In axing mRNA contract, Trump delivers another blow to US biosecurity, former officials say

[groundloop]

Source: ABC News

The Trump administration's cancellation of $766 million in contracts to develop mRNA vaccines against potential pandemic flu viruses is the latest blow to national defense, former health security officials said. They warned that the U.S. could be at the mercy of other countries in the next pandemic.

"The administration's actions are gutting our deterrence from biological threats," said Beth Cameron, a senior adviser to the Brown University Pandemic Center and a former director at the White House National Security Council. "Canceling this investment is a signal that we are changing our posture on pandemic preparedness," she added, "and that is not good for the American people."

[snip]

In anticipation of the next big one, the U.S. government began bolstering the nation's pandemic flu defenses during the George W. Bush administration. These strategies were designed by the security council and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority at the Department of Health and Human Services, among other agencies. The plans rely on rolling out vaccines rapidly in a pandemic. Moving fast hinges on producing vaccines domestically, ensuring their safety and getting them into arms across the nation through the public health system.

[snip]

Since President Donald Trump took office, at least half of the security council's staff have been laid off or left, and the future of BARDA is murky. The nation's top vaccine adviser, Peter Marks, resigned under pressure in March, citing "the unprecedented assault on scientific truth."

Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/Health/axing-mrna-contract-trump-delivers-blow-us-biosecurity/story?id=122569958

[Irish_Dem]

1. Keeping Americans safe is not important to Trump and the billionaires.

Their goal is to keep themselves richer by the day.

[Owens]

2. Trump did this during his first administration

Throwing out the pandemic handbook and firing key people whose job was to monitor potential pandemic outbreaks.

[travelingthrulife]

3. mRNA development is so important for not only viruses but cancer treatment

and probably a whole host of other disease treatment. If we were an enlightened country we might see a future where people just get vaccinated against deadly diseases.

[turbinetree]

4. And tuberculosis.........

[SunSeeker]

5. Fucking unforgivable. This is just horrifically stupid and deadly.

[Bayard]

6. You just have to hope,

That when the next pandemic rolls through that trump gets infected again. Get the bleach and ivermectin ready!