RFK Jr’s $600m U-turn on mRNA vaccine that experts say could start the next global pandemic
Robert F Kennedy Jr is reevaluating a $590 million contract that was awarded to Moderna for the development of its bird flu vaccine.
Experts fear that the newly appointed health chief‘s move could leave the US vulnerable to an epidemic if the H5N1 virus starts spreading widely in people.
So far 70 confirmed human cases of H5N1 infection have been reported, mostly from direct contact with birds, butt he virus is ravaging poultry and cattle farms in the US.
And it is believed the true number of cases in humans may be higher, with instances going undetected among dairy and poultry workers.
Currently, there is no vaccine available for bird flu but Moderna has been exploring a messenger RNA-based vaccine, the technology that powered its Covid vaccine.
The US government awarded the pharmaceutical company $590 million in January to advance the development of the vaccine.
This was in addition to the $176 million awarded by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) last year to complete the late-stage development and testing of a pre-pandemic mRNA-based vaccine against the H5N1 avian influenza.




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