The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) refused to review Moderna's application for an mRNA flu vaccine, a move that surprised the vaccine maker, according to a Tuesday announcement. This decision comes amid growing scrutiny of the agency under the leadership of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has been vocal in his opposition to vaccines.
Moderna stated they were blindsided by the FDA's refusal, though the specific reasons for the rejection were not immediately clear. This is the latest development in a series of actions that have raised concerns about the agency's stance on vaccines. Kennedy, in his first year in office, has already reduced childhood vaccine recommendations and canceled $500 million in research funding for mRNA vaccines designed to combat potential pandemic threats, according to Ars Technica.
Simultaneously, the National Cancer Institute is using federal funds to study whether the anti-parasitic drug ivermectin can cure cancer, a controversial move given the drug's debunked use as a COVID-19 treatment. Large clinical trials have found ivermectin ineffective against COVID-19, and there is no scientific evidence to support its use for cancer, according to Ars Technica.
In other news, the government, under Kennedy's leadership, is promoting new dietary guidelines encouraging increased protein intake. A government website, Realfood.gov, is being promoted, and encourages people to use Elon Musk's AI chatbot Grok to get answers about real food. The new guidelines advise people to consume 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, according to Wired.
Meanwhile, OpenAI is disputing allegations that it violated California's new AI safety law with the release of its latest coding model, GPT-5.3-Codex. An AI watchdog group alleges the company may have violated the law, potentially leading to millions of dollars in fines. An OpenAI spokesperson told Fortune that the company is confident in its compliance with frontier safety laws, including SB 53.
Finally, a federal judge acknowledged an "abusive workplace" in their court chambers, agreeing to take corrective measures after a law clerk complained about bullying. The order, made public Tuesday by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, described allegations of harassment, verbal abuse, and erratic behavior during the COVID pandemic, according to NPR News.
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