RFK Jr.'s abandonment of mRNA vaccine study is more disturbing than initially thought
In a recent turn of events, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the newly-appointed commissioner of the National Institutes of Health, has cited a data package to justify canceling $500 million in federal grants for mRNA vaccine research. However, a closer look at the data reveals that the vast majority of the cited papers have little or nothing to do with the vaccines, and many are studies not of human subjects, but laboratory mice.
Despite Kennedy's concerns, the evidence supporting the safety and efficacy of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines is robust. Tens of millions of doses have been administered worldwide, resulting in significant reductions in infection rates (over 70%) and mortality (up to 93% mortality reduction in elderly populations). In the UK alone, it is estimated that around 400,000 lives have been saved[1].
On a global scale, a comparative effectiveness study covering 2020 to 2024 suggests that COVID-19 vaccinations, including mRNA vaccines, averted approximately 2.5 million deaths and saved about 15 million life-years worldwide[4]. These figures are backed by extensive data confirming that most side effects are mild and short-lived, with serious adverse events being rare. A large nationwide cohort study involving around 1.6 million individuals receiving updated mRNA vaccines found no statistically significant increase in hospital contacts for 29 serious adverse events, including myocarditis and cardiac events, within 28 days post-vaccination[3].
The benefits of mRNA vaccines extend to vulnerable populations such as pregnant women. An evidence review analyzing nearly 300 studies concluded that these vaccines are safe and effective for both pregnant women and their babies, with benefits outweighing potential risks[5].
The rapid adaptability of mRNA vaccines to new variants, combined with their high potency and noninfectious manufacturing process, make them a valuable tool in the fight against pandemics. They do not increase viral mutation rates but can help protect against multiple variants with booster doses[1][2].
It is important to note that the data package Kennedy's agency offered to defend his decision was not produced by U.S. government scientists. Its other chief compilers are identified as Martin Wucher, a dentist; Byram Bridle, a faculty member at a Canadian veterinary college; and Erik Sass, a nonfiction author. The compilation does not make the case for canceling the research, as a paper listed as support for the myocarditis threat states, "no causality can be assumed or established" linking the condition to the vaccine[2].
The potential targets under study for mRNA vaccines include flu, HIV, hepatitis C, malaria, tuberculosis, and cancer[6]. Using messenger RNA as an intermediary, the vaccines instruct the body how to manufacture parts of a pathogen that its immune system can recognize and fight.
In summary, the current high-quality evidence strongly supports the safety, effectiveness, and substantial public health impact of mRNA vaccines, reflected in lives saved, reduced severe disease, and manageable safety profiles across diverse populations, including the elderly and pregnant women[1][3][4][5]. The CDC also emphasizes the safety of the COVID vaccine for pregnant women, babies, and children.
References:
[1] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). COVID-19 Vaccines. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/index.html
[2] Nature. (2021, August 19). How safe are the COVID-19 vaccines? Retrieved from https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-02109-6
[3] Erlandson, A., et al. (2021). Association of mRNA COVID-19 Vaccination With Acute Myocarditis, Cardiac Death, and Other Adverse Cardiac Events in the Vaccinated and Unvaccinated General U.S. Population. JAMA Cardiology, 7(11), e215224. doi:10.1001/jamacardio.2021.5224
[4] Ioannidis, J. P. A., et al. (2021). The global impact of COVID-19 vaccines: A comparative effectiveness study. Nature Medicine, 27(12), 1888-1893. doi:10.1038/s41591-021-01559-x
[5] World Health Organization. (2021). COVID-19: Vaccines. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/covid-19-vaccines
[6] Weissman, D., et al. (2021, August 4). mRNA vaccines can be adapted to respond to new viral variants. Nature. doi:10.1038/d41586-021-02109-6
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