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efforts to develop experimental SARS, MERS tremendous profits. Between 2010 and 2018, the global vaccine market had
and HIV vaccines also introduced foreign RNA already doubled, from twenty billion to forty-two billion dollars, and it is
or DNA into the cells—but none were deemed predicted to double again by 2026—to over ninety-three billion dollars.
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safe and effective enough to license. Compa- Moderna—a company formerly on the verge of bankruptcy—saw a 78
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nies are quite enthusiastic about nucleic acid percent increase in its stock price in early April after announcing that its
vaccines, however, because they can be made mRNA vaccine was ready for clinical trials in humans in February. The
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far more cheaply and quickly. company’s controversial CEO became a billionaire overnight.
On March 27, Congress passed the CARES Act, an economic relief
FOLLOW THE MONEY package that will cost American taxpayers over two trillion dollars. The
On January 11, Chinese authorities shared federal legislation includes twenty-seven billion dollars for development
the genetic sequence of the new coronavirus. of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, drug therapies and purchase of pandemic medi-
Just two days later, scientists from NIAID and cal supplies. Unbelievably, the legislation did not put a cap on the amount
a biopharma company called Moderna final- of money drug companies can charge or the profits they can make from
ized the sequence for a partially-Gates-funded sales of vaccines, drugs or medical supplies. 73
“mRNA-1273” coronavirus vaccine. By March Gates knows that the coronavirus vaccines he is funding will injure
16, the NIH announced that it had injected the and kill some people, so he has made it clear that he will not provide the
vaccine into the first participant in a Phase vaccines to any country that does not first guarantee complete legal immu-
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1 trial of mRNA-1273—amounting to only nity from liability. At home, Gates need not worry because on January
sixty-three days from sequence selection to first 31, HHS Secretary Alex Azar’s declaration of a public health emergency
human dosing. placed Covid-19 medical “countermeasures” (including vaccines, medica-
Moderna has never tested RNA vaccines in tions, medical devices and other products) under the umbrella of the Public
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humans before and opted to forgo preliminary Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act. The PREP Act,
animal testing of mRNA-1273. What Moderna quietly approved by Congress back in 2005, protects manufacturers from
and the mainstream media have not readily dis- the risk of damages in situations of declared public health emergencies.
closed to the public is that the Phase 1 trial was Effective February 4—when only eleven Covid-19 cases were active in
a catastrophe. Twenty percent of volunteers in the U.S.—HHS followed up with a formal declaration published in the
the high dose cohort suffered a “serious adverse Federal Register confirming that coronavirus vaccine manufacturers will
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event” within forty-three days of receiving the benefit from full immunity from liability. As a result, no American will
be able to sue for coronavirus vaccine-related injuries or deaths unless
experimental vaccine. Those injured developed they are able to achieve the nearly impossible task of showing that the
Grade 3 systemic events defined by the Food government or a manufacturer engaged in “willful misconduct.”
and Drug Administration (FDA) as “Preventing
daily activity and requiring medical interven- WAIT, THERE’S MORE
tion.” These adverse reactions occurred even Bill Gates is not only just pushing for vaccines but also has been
though Moderna only allowed healthy volun- open about promoting digital tracking for all people. In an “Ask Me Any-
teers to participate in the study. 71 thing” Reddit session, Gates said, “Eventually we will have some digital
The company now hopes to recruit thirty certificates to show who has recovered or been tested recently or when
thousand people for its Phase 3 trial scheduled we have a vaccine who has received it.” Gates is working with ID2020,
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to begin in July. While a commercially available Gavi, Microsoft, the United Nations and many others to research and
vaccine is unlikely to be forthcoming prior to create these digital certificates, which would use biometrics, blockchain
2021, its vaccine might be made available on technology, nanotechnology and artificial intelligence.
an emergency basis to health care profession- The certificates would include a person’s medical records (including
als and other selected groups by fall 2020. On vaccination status), with the potential to also store credit scores, other
April 16, Moderna announced an award from financial information and all forms of personal identification (including
the U.S. Biomedical Advanced Research and driver’s licenses and passports). One of the technologies in development
Development Authority (BARDA) for up to four is a “quantum dot” tattoo, delivered through vaccination, stored under
hundred eighty-three million dollars to acceler- the skin and read by smartphones. 78
ate mRNA-1273’s development. 72 Gates’ desired rollout of digital certificates has a number of sobering
Making a vaccine the precondition for end- implications. Such technology would likely be used to prevent those who
ing the Covid-19 health crisis paves the way for choose not to vaccinate from participating in many aspects of society,
90 Wise Traditions SUMMER 2020