Trump Administration Should Restore Bird Flu Vaccine Research Funding
The Trade Alliance to Promote Prosperity is calling on the Trump administration to restore recently cancelled research funding that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) had committed to developing a bird flu (H5N1) vaccine for humans.
In January, the Biden administration awarded $590 million to Moderna to advance the development of its bird flu vaccine and support clinical studies related to five subtypes of pandemic influenza. This was beyond a $176 million grant that HHS had provided Moderna last year to complete late-stage development and testing of a pre-pandemic mRNA-based vaccine against the H5N1 avian influenza.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the H5N1 flu virus has spread to more than 40 dairy herds and two dozen poultry farms, and it has caused 70 human cases in the United States. While the H5N1 has only caused one death in our country, infectious disease experts are concerned that the more the virus spreads, the greater the chance it could mutate into a form that would spread from person to person, which would increase the risk of a pandemic.
Just yesterday, Moderna announced positive interim data from a clinical study (NCT05972174) evaluating the safety and immunogenicity of its investigational pandemic influenza vaccine, mRNA-1018, in approximately 300 healthy adults aged 18 years and older. The interim results focus on a vaccine candidate targeting the H5 avian influenza virus subtype.
According to a Moderna press release, the company had previously expected to advance the program to late-stage development with HHS; however, now Moderna must explore alternative paths toward developing the vaccine.
This disruption in the development of the avian influenza vaccine risks the emergence of a human-to-human mutation of the virus with our country being unequipped to stop it. In other words, the disruption could leave us vulnerable to another pandemic. Moderna has a proven technology—mRNA—on the brink of another breakthrough, and it should be propelled to adoption and to becoming an accepted protocol in preventing the avian flu. The financial and social costs of developing an effective vaccine after the fact is far too great—Americans know this from our COVID-19 pandemic experience.
Beyond the funding for avian influenza vaccine research, the Trump administration should recognize these factors in making decisions on biomedical research funding in general:
Domestic Research and Development (R&D) Jobs: Government funding supports a significant portion of vaccine research and development in the United States. These funds sustain jobs for scientists, researchers, lab technicians, clinical trial coordinators, and many other professionals. If this funding is cut, these jobs are at risk.
Manufacturing Capacity: Investing in vaccine projects often includes supporting domestic manufacturing capabilities. If the government reduces or eliminates funding for these projects, it could disincentivize companies from producing vaccines in the United States, potentially shifting manufacturing to countries where development and production costs might be lower or where government incentives are more favorable.
Scientific Leadership: The U.S. has historically been a global leader in scientific research and innovation, including vaccine development. Cutting government funding could diminish this leadership, allowing other countries to gain a competitive edge. This not only impacts scientific advancements but also the jobs associated with being at the forefront of these fields.
Science Talent: Without sufficient funding and opportunities in the United States, highly skilled scientists and researchers may seek employment in other countries that are investing more heavily in vaccine research and development. This "brain drain" would further weaken the domestic talent pool.
For these reasons, the Trade Alliance to Promote Prosperity is calling on the Trump administration to restore the funding previously committed to developing the bird flu vaccine for humans.