Mutated Bird Flu Case In California Puts Humans At Increased Risk, So Which Companies Are Developing Vaccines?

A child in Alameda County, California is the latest case of bird flu in the U.S.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the total case count in the U.S. stands at 54. Thirty-one cases are attributed to the dairy industry and 21 to the poultry industry. Two of the case’s causes are unknown.

Companies are racing to develop vaccines, but observers worry that the incoming Trump administration’s selection of vaccine-skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services could put a potential treatment in the crosshairs.

Health researchers are exploring the idea that the virus was spread via wild birds. The California child’s genetic sequencing has not been released; it is therefore unclear if it is of wild bird or dairy origins.

Meanwhile, a teenager in Canada who was hospitalized with the bird flu possibly showed signs of mutation, the Guardian reports.

Experts are reportedly concerned that a mutation in the virus would make it easier to spread, making the odds of a widespread outbreak more likely.

Vaccine Efforts: Pfizer Inc PFE and Moderna Inc MRNA are currently developing an mRNA bird flu vaccine using similar technology to the companies' COVID-19 vaccines.

The U.S. government has also awarded grants to European pharmaceutical giants GSK plc GSK and Sanofi SA SNY.

Regulatory Question Marks: Kennedy, Donald Trump’s pick to lead the HHS, is widely known as a vaccine-skeptic. While the Kennedy family heir says he will not “take away anybody's vaccines,” his ultimate regulatory intentions are unclear. A bird flu vaccine could face additional hurdles in a Trump administration.

In the past, Kennedy has falsely associated vaccinations with autism in children, a claim that has been thoroughly disproven in the scientific field. A May Lancet study found that vaccines have saved 154 million lives throughout human history. They have effectively treated polio, measles, pertussis, and other diseases.

Kennedy may face a tough confirmation vote in the Republican-controlled Senate given his pro-choice abortion stances. He has, however, found a unique ally in Colorado Governor Jared Polis, a Democrat.

Pfizer, Moderna and other vaccine manufacturers’ stock fell on the news of Kennedy’s selection.

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