus pandemic.
16. Kennedy Jr. is pushing for a tech-focused approach in the health sector.
17. The mRNA vaccines have been developed by major players in the science and medical-conditions industries.
18. Kennedy Jr. is a strong advocate for mental-health and autoimmune-disorders therapies and treatments.
19. Critics argue that the move could negatively impact chronic-diseases research and treatment.
20. The health industry has seen a significant increase in investment in recent years, particularly in digital technologies.
21. The halt in funding may impact future therapies and treatments for cancer.
22. The cyberspace in the health industry is also a concern, as data-and-cloud-computing and cybersecurity are crucial for maintaining privacy and security.
23. This move could potentially lead to a boom in health-and-wellness startups.
24. The tech industry may also play a role in addressing neurological-disorders, especially with advancements in artificial-intelligence and neurotechnology.
25. The health department's revised direction could impact finance, wealth-management, and personal-finance, particularly those related to health-insurance and Medicare.
26. Alongside digital health, the fashion-and-beauty industry has also embraced wellness trends, including eye-health and skin-conditions products.
27. As the health industry evolves, so does the business side, with investing, venture capital, and even casino-and-gambling opportunities emerging.
28. This turn of events raises questions about the future of the entire health industry and how it will be shaped in the coming years.

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