Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the secretary of health and human services, is being questioned on social media about the most recent action taken by his department.
On Tuesday, the Department of Health and Human Services said that it would be terminating contracts and grants totaling around $500 million for mRNA vaccines, which have been used to combat respiratory viruses such as the flu and COVID-19. Numerous infectious disease specialists were immediately disturbed by the move, many of whom think the vaccination is safe and essential to protecting Americans’ health in the event of a pandemic.
According to the department, the closure will affect 22 initiatives overseen by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA). The vaccine, which was initially utilized by Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech during the COVID pandemic, stimulates the body to produce a fragment of a virus, which in turn triggers an immune response. In contrast to conventional vaccines, the mrNA injections might be created in a matter of months and subsequently modified.
As a longstanding vaccination skeptic, Kennedy stated in a video posted on his social media channels, “We’re prioritizing the development of safer, broader vaccine strategies, like whole-virus vaccines and novel platforms that don’t collapse when viruses mutate, to replace the troubled mRNA programs.”
After reviewing the science and hearing from the experts, we took action. Because the research indicates that 22 mRNA vaccines do not provide good protection against upper respiratory diseases such as the flu and COVID, BARDA is ending its funding in their development. That money will now go to pic.twitter.com/GPKbuU7ywN.
Online users swiftly criticized Kennedy for his most recent choice.
Pediatric palliative care specialist Dr. Alastair McAlpine called the action insane.
No other technology claims to offer as much defense against a variety of illnesses. They’ve all been shut down by this anti-vax freak, McAlpinewroteon X, adding America has never been more at risk.
The idea that mRNA vaccine technology presents more risks than advantages is untrue, according to infectious disease expert Dr. Jake Scott.
The risk is in giving up on the most flexible and scalable vaccination platform we have ever had. According to Scott, halting future progress compromises pandemic preparedness at a critical juncture.
A different user posted: It’s literally one of the most stupid self-defeating actions ever. Millions will be killed by this clown’s foolishness and the evildoers who support him.
One person stated plainly, “This man is an f—— idiot,” while another laughed, “Yeah, I guess one American century was enough.”
“Congratulations to everyone who forced this vile jerk on the country,” one user commented.
How much will the Trump administration ultimately be able to impede and interfere with medical research? A user inquired.
Kennedy’s most recent decision follows a series of recent health department vaccine pullbacks. He declared in May that pregnant women and healthy youngsters should no longer receive COVID vaccinations. He dismissed a committee that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on vaccines the next month.
The utility of the mRNA vaccine extends beyond the fight against infectious diseases. Its potential for cancer immunotherapies has been investigated by researchers. At the White House earlier this year, Oracle chairman Larry Ellison hailed the promise of mRNA and artificial intelligence in the fight against cancer, which caused Moderna’s shares to soar.
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