This initiative is being spearheaded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which is investing in the same mRNA technology that underpinned Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine.
As reported by Gateway Pundit, bird flu, also known as H5N1, has been detected in dairy cows and has infected three individuals in the United States. The spread of this virus has been significant, with 135 dairy herds across 12 states falling victim to the disease.
According to the Associated Press, "The U.S. government will pay the vaccine maker Moderna $176 million to develop a pandemic vaccine that could be used to treat bird flu in people as cases in dairy cows continue to mount across the country, federal officials announced Tuesday." This funding is set to be released through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and will be used to further the development of a vaccine that utilizes the same mRNA technology that expedited the creation and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. The grant was awarded through the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), a program that concentrates on medical treatments for potential pandemics.
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Moderna is set to initiate trials to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a vaccine that could be used to amplify a response to a bird flu pandemic, if necessary. Federal health officials have emphasized that the risk to the broader population remains low, despite the H5N1 virus having infected more than 135 herds in 12 states and three people to date, all with mild cases.
