Trump Administration Weighs Pulling Funding for Moderna Bird Flu Vaccine
U.S. health officials are reevaluating a $590 million contract awarded to Moderna for the development of its bird flu vaccine due to "oversight" issues, Bloomberg News reported. The review is part of a government push to examine spending on messenger RNA-based vaccines, a technology that powered Moderna's Covid vaccine. This move may impact the development and distribution of the bird flu vaccine, which has shown promising results in early trials.
- This decision highlights the tension between ensuring timely funding for life-saving vaccine research and maintaining accountability for government contracts, underscoring the need for robust oversight mechanisms to prevent similar issues in the future.
- What are the potential consequences for global public health if the U.S. pulls funding for the Moderna bird flu vaccine, which could exacerbate an already vulnerable poultry industry?