$500 million in funding for mRNA vaccine contracts

https://www.npr.org/2025/08/05/nx-s1-5493550/rfk-jr-funding-mrna-vaccine-development

“I don’t think I’ve seen a more dangerous decision in public health in my 50 years in the business,” said Mike Osterholm, a University of Minnesota expert on infectious diseases and pandemic preparations.

He noted mRNA technology offers potential advantages of rapid production, crucial in the event of a new pandemic that requires a new vaccine.

The shelving of the mRNA projects is short-sighted as concerns about a bird flu pandemic continue to loom, said Dr. Paul Offit, a vaccine expert at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

I remember a long thread or two from 2021 when rogpodge and others accused me of politicizing the anti-vax movement because I pointed out that more and more conservatives tended to be anti-vaxxers and were refusing to get vaccinated. Rogpodge mentioned there were other correlating factors, like evangelicals, and it wasn’t really a conservative thing. But it was clear the trends were changing back then. And it should be obvious now which party is the anti-science, anti-vax party.

Here were are a few years later and we’ve got Mr. Bro-Scientist anti-vaxxer himself, RFK Jr.,  leading the HHS — appointed not by Democrats but by a Republican. And confirmed by all Republican votes.

Trump, in the meantime, has run away from his one meaningful covid accomplishment — operation warp speed. He got booed a few times at his rallies and never mentioned it again.

And now we have real world consequences of a bro-science administration. Let’s hope there isn’t another pandemic any time soon.

• This topic was modified 8 months, 1 week ago by BeyondThunderdome.