The officials of the National Institutes of Health have urged scientists to suppress all references to the technology of mRNA vaccines from their subsidy requests, said two researchers, in a decision that reported that the agency could abandon a promising field of medical research.
MRNA technology is studied at NIH for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases, including flu and AIDS, and Also cancer. It was deployed in the development of COVVI-19 vaccines credited save 3 million lives In the United States alone – an accomplishment President Donald Trump boasted of in his first mandate.
A scientist of a Biomedical Research Center in Philadelphia wrote to a colleague, in an e-mail examined by KFF Health News, that a project agent at NIH had “reported our pending subsidy as having a vaccination component of the mRNA”.
“We still don’t know if the mRNA vaccine subsidies will be canceled,” added the scientist.
NIH officials have also told a scientist to vaccines funded by NIH in New York State, which does not carry out research on mRNA vaccines but described its effectiveness in previous subsidy requests, that all references to mRNA vaccines should be rubbed future requests.
Scientists have relayed their experiences under anonymity condition for fear of professional reprisals by the Trump administration.
A senior national cancer Institute confirmed that the acting director of NIH, Matthew Memoli, had sent an e-mail through the NIH by asking that subsidies, contracts or collaborations involving mRNA vaccines be reported in the channel to the Secretary of Health and Social Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the White House.
Memoli sent a similar message before the agency canceling other research, such as studies on vaccination hesitation.
Memoli’s email on this subject indicated that the NIH was not interested in learning why people avoid vaccines or exploring means to “improve the interest and commitment of vaccines”.
The manager of the National Cancer Institute, who also spoke under the guise of anonymity for fear of reprisals, said that it is reasonable to assume that the work of vaccine against mRNA is the next. “”
The official said that a similar memo was also released concerning the work funded by NIH in South Africa, which the White House has targeted on false claims that the Government of the Pays persecutes whites. More recently, another has been released with regard to all global research collaborations, said the manager.
The spokesperson for the White House, HHS and NIH did not respond to requests for comments.
The NIH, whose last annual budget was $ 47 billion, is one of the most critical sources of funding in the world for basic biomedical research. Its mission and programs are under the unprecedented control of Trump’s White House and the Government Ministry, the agency led by Elon Musk Created by a Trump decree which ordered the federal agencies to prepare for generalized layoffs.
The NIH finances at least 130 studies involving mRNA technology in coated vaccines produced by Pfizer-Biontech and Moderna which have been administered to billions of people worldwide.
A former government official familiar with internal discussions said that the Trump administration intended to reduce certain subsidies for research on the mRNA vaccine, but that the moment is not clear. The person spoke under the cover of anonymity to protect relations with the administration.
In the United States, political conservatives have promulgated conspiracy theories, not supported by scientific evidence, that shots and their relatively new technology are dangerous. This has undermined the public support for coche vaccinations and research on mRNA.
“There will be no research funded by NIH on mRNA vaccines,” said New York scientist in an interview. “The people of Maga are convinced that these vaccines have killed and mutilated tens of thousands of people. It is not true, but they believe it.
Meanwhile, hundreds of other studies related to the vaccine are in limbo. Kawsar Talaat, vaccine researcher at the Bloomberg School of Public Health of Johns Hopkins University, has been waiting since the fall necessary to recruit matters for a study of an anti -Diarrhean vaccine.
“The NIH has approved our funding,” she said, “and now we are waiting, and we don’t know if it goes forward or we are going to be killed.”
The Philadelphia scientist reported that he believed that Kennedy, a long-standing anti-vaccine activist, is responsible for the NIH tour against Rear Research.
“Kennedy’s war against vaccines has started,” the scientist told his colleague.
New York scientist said it was “ridiculous” to withdraw the language of the subsidy requests. But “if my subsidy is rejected for any reason,” said the scientist: “The people of my laboratory will lose their jobs.”
“I have been working with some of them for 20 years,” added the scientist. “They have children and families. There is a real climate of fear in the academic world on this subject now, especially in vaccine scientists. »»
“My grant does not imply a request for funds to carry out mRNA vaccine experiences,” said the scientist, “so my main concern was to avoid word search flags which, at least, would result in delays in any funding.”
While holding research teachers in universities generally receive a salary from their establishment, employees working in their laboratories and offices are often paid through NIH grants. THE Nobel Prize 2023 In physiology or medicine, two scientists were given to develop mrnm vaccines, through works that were based on pharmaceutical companies and NIH scientists working under the specialist in infectious diseases Anthony Fauci.
According to Senator Bill CassidyA Louisiana Republican who chairs the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee of the Chamber, Kennedy promised during his process of confirmation of the Senate that he would protect “the public health benefit of vaccination” and “will work in current systems of approval and monitoring of the security and non-establishment of parallel systems”.
Cassidy, a doctor, had expressed his reservations about Kennedy’s confirmation at the HHS Post and challenged his anti-vaccine opinions during a confirmation hearing. He ended up voting for him, he said, because Kennedy had accepted To work closely with Cassidy and its committee.
However, Kennedy was exposed to a meticulous examination during his first weeks in power for his handling of a large measles epidemic among people who are mostly not vaccinated in Texas who resulted in the death of a child, the first death of American measles in more than a decade. A patient who was tested positive for measles died in new-mexic, but the cause was not confirmed. Instead of inviting vaccination against disease, an almost sure way to prevent infection, Kennedy has blamed malnutrition for the epidemicpromoted unproven treatments for measles, and falsely claimed In an interview with Fox News that the vaccine is ineffective and even dangerous.
Cassidy did not respond to a request for comments on the potential abandonment of the NIH of research on mRNA vaccines.
As part of the Trump administration’s thrust to examine expenses on mRNA vaccines, health officials examine a $ 590 million contract for the photos of the Bird flu that the Biden administration awarded to Moderna, Bloomberg News reported. The legislation introduced by GOP legislators in at least seven states aims Prohibit or limit mRNA vaccines. In some cases, the measures would strike doctors who give injections with criminal sanctions, fines and the possible revocation of their licenses.
Stephanie Armor and Céline Gounder contributed to this article.
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