The U.S. government is nearing a deal with Moderna to fund a late-stage mRNA-based bird flu vaccine trial.
This is to increase the country’s pandemic vaccine reserves amid concerns of a potential new pandemic if the H5N1 avian influenza virus makes the jump to humans.
They claim the vaccine has shown promising results in animal trials, and this move is part of a broader effort to prepare for and manage the ongoing H5N1 outbreak.
[I don’t trust them, and I don’t want it.]
The funding could amount to several tens of millions of dollars and may include a commitment from the government to purchase vaccine doses if the phase 3 trial is successful.
The H5N1 bird flu outbreak continues to spread among poultry farms and cattle herds in the U.S. in time for the election. The virus infected over 90 million chickens, 9,000 wild birds, 52 dairy herds, and three people since 2022. Two human cases have been reported in the U.S.
The U.S. government is also discussing a potential mRNA-based bird flu vaccine with Pfizer. Health officials are considering vaccinating workers with close contact with infected animals, such as poultry workers, dairy workers, veterinarians, and lab technicians.
U.S. health officials still classify the risk as low.
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