Replies to post #537747 on Tornado Alley (PROG)

[fuagf]

Yep, designed to prevent hospitalization. Have had to remind some of that recently
after a friend died of flu. Autopsy said he hadn't seen a dr. in three years.

[fuagf]

Scientists Call on RFK to Release the Data Informing Cancellation of mRNA Vaccine Research

Pandemics & Emergencies 06/08/2025 • Kerry Cullinan


HHS Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr making the announcement to cancel the mRNA research.

Scientists have asked United States Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr’s (RFK) to make public the data supporting his decision to “wind-down” government mRNA vaccine development activities.

“RFK and his advisors should tell us on what data he is basing his decision on, so that it can be examined independently and critically,” said Professor Andrew McMichael, emeritus professor of Molecular Medicine at the University of Oxford.

“There is a wealth of high-quality data to show mRNA vaccines are safe and effective.”

Meanwhile, Prof Robin Shattock, Professor of Mucosal Infection and Immunity, Imperial College London, said it is unclear what evidence Kennedy is referring to, as mRNA vaccines “have been highly scrutinised by regulatory bodies on an ongoing basis”.

“[Kennedy] has provided no evidence to show that alternative vaccines are any different to mRNA vaccines concerning claims of safety and the unfounded claim that mRNA vaccines drive the mutation rate of viruses,” he said.

‘Comprehensive review’

Making the announcement on Wednesday, Kennedy said the decision was taken in conjunction with “experts” and “follows a comprehensive review of mRNA-related investments initiated during the COVID-19 public health emergency”.

“BARDA [the HHS’s Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority] is terminating 22 mRNA vaccine development investments because the data show these vaccines fail to protect effectively against upper respiratory infections like COVID and flu,” said Kennedy.

“We’re shifting that funding toward safer, broader vaccine platforms that remain effective even as viruses mutate.”

However, McMichael said that mRNA vaccines to prevent COVID-19 had been “given to 50 million people in the UK and reduced infection rates by over 70%”.

“Three doses reduced mortality in the elderly by 93% and in the UK 400,00 lives were saved,” added McMichael.

“Mild side effects were found in about 10%, serious side effects in around 1 in 800; deaths around one per million. I personally have taken that risk seven times.”

AstraZeneca, Moderna, Pfizer and Sanofi Pasteur are among the companies affected by the decision – which involves contract terminations, “descoping”, rejecting and cancelling “pre-award solicitations”, and restructuring collaborations, according to an HHS media release.

Emory University is the only university named, and it had its contract terminated. The Emory Vaccine Center is one of the world’s foremost vaccine research facilities, investigating vaccines for a range of illnesses including influenza, HIV, cancer, tuberculosis.

‘Impossible’

During his announcement, Kennedy also claimed that mRNA vaccines can help “encourage new mutations and can actually prolong pandemics as the virus constantly mutates to escape the protective effects of the vaccine”.

Mutation is part of the natural process of viruses, and some like HIV mutate faster than others.

McMichael said that it is “impossible” for mRNA vaccines to increase the virus mutation rate, and their major advantage “is that they can be made quickly and can be designed to combat new variants effectively”..

Meanwhile, Prof Stephen Evans, Emeritus Professor of Pharmacoepidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said that, as no mRNA vaccines had been licensed against flu, “there is no large-scale evidence on their efficacy, but no reason to believe they are ineffective”.

Evans added that “a recent trial showed greater efficacy for an mRNA vaccine than a standard flu vaccine”.

US immunologist Rick Bright, who headed BARDA between 2016 and 2020, described the decision as a “bad day for science and a huge blow to our national security”, warning that there would be “dandgerous repercussions”.

A bad day for science, and huge blow to our national security.

This decision will have dangerous repercussions.

Kennedy Cancels Nearly $500 Million in mRNA Vaccine Contracts https://t.co/uHTwjzx6x1 via @NYTimes @apoorva_nyc @JenniferNuzzo @scotthensley

— Rick Bright (@RickABright) August 6, 2025

Alex Pym, director of Infectious Disease at Wellcome Trust, said that “mRNA vaccine technology has been in development for decades” and “has been shown to be safe and effective against infectious diseases”.

“The US has been a global leader in vaccine R&D and the loss of this funding could be felt worldwide. Continued investment in this area is vital to ensure we fully realise the potential of these promising technologies to existing and emerging diseases,” added Pym.

Kennedy has a long history of anti-vaccine activity, primarily through the organisation he founded, Children’s Health Defense. Anti-vaxxers were a prominent part of his support base during his short-lived presidential campaign.

An analysis of almost 300 million tweets on Twitter (now X) in 2021 found that 800 accounts were responsible for a third of all vaccine misinformation retweets – and the most prominent of these accounts belonged to Kennedy, who was responsible for more than 13% of these retweets.

https://healthpolicy-watch.news/scientists-call-on-rfk-to-release-the-data-informing-cancellation-of-mrna-vaccine-research/