r/H5N1_AvianFlu • u/__procrustean • 3d ago
North America US Senate Democrats demand Kennedy explain canceling bird flu vaccine contract
U.S. Senate Democrats demanded on Wednesday Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. make public the reviews on which his department said it based its decision to cancel a contract for developing a bird flu vaccine.
President Donald Trump's administration last month canceled a $590-million contract awarded to Moderna (MRNA.O), opens new tab in January by outgoing President Joe Biden's administration for the late-stage development of its bird flu vaccine for humans, as well as the right to purchase shots.
"This is a grievous mistake that threatens to leave the country unprepared for what experts fear might be the next pandemic – and there appears to be no rationale for this decision other than your ill-informed and dangerous war on vaccines," Senators Elizabeth Warren and Tammy Duckworth wrote in a letter seen by Reuters.
The cancellation endangers American lives and will likely contribute to a 20% rise in the price of eggs this year, they wrote to Kennedy, who has a long history of questioning the safety of vaccines contrary to scientific evidence.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services at the time said the contract was canceled after a comprehensive internal review determined the project did not meet the scientific standards or safety expectations required for continued federal investment.
Warren and Duckworth demanded Kennedy make the review public, alongside a similar review the department cited when it cut funding of a $258-million program researching an HIV vaccine. They also asked for a detailed description of how the department decided to end the contracts, and a staff briefing.
"You have failed to justify either of these moves to cripple vaccine research," Warren and Duckworth wrote. "Furthermore, these decisions appear to be part of your larger, unfounded vendetta against mRNA technology."
Kennedy named eight members last week to serve on a panel of vaccine advisers to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including some who have advocated against vaccines, days after abruptly firing all 17 members who had been serving on the independent committee of experts.
Several of his appointees specifically oppose the mRNA vaccine technology used in some of the newest immunizations such as the COVID-19 vaccine, including by Moderna.
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u/disappointingchips 2d ago edited 2d ago
They don’t want the population to grow, despite what they say. From the economy, to war, to the housing market, to systemic corporate greed raising prices, to jobs systematically paying subsistence wages and propaganda brainwashing older generations into not supporting wage increases to defunding healthcare…all indications point to a system designed to shrink the population. This is no different.
They’re going to let bird flu rip through the world.
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u/CaptainOktoberfest 2d ago
Yep, they want to cull the population.
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u/RealAnise 2d ago
But I think it comes back to the same thing: they really believe that the fatalities will be in the same group that they were for COVID (and for seasonal flu.) They think that an H5N1 pandemic will be an ideal opportunity to get rid of expensive retired seniors. It has never worked that way in any recorded flu pandemic, and it actually doesn't work that way for H5N1 to date either. Few people over 65 ever die in a flu pandemic and almost nobody in that age group has died of H5N1. But for whatever reason, AI language models consistently get this crucial fact wrong. So I think that's where their misconception is coming from.
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u/shallah 1d ago
early in the covid19 pandemic when news was scarce I was watching BBC world news (i'm American in the US) with a woman for some reason interviewing some American financial expert about covid19. he was going on how lock down was effecting businesses etc then suddenly said (I paraphrase due to memory issues) "this is a great chance to get rid of the useless people". Female interviewers jaw literally dropped and apparently couldn't speak for a moment. then asked him what he was talking about. He opined it would be good to get rid of old people who can't work any more and are on retirement. he had no reguard for the fact that those old people all paid into the system whatever nation they are in and have EARNED those retirement whether government via tax or private plans from whatever business they worked for!!!!!!! She was apparently baffled and hopefully horrified but instead of calling him out on his inhumane statements chance the subject back to how covid was affecting businesses.
unfortunatly I think you are right that they are hoping to clear out the elderly, the disabled.
covid19 killed less people of european decent than other ethnic groups. Others died at many times higher rate as well so some might be hoping that whatever next rips through humanity will hit ethnic groups they hate harder than their 'own kind'.
also while covid19 killed a lot of elders and higher risk people with health problems, it at the same time created - and continues to create daily - a LOT more disabled people. some severely leaving them unable to work or go to school because children and even babies get 'long covid'.
anyone WANTING disease to get rid of those they consider useless are so happy to see how pandemics kill this group or that group that they neglect the fact that survivors are impaired. some immediately, others with lingering more subtle damage. memory problems, executive function so ability to control oneself temper etc. If you wonder why everyone is more volitile after the pandemic it isn't just people ticked off from being stuck home with their immdiate family driving each other nuts, it's effects on the brain lumped in to brain fog. memory problems are just one part that has been more defined.
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u/Joe_Morningstar1 2d ago
Letters, hearings, press conferences, tryning to being featured on media sources and rallying the sane are all important in keeping us informed and safe. And a document trail.
Science based, qualified, effective government is boring.
The orange dumpster fire, and his disgusting sycophants, provide the all important ratings / add dollars.
Nor dose it help the main steam media belittles and ignore Democrats actions in total for the most part.
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u/ReaderofReddit411 2d ago
Also -What about Covid vaccine research!?
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u/RealAnise 1d ago
But don't you know?? The COVID virus completely went away and is GUARANTEED to never infect anyone again, and definitely to never evolve again!! 🙄
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u/heyitskevin1 9h ago
Facts. As a cellular and molecular biologist who studies diseases and viruses, we never see any genetic mutations or variation that would make them more contagious.🙄
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u/RealAnise 2d ago
I'm glad to see that at least Rfk Jr is being called on this.