Rick Bright, who is not very Bright, rides again: to tell us the false story about how RNA plug ‘n play produces instant vaccines.

And by the way, have a vaccine developed in 100 days. From the fake whistleblower who admitted to shutting down HCQ with Janet Woodcock -- which killed millions. He's too dumb to feel shame.

I know the stakes because I was BARDA’s director when the United States made the decision to invest heavily in mRNA. That investment did not begin with Covid-19. It began in 2016, when we faced the Zika virus outbreak. We needed a way to design a vaccine in days, not years, to protect pregnant women and their babies from devastating birth defects. Older vaccine approaches were too slow. The solution was mRNA: a flexible, rapid-response technology that could be reprogrammed for any pathogen once its genetic sequence was known. That early investment laid the groundwork for the lightning-fast Covid-19 response four years later.

BARDA wasn’t the only government agency making early investments in mRNA research. The Department of Defense and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency had already recognized mRNA’s potential for swift action against emerging biological threats, including those that might be weaponized. Globally, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, the World Health Organization and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation committed substantial resources to advance the technology for viruses with pandemic potential. These combined efforts created a scientific and manufacturing foundation that allowed the world to move at warp speed when Covid-19 emerged.

During the pandemic, mRNA vaccines went from the genetic sequence of the virus to human trials in under 70 days. They were evaluated in large, rigorous trials, meeting the same safety and effectiveness standards as other vaccines. By the end of 2021, they had saved an estimated 20 million lives globally, including more than one million in the United States. They reduced hospitalization and death rates, lowered the risk of long Covid and helped economies and communities reopen sooner.

The mRNA technology is not a single vaccine. It is what scientists describe as a platform, which can be adapted quickly for new or mutating viruses, combined to target multiple variants and manufactured through a streamlined process that reduces reliance on fragile global supply chains. It is now being tested for personalized cancer vaccines, autoimmune therapies and treatments for rare diseases. It is under study to protect against pathogens like the Nipah, Lassa and Chikungunya viruses, threats that could cause the next global emergency.

Like every technology, mRNA has limitations. Vaccines meant to protect against respiratory infections, whether developed through mRNA or older technologies, are generally better at averting severe disease than preventing infection.

Really? Where did Bright come up with this idea that respiratory virus vaccines prevent severe illness? The claims made that COVID and flu shots do this lack hard evidence.

And it is only only respiratory viruses that spread easily person-to-person, and which we need to be wary of in terms of real future emergencies. Neither Nipah, Lassa nor Chikungunya are respiratory viruses and cannot cause a pandemic. They are very hard to catch, but were included in this tall tale because they sound scary. Chikungunya transmits via an insect bite, so for Americans it is entirely preventable with insect repellant or permethrin-treated clothing. Here is what CDC says about Nipah and Lassa virus transmission:

“People can be infected with Nipah from:

• Direct contact with infected animals, like bats or pigs

• Consuming food or drinks, like fruit or raw date palm sap, that are soiled by infected animals

• Close contact with body fluids of an infected person

• A person may become infected by drinking raw date palm sap or eating fruit that is contaminated by an infected bat.”

“Lassa fever (which only occurs naturally in West Africa) is caused by infection with the Lassa virus, which is spread by rodents. These rodents breed quickly and carry the virus in their urine and droppings. They often live in areas where peoples’ food supplies are stored.

“People mostly get Lassa fever by eating or breathing in the virus, for example:

• Touching contaminated objects

• Eating food that has the virus

• Getting the virus in open cuts or sores

• Eating rodents

• Breathing in air that has infected urine or droppings

• This may occur when cleaning or sweeping.”

It is a scientific challenge we can address with next-generation vaccines. The answer to limitations is improvement, not abandonment.

Political narratives about mRNA have fueled confusion, which leads to mistrust, yet the scientific evidence consistently shows that this technology is safe and effective and holds enormous potential for future vaccines and treatments. Some have claimed mRNA encourages viral mutations or prolongs pandemics.

Safe and effective. Safe and effective. Keep saying it and it might come true.

Research says otherwise. Mutations arise when viruses replicate. Vaccination can help reduce the chances of virus replication, which would reduce opportunities for mutation.

Yes, mutations arise during replication, but the mutations that survive are those with a survival advantage, and vaccine resistance is a survival mechanism. Did you say you were a virologist?

Other critics point to safety concerns. With more than 13 billion Covid‑19 vaccine doses administered globally, including hundreds of millions of mRNA doses, the evidence shows that serious complications are very rare and occur at rates comparable with those of other vaccines. Most side effects are mild and short‑lived.

Give that man another booster! (And only hundreds of millions of mRNA doses, not billions, administered globally??? Did they throw the other billions away?)

If the United States abandons mRNA, it will not simply be forfeiting a public health advantage. It will be ceding a strategic asset. In national security terms, mRNA is the equivalent of a missile defense system for biology. The ability to rapidly design, produce and deploy medical countermeasures is as vital to our defense as any military capability. Adversaries that invest in this technology will be able to respond faster to outbreaks, protecting their populations sooner than we can.

I warned you 11 days ago (here) the biodefense mafia was going to demand mRNA vaccines as a national security prerogative. These people don’t care whether the stuff works or harms. They just want their fat margins for research, development, manufacturing, logistics and writing articles like this one.

Right now, the United States has a decisive advantage in mRNA science, manufacturing capacity and regulatory expertise. But in an era when biological threats can be engineered, losing this competitive edge would leave the United States vulnerable and dependent on others for lifesaving tools.

The consequences of canceling mRNA contracts will affect more nations than just the United States. Many countries have been building regional mRNA manufacturing capacity. For a leader like the United States to pull back now undermines that effort and weakens our collective ability to respond to the next outbreak. It means choosing to face the next biological threat with fewer defenses and slower tools while others build speed and strength.

There is a better path forward. The Department of Health and Human Services can work with scientists, public health experts and security leaders to refine and improve mRNA technology while preserving critical programs and production capacity. By recalibrating rather than severing support, we can keep this powerful tool ready for the time it is needed most. The next crisis will not wait for us to rebuild what we have thrown away.

Rick Bright (@RickABright) is the chief executive of Bright Global Health, a global strategic advisory organization focused on improving responses to public health emergencies. He advises the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, the World Health Organization African Regional Office and the global 100 Days Mission.