The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is launching an ambitious project aimed at developing universal vaccines for a range of viruses. This initiative, called "Generation Gold Standard," comes with a hefty investment of $500 million, as reported by The Wall Street Journal.
The goal of this project is to create vaccines that can protect against multiple strains of viruses, including those that cause the flu, coronavirus, and RSV. To achieve this, the project plans to use a method involving chemically inactivated whole viruses, similar to how flu vaccines were made decades ago. Currently, most flu vaccines use synthetic viral proteins or fragments, but this new approach aims to enhance effectiveness.
This shift in focus marks a departure from HHS’s previous COVID-19 projects. Under the Biden administration, the department initiated a $5 billion program called NextGen, which was centered on developing new COVID vaccines. However, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has criticized NextGen as "wasteful" and has ordered the cessation of several projects within it.
The Generation Gold Standard project promises a more cost-effective and accountable alternative to existing COVID vaccines and treatments. An HHS spokesperson emphasized that the initiative is grounded in reliable science and transparency.
The project aims to start trials for a universal flu vaccine next year, with plans for a universal coronavirus vaccine trial to begin by 2026, targeting FDA approval by 2029. Key figures leading this effort include Dr. Matthew Memoli, principal deputy director at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and Dr. Jeffery Taubenberger, acting director of NIH’s infectious diseases institute.
In addition to this new focus, HHS has already made significant changes to its funding strategies. The NIH will stop funding research into why some Americans are hesitant to get vaccinated, cutting back on over 40 related grants. This decision reflects a shift in priorities under Kennedy’s leadership.
The Generation Gold Standard project represents a major pivot in the government’s approach to vaccination, aiming to provide broader protection against viral infections for the American public.