US Pulls Funding From Global Vaccines Group, Saying It Has 'Ignored the Science'
US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the country is pulling its support from the vaccines alliance Gavi, saying the organization has ignored the science and lost the public trust.
A video of Kennedy's speech was shown to participants at a Gavi meeting in Brussels on Wednesday, where the vaccines group was hoping to raise at least $9 billion for the next five years. Gavi is a public-private partnership including WHO, UNICEF, the Gates Foundation, and the World Bank. It has paid for more than 1 billion children to be vaccinated through routine immunization programs, saving an estimated 18 million lives. The US has long been one of its biggest supporters; before Trump's reelection, the country had pledged $1 billion through 2030.
Kennedy called on Gavi to re-earn the public trust and to justify the $8 billion America has provided in funding since 2001, saying officials must consider the best science available, even when that science contradicts established paradigms.
Kennedy said until that happens, the US won't contribute further to Gavi. Kennedy, a longtime vaccine skeptic, said he and President Trump were concerned about how Gavi and the World Health Organization partnered together during the COVID-19 pandemic to work with social media companies to silence dissenting views, to stifle free speech and legitimate questions during a time when many people had questions about vaccine safety.
Kennedy said Gavi continues to make questionable recommendations, like advising pregnant women to get immunized against COVID-19 and funding the roll-out of a vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis in poorer countries. WHO and other health authorities have recommended pregnant women get vaccinated against COVID-19, saying they are at higher risk of severe disease.
Kennedy said he has seen research that concluded that young girls vaccinated against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis were more likely to die from all other causes than children who weren't immunized.
Gavi said in a statement Thursday that its utmost concern is the health and safety of children. The organization said any decision it makes on vaccines to buy is done in accordance with recommendations issued by WHO's expert vaccine group. 'This ensures Gavi investments are grounded in the best available science and public health priorities,' it said.
Gavi said scientists had reviewed all available data, including any studies that raised concerns, and that the diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccine has played a key role in helping halve childhood mortality.
The UK government said Wednesday it would give £1.25 billion ($1.7 billion) between 2026 and 2030 to Gavi. It said the money would help Gavi protect up to 500 million children in some of the world's poorest countries from diseases including meningitis, cholera, and measles.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Saudi Gazette
2 days ago
- Saudi Gazette
WHO says COVID-19 origins remain inconclusive due to lack of data
GENEVA — A World Health Organization (WHO) expert group tasked with investigating the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic has released its final report, concluding that the origins of the virus remain inconclusive despite more than three years of scientific work. The group, chaired by Marietjie Venter, stated that most available data still points to a natural spillover of the virus from animals to humans, echoing conclusions from the WHO's earlier 2021 mission that suggested transmission from bats to humans via another animal host. However, the group said it was unable to access sufficient data from China to fully assess the possibility of a lab-related incident. 'Despite repeated requests, key genetic sequences and biosecurity details were not provided by Chinese authorities,' Venter said at a press briefing. 'Therefore, the hypothesis of a laboratory accident could neither be confirmed nor excluded. It remains speculative and unsupported by scientific evidence.' The group also found no indication that the virus had been circulating outside of China before December 2019, and there was no evidence that SARS-CoV-2 was deliberately manipulated in a lab. The report, which comes after years of geopolitical tension over the origins of the virus, highlighted internal disagreements within the expert group. One member resigned prior to publication and three others requested their names be removed from the final document. WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reiterated that understanding the origins of the pandemic is a 'moral imperative,' citing the more than 20 million lives lost, the trillions of dollars in economic disruption, and the global upheaval caused by COVID-19. The findings also reflect longstanding challenges in international scientific cooperation. An earlier investigation by the Associated Press revealed that China halted key efforts to trace the virus' origin in early 2020, and that the WHO missed early chances to launch a comprehensive probe. While U.S. officials, including President Donald Trump, have long promoted the lab-leak theory, a 2021 U.S. intelligence review concluded there was not enough evidence to support or dismiss it. Chinese officials continue to reject the notion of a lab origin and argue that origin-tracing efforts should be expanded to other countries. Scientists involved in the WHO-led investigation have also identified a list of animals that could have served as intermediate hosts, including raccoon dogs, civet cats, and bamboo rats. — Agencies
Al Arabiya
2 days ago
- Al Arabiya
France bans smoking in beaches, in parks and bus shelters
France will ban smoking on beaches and in parks, public gardens and bus shelters from Sunday, the government said. The decree, published in the official government gazette on Saturday, will also ban smoking outside libraries, swimming pools and schools, and is aimed at protecting children from passive smoking. The decree did not mention electronic cigarettes. Violators of the ban will face a fine of 135 euros ($158). 'Tobacco must disappear from places where there are children,' Health and Family Minister Catherine Vautrin had said in May, underscoring 'the right of children to breathe pure air.' Cafe terraces are excluded from the ban. Some 75,000 people are estimated to die from tobacco-related complications each year in France. According to a recent opinion survey, six out of 10 French people (62 percent) favor a smoking ban in public places.
Arab News
2 days ago
- Arab News
France bans smoking in beaches, in parks and bus shelters
PARIS: France will ban smoking on beaches and in parks, public gardens and bus shelters from Sunday, the government decree, published in the official government gazette on Saturday, will also ban smoking outside libraries, swimming pools and schools, and is aimed at protecting children from passive decree did not mention electronic cigarettes. Violaters of the ban will face a fine of 135 euros ($158).'Tobacco must disappear from places where there are children,' Health and Family Minister Catherine Vautrin had said in May, underscoring 'the right of children to breathe pure air.'Cafe terraces are excluded from the 75,000 people are estimated to die from tobacco-related complications each year in to a recent opinion survey, six out of 10 French people (62 percent) favor a smoking ban in public places.
