Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s recent announcement has most of the MAHA movement feeling energized about the future of vaccines, including BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales — though she remains a little skeptical.
“At HHS, we have a division called the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, or BARDA,” he began. “BARDA drives some of our most advanced scientific research. It funds developments of vaccines, drugs, diagnostics, and other tools to fight emerging diseases and national health threats.”
“Over the past few weeks, BARDA reviewed 22 mRNA vaccine development investments and began canceling them,” he continued.
The reasons behind these cancellations were that most of the shots were for flu or COVID, but the pandemic demonstrated that “mRNA vaccines don’t perform well against viruses that infect the upper respiratory tract.”
“Here’s the problem: mRNA only codes for a small part of the viral proteins, usually a single antigen. One mutation, and the vaccine becomes ineffective. This dynamic drives a phenomen[on] called antigenic shift, meaning that the vaccine paradoxically encourages new mutations and can actually prolong pandemics as the virus constantly mutates to escape the protective effects of the vaccine,” he explained.
“After reviewing the science and consulting top experts at NIH and FDA, HHS has determined that mRNA technology poses more risk than benefits for these respiratory viruses. That’s why after extensive review, BARDA has begun the process of terminating these 22 contracts totaling just under $500 million,” he concluded, noting that the agency will still be prioritizing the development of safer vaccine strategies.
Gonzales isn’t fully satisfied with RFK’s announcement.
“I’m glad that we’re not now investing $500 million worth of taxpayer money to mRNA technology that doesn’t work. But it is annoying to hear him like, ‘Okay, let me be clear before people call me an antivaxxer: We definitely support safe and effective vaccines,’” Gonzales says.
“Which ones are those?” she mocks.
However, despite her slight disappointment, she doesn’t believe that getting rid of vaccines immediately is the answer.
“You don’t want to do something that’s going to turn more people off than maybe intrigue them or spark some sort of a curiosity,” Gonzales says. “And I understand that you have to do this with intention. You have to do this the right way. You can’t just come in and upend the entire system.”
“So I’m actually happy with the way that he has addressed it so far,” she adds.
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