The Trump administration has started a very ambitious Generation Gold Standard project. Its stated purpose is to work toward a universal flu vaccine. This initiative seeks to eliminate the need for annual updates to flu shots by creating a vaccine that protects against multiple strains of the virus and can potentially safeguard against future threats. A hefty down payment of $500 million supports the effort. It goes into widescale testing next year, and we are optimistic that it will be available to the public in four years.
Generation Gold Standard is doing just the opposite with vaccines. Their plan is to inject people with an inactivated flu virus, which has been rendered harmless by use of a chemical known as beta-propiolactone (BPL). This approach aims to prime the immune system to fight disease without triggering disease itself. Developed by National Institutes of Health (NIH) scientists Dr. Matthew Memoli and Dr. Jeffery Taubenberger, this technology has raised eyebrows among many experts in the field.
Background of the Technology
Dr. Jeffery Taubenberger, recently named acting director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases after Dr. Anthony Fauci’s retirement. He is the co-inventor on a patent for the BPL-inactivated, whole-virus platform. His colleague, Dr. Matthew Memoli, in 2022 took over as principal deputy director of the NIH after a stint as acting principal director. Both scientists emphasize that Generation Gold Standard represents a paradigm shift in vaccine development, extending protection beyond strain-specific limits and preparing for future influenza threats.
“Generation Gold Standard is a paradigm shift. It extends vaccine protection beyond strain-specific limits and prepares for flu viral threats — not just today’s, but tomorrow’s as well — using traditional vaccine technology brought into the 21st century,” – National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya.
Many leading vaccine experts have raised concerns over the project’s overall approach and its reliance on dated technology. Dr. Gregory Poland, a leading vaccine researcher and advocate, is stumped by the initiative’s approach. These approaches have fallen out of favor for the past 30 years.
“We’re going back to technology that was used 40, 50 years ago or more. So this is a little surprising to me why you would go backwards to this technology? It’s a very old technology,” – Dr. Gregory Poland.
Concerns Among Experts
Despite the promise of the Generation Gold Standard project, its potential risks and lack of efficacy are drawing scrutiny. Whole dead virus vaccines are often more likely to elicit side effects, including high fevers and seizures. This raises concerns about the safety profile of the proposed vaccine among experts who have advocated for more modern approaches.
Many experts are concerned that a huge amount of money is being put into just one technology. Rick Bright, a former director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), referred to the $500 million investment as “astronomical.” He cautioned against over-indexing on any one solution.
“This amount of money is astronomical. It is foolish to put that much money onto one technology,” – Rick Bright.
Dr. Poland and others have long called for the development of other routes that could provide better, more effective options. For example, he notes the development of mRNA-based influenza vaccines, which have become highly visible and popularized throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We have live attenuated nasal spray influenza vaccines. We have recombinant influenza vaccines. We have an mRNA-based influenza vaccine,” – Dr. Gregory Poland.
Call for Transparency in Scientific Research
In response to these criticisms, many experts—including a recent cohort of our National Academy of Sciences—call for a more transparent scientific funding and research process. Dr. Jesse Goodman discusses his idea for an open scientific competition. He thinks it would produce more creative solutions and ultimately lead to better results for national influenza vaccination campaigns.
“If you’re going to do this, have an open scientific competition for the best ideas. There should be transparency for the process of how to allot funding,” – Dr. Jesse Goodman.
vision is a starkly ambitious and controversial project The Generation Gold Standard. Its goal is to transform how we vaccinate against flu and beyond, to address today’s—and tomorrow’s—viral challenges. Before that happens, though, experts are deeply divided on its methodology and it’s long-term viability.
