Trump administration cuts $766 million in funding to Moderna for bird flu, pandemic vaccine projects
(Representative image AP)
The Trump administration has slashed $766 million allocated in funding to Moderna Inc., an American biotech and pharmaceutical company responsible for developing vaccines. Moderna was tasked to make vaccines against potential pandemic influenza viruses, as well as the H5N1 bird flu.
The Health and Human Services Department had notified the company on Monday about the withdrawal of funds that were awarded through the BARDA (Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority) program.
HHS is withdrawing funds awarded in January and July this year, intended to finance the development and purchase of the company's investigational vaccine.
Moderna had received $590 million in January and $176 million in July in funding meant to help judge the efficacy of the vaccines for bird flu and other pandemic viruses, as said by a company Spokesperson.
Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy has expressed his concerns regarding the company's vaccines despite evidence that vaccines developed by Moderna are safe and have saved millions of lives before.
'While the termination of funding from HHS adds uncertainty, we are pleased by the robust immune response and safety profile observed in this interim analysis," said the company in a statement as reported by AP.
Using the same technology used to develop and roll out vaccines during the Covid-19 pandemic, Moderna has developed a new vaccine called mRNA-1018.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Ida y vuelta a España desde 589$
Plus Ultra
Compra ahora
Undo
On the other hand, a new, highly contagious variant of Covid-19 has surfaced in the US known as NB. 1.81. Initially detected in late March and early April among international travelers, cases have since been identified in New York, Ohio, California, Rhode Island, Hawaii, Washington State, and Virginia.
Last year, the H5N1 bird flu virus spilled from wild birds into cattle and ended up infecting hundreds of animals across several states. 70 people reported sick with the flu, and one person died.
Scientists have warned that continued alteration or evolution in the virus can make it more potent and ultimately lead to a pandemic.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Today
18 minutes ago
- India Today
The real toll of Covid in India
Covid-19 is back in the news because of a rise in the number of persons testing positive in different states of India as well as the release of government data on deaths that occurred in 2021, when the country was devastated by the Delta variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The recent spike in cases due to the less virulent JN.1 and BA.2 sub-lineages of Omicron is not a cause for panic, as no deaths have been reported. However, there is concern about the underestimation of Covid-related deaths in earlier official reports. Questions have been raised about why previous estimates were low and the marked interstate variations in the gap between reported Covid deaths and Covid-attributable excess deaths in 2021.
Time of India
24 minutes ago
- Time of India
New COVID variant NB.1.8.1 spreading fast in the U.S — is your vaccine effective? Will there be a summer surge?
A new COVID variant, NB.1.8.1, is gaining traction in the United States just as summer approaches. Despite its rarity, it appears to be more transmissible than current strains. While not yet dominant, officials are closely monitoring its expansion and potential impact on public health. Although experts say it's too soon to predict whether the virus will lead to more COVID cases this summer, health officials are closely monitoring the variant as it spreads throughout the world. NB.1.8.1 is categorized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a "variant under monitoring." A descendant of the Omicron JN.1 lineage, NB.1.8.1 was first identified in late January and has experienced a dramatic increase in cases worldwide in recent weeks, as per a report by Health. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Mountain Gear for Extreme Conditions Trek Kit India Learn More Undo How serious is NB.1.8.1 compared to other variants? The WHO's latest data shows that between April 21 and April 27, 10.7% of all sequenced COVID cases worldwide were caused by NB.1.8.1, up from 2.5% just one month earlier. According to Shira Doron, MD, chief infection control officer at Tufts Medicine, the variant is genetically distinct from LP.8.1, the dominant strain currently found in the United States. Live Events The variant may increase cases this summer because it seems more contagious than LP.8.1, the strain that is most prevalent globally. It appears to be no more effective than LP.8.1, though, at avoiding immunity from vaccinations or previous infections. The World Health Organization (WHO) has concluded that it does not present an additional health risk because it has not discovered any evidence that it causes more serious illness. What are the symptoms of NB.1.8.1? Experts concur that NB.1.8.1 symptoms resemble those of other COVID infections. The majority of NB.1.8.1 patients should anticipate the following symptoms: Chills or fever, coughing, congestion and sore throat, weariness, breathing difficulties and diarrhea. The good news is that NB.1.8.1 doesn't seem to make people sicker than earlier versions. Could there be a summer COVID surge? While now accounting for only a small portion of U.S. cases, specialists are closely monitoring NB.1.8.1. Six spike protein mutations are present in the variation, which may improve its ability to spread and elude antibodies. According to Amy Edwards, MD, an infectious disease specialist and assistant professor of pediatrics at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, those mutations and early data point to NB.1.8.1 being marginally more transmissible, as per a report by NBC News. However, because of NB.1.8.1 or another variation, the number of COVID cases in the United States is probably going to increase this summer. Over the past few years, COVID has experienced two significant increases: one in the mid-to-late summer and another in the winter, Schaffner said, in contrast to influenza, which has one significant increase annually in the winter. Are NB.1.8.1 and current vaccines still effective? Experts say that current vaccines provide some protection, and the variant does not appear to be more severe. Some protection against NB.1.8.1 should come from preexisting immunity from vaccinations or previous infections. The Food and Drug Administration has asked drugmakers to update Covid vaccines to target the LP.8.1 variant this fall. Data from Pfizer and Moderna suggest the updated vaccines would offer protection against NB.1.8.1 as well. However, the FDA has said it will limit its approval of updated Covid shots to older adults and younger people with a medical condition that puts them at risk of severe illness. Doctors worry that pregnant people and children under 5 may be vulnerable to severe outcomes from Covid this winter. Even healthy adults who've been vaccinated before might not have optimal protection. According to Doron, new COVID booster shots from Pfizer, Moderna, and Novavax are also being developed and should be available in the early fall. Preliminary results indicate that they will be effective against NB.1.8.1 and other more prevalent strains in the United States. FAQs Does the new variant result in more severe illness? No, NB.1.8.1 does not appear to result in more severe symptoms than previous variants. Will current vaccines protect me from it? Yes, existing vaccines and boosters should provide some protection against NB.1.8.1.
Time of India
26 minutes ago
- Time of India
Obesity among Delhi students 5 times higher in private schools than public schools: AIIMS study
New Delhi: The prevalence of obesity among school-going adolescent children in Delhi is over five times higher in private schools than public schools, a new study by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) states. Noticeably, the prevalence of obesity is higher among boys than girls in both types of schools. The study, which was funded by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), involved researchers from the endocrinology, cardiac biochemistry, and biostatistics departments of AIIMS. They tracked the health status of 3,888 students aged between six and 19, out of which 1,985 were from public schools and 1,903 from private schools. The team looked at blood pressure (BP), waist circumference, fasting blood glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides. They also met with the principals of each school to explain the objectives of the study, the expected outcomes, and its potential impact in order to establish rapport and trust. "The findings revealed that the prevalence of being underweight was nearly five times higher in public school compared to private school students. At the same time, obesity was more than five times higher in private schools compared to public school students," the report said. The study noted that in India, data on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on obesity are scarce, and there are even fewer data on underweight. Furthermore, a regional disparity in the rates of overweight (2.28% - 21.90%) and obesity (2.40% - 17.60%) among school-going children and adolescents was noted before the pandemic. Hypertension prevalence among urban adolescents aged 10-19 years was found to be over 7 per cent, with no significant difference between public and private school students or between boys and girls. The study showed that while public school students have fewer weight issues than private school students, they are prone to developing metabolic syndrome, a group of conditions that increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and Type 2 diabetes. Researchers have factored in parameters like obesity, hypertension, lipid abnormalities, impaired fasting plasma glucose and diabetes. "The overall prevalence of underweight children was 4.95 per cent, with a significantly higher prevalence in public schools than private schools. The overall prevalence rates of general obesity and central obesity were 13.41 per cent and 9.15 per cent respectively, with significantly higher prevalence in private schools," the report said. "The overall prevalence of hypertension was 7.37 per cent, with similar prevalence in both public and private schools. Private school students had 2.37 times higher prevalence of impaired fasting plasma glucose and 3.51 times higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome than public school students," it added.
