On Wednesday, August 6, Robert Kennedy Jr, American secretary for health, announced the end of public funding for vaccines using the messenger RNA technique, although it represents a major medical advance.
His appointment to the post of Secretary of State for Health had already been widely debated during the victory of Donald Trump, and Robert Kennedy Jr comes to illustrate it. John Fitzgerald Kennedy’s nephew, who multiplied conspiratorial comments on the COVID at the start of the health crisis, the end of public funding of certain vaccines with Messenger RNA announced in an official statement. A decision justified by a reassessment of available scientific data, where he claims to have “examined scientific data and listened to experts”. A total of 22 projects are concerned, for a total amount of around $ 500 million.
Developed by laboratories such as Moderna, Pfizer or Sanofi, they concerned the study of diseases against diseases such as avian flu and pig flu. Funded by the Barda, the federal authority responsible for preparation and the response to health crises, this agency has seen its subsidies be cut. It is for the moment the only organization concerned by this breakdown in funding.
RNA, target of American mistrust
According to him, this messenger RNA technique has an “insufficient” effectiveness, especially against respiratory infections, without providing evidence explaining its conclusions. For the Secretary of State for Health, this technique also does not have enough guarantees in terms of security, and he explained that he planned to redirect these funds to “safer” techniques.
Recognized as a global scientific success, the messenger RNA technique is still today the target of disinformation campaigns, even conspiracy theories. And this decision made by Robert Kennedy Jr could thus symbolize an important return to the fight against certain pathologies.
Posted on August 6 at 7:43 p.m., Marin Paulay, 6media