Dr. Anthony Fauci Wants Prototype Vaccines Created for Next Pandemic, Defends Funding for Wuhan Lab Research

Isabella James, Tech Times 25 July 2021, 10:07 pm

Dr. Anthony Fauci is finding himself in multiple headlines as of late over what people may regard as very controversial topics.

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) director has said that he wants to make "prototype" vaccines in preparation for the next pandemic.

His plan, according to The New York Times, will "cost "a few billion dollars" a year, take five years for the first crop of results and engage a huge cadre of scientists."

These vaccines, he said, can help protect against 20 different families of viruses.

Dr. Anthony Fauci Wants to Make Prototype Vaccines for Next Pandemic

Dr. Anthony Fauci's plan stems from the idea of a next pandemic happening. It can be the Nipah virus, which has a 40%-75% mortality rate and has been categorized as a priority for the World Health Organization (WHO), or the strain of Ebola from Sudan.

Dr. Fauci wants to be prepared for such scenarios by creating a prototype vaccine.

According to The New York Times report, how this can work is by using the same research tools that have been successful for COVID-19 researchers to learn about the molecular structure of other viruses. That way, scientists can discover how to help the body produce antibodies that can strike the viruses.

Dr. Fauci believes that the creation of these vaccines can start as early as next year.

"If we get the funding, which I believe we will, it likely will start in 2022," he said.

National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Francis Collins has described the project Dr. Fauci is proposing as "compelling."

Dr. Fauci Under Fire For Role in Funding Wuhan Lab Research

(Photo : Creative Commons.org)

Though Dr. Fauci seems to be looking into the future with his idea to create prototype vaccines for the next pandemic, he is currently finding himself under attack due to the ongoing COVID-19 vaccine.

The NIAID Director is finding himself under attack after admitting that the United States gave hundreds of thousands of dollars to the lab in Wuhan, China suspected of causing the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Fauci has denied that the U.S. funding was for what is called the "gain of function" studies. Such studies involve the altering of "a disease to increase pathogenesis, transmissibility, or host range," according to a report by Deadline. While these studies may help develop vaccines, they can also "create deadlier strains."

Dr. Anthony Fauci made an appearance on CNN to give his side of the issue on Sunday.

"It was a... proposal that was peer-reviewed and given a very high rating for the importance of why it should be done," Dr. Fauci said during his appearance on the State of the Union talk show.

"It was almost as if you didn't pursue that research, you would be negligent because you were trying to find out how you could prevent this from happening again," he added.

Senator Rand Paul to ask Justice Department for a Criminal Referral

According to the same Deadline report, Senator Rand Paul is planning on asking the Department of Justice for a "criminal referral."

Senator Paul has claimed that Dr. Anthony Fauci has "lied to congress." Both Senator Paul and Dr. Fauci are known for engaging one another in heated exchanges during Senate hearings.

Also Read: COVID-19 Researcher Reveals 'Chinese Colleagues' Developing 'SARS-like' 'Killer' Virus in Video From 2016 Forum

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Written by Isabella James