U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. surprised existing and future travelers with a dramatic policy change. He canceled $500 million that was supposed to be used to develop mRNA vaccine technology through the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA). This is a decision that health experts find to be deeply alarming. They explain how mRNA technology has been integral to combatting infectious disease, particularly COVID-19.
The funding cut comes at a time when mRNA vaccines have been credited with saving millions of lives, reducing the severity of COVID-19, and helping societies reopen. This year’s 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine pays tribute to Dr. Drew Weissman and Dr. Katalin Kariko. They won this award for their pioneering research that was absolutely instrumental in creating the COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna.
Significance of mRNA Technology
No wonder vaccine experts have called mRNA technology a game-changer — for this pandemic as well as others. One of its biggest benefits is that it can be manufactured much faster than other vaccine technologies. This speed is extremely important in the context of today’s pandemic threats, enabling a rapid response to new viruses within days or weeks.
Dr. Peter Hotez, a professor of pediatrics and molecular virology, emphasized the importance of continuing research into mRNA technology, stating that “the mRNA technology has been proven to be highly effective.” He sought to convey the incredible promise of mRNA vaccines outside of COVID-19. In fact, over 100 clinical trials are actively testing their efficacy in the treatment of several different malignancies.
Recent progress of an mRNA vaccine for influenza into Phase 3 clinical trials only highlights the technology’s versatility. That’s a major step from their past approaches and an important one before manufacturers can bring their innovations to regulators for approval.
Mixed Reactions to Funding Cancellation
The Administration’s decision to cut FY 21 funding for PEPFAR was met with outrage from the nation’s infectious disease specialists. In her letter to the province, Dr. Allison McGeer, a renowned contagious disease expert, warned of the dangerous precedent this decision would set. She added that mRNA vaccines are much easier to standardize and have begun to show significant promise in rapid vaccine production.
Virologist Dr. Angela Rasmussen could not have been more emphatic in her denunciation of Kennedy Jr.’s mRNA vaccine nonsense. In fact, these vaccines are better described as shortening pandemics, she said. She explained, “Viruses mutate when they replicate, and they replicate when they spread through a population of people.” Vaccination is a key component to minimizing how far a virus can spread and protecting those at risk.
The narrative surrounding the safety and efficacy of mRNA vaccines has faced challenges, particularly from Kennedy Jr., who stated that “mRNA technology poses more risk than benefits against these respiratory viruses.” Experts such as Dr. Hotez countered these claims by emphasizing that “that’s part of the disinformation machine … to downplay the severity of these illnesses.”
Implications for Future Research
The unexpected funding cut raises serious questions about the future of taxpayer-supported research in mRNA technology. It endangers other priorities, including responding to infectious disease outbreaks and making progress in the fight against cancer. Dr. Hotez warned that pulling the plug on mRNA vaccine research would set back efforts to develop next-generation cancer vaccines.
It is this allegation—that mRNA vaccines are creating new variants and extending pandemics—that has drawn the most fire from fact-checkers. “The best way to prevent a virus from spreading through a population of people is to make sure those people are protected against the virus by vaccination,” said Rasmussen, reinforcing the argument for continued investment in mRNA technology.
The urgency of the need for vast and efficient production of vaccines is self-evident. Previous strategies for developing pandemic flu strains could take as long as 18 months to deliver enough doses for just a fraction of the world’s population. However, unlike other vaccines, mRNA vaccines provide a route for fast proliferation. Michael Osterholm, an epidemiologist, stated, “By the end of the first year, we could vaccinate the world,” highlighting the potential of mRNA technology in global health crises.
