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 Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has been criticized for his anti-vaccine stance.
The FDA's rejection of Moderna's application is just the latest development in a series of actions that have raised concerns. Kennedy has already significantly reduced childhood vaccine recommendations and canceled $500 million in research funding for mRNA vaccines designed to address potential pandemic threats, according to Ars Technica. Moderna expressed its surprise at the FDA's decision in a news release.
Simultaneously, the National Cancer Institute is using federal funds to study whether ivermectin, a deworming drug, can cure cancer, according to Ars Technica. This study has drawn criticism, as there is no scientific evidence to support the drug's effectiveness against cancer. The study is being funded under Kennedy's leadership, who is known for his anti-vaccine views.
In other news, Kennedy is promoting a government website, Realfood.gov, that provides resources on new dietary guidelines. The website encourages people to use Elon Musk's AI chatbot Grok to get answers about real food, according to Wired. The new guidelines advise a higher protein intake, recommending 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day.
Meanwhile, the FBI's investigation of the 2020 election in Georgia's Fulton County is underway, based on an affidavit that led to a search warrant of the county's elections hub, according to NPR News. The investigation was initiated by a lawyer who previously worked for the Trump administration and aided Trump's efforts to overturn the election.
In a separate matter, OpenAI is facing allegations that it violated California's new AI safety law with the release of its latest coding model, GPT-5.3-Codex, according to Fortune. A violation could lead to millions of dollars in fines. An OpenAI spokesperson stated the company is confident in its compliance with frontier safety laws, including SB 53.
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