Story at-a-glance

1. What Are the Different Terms Used for DNA or RNA-Based Veterinary Biologics?
Not all genetic technologies used in veterinary medicine fall under the categories of âmRNA vaccinesâ or âmRNA gene therapies.â There are other terms to look out for when it comes to genetic technologies for veterinary medicine. These terms also include:
- âRNA Particle Technologyâ
- âRNA Particle Platformâ
- âDNA Vaccineâ
- âDNA Immunostimulantâ
- âPrescription Platform Productâ
2. How Do DNA or RNA-Based Veterinary Biologics Work?
With SEQUIVITYâs RNA Particle Technology, a âgene of interest provides instructionsâ to the immune cells which âtranslate the sequence into proteinsâ that âact as antigens.â This triggers an immune response.
As for AgriLabâs ExactVac DNA technology, âthe vaccine is produced by splicing a gene for a specific antigenâ into âa bacterial plasmidâ which âis then multiplied, purified and administeredâ for âdelivery into target cells, where antigens produced by the plasmid elicit an immune response.â
Bayerâs Zelnate DNA immunostimulant is âmade up of a special type of immunostimulatory DNA surrounded by a lipid carrier or liposomeâ which is then âengulfed by the animalâs immune cellâ where the âliposome breaks down exposing the DNAâ and the âpathogen-associated molecular patternâ of the DNA âattaches to the immune cellâs toll-like receptors triggering activation of the immune cell.â
3. Which Agency Approves Veterinary Biologics?
The USDAâs Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and their Center for Veterinary Biologics is responsible for approving veterinary biological products including vaccines and DNA or RNA-based biologics. Here are the lists of the currently licensed veterinary biological products and biologics for aquatic animals.
4. Which DNA or RNA-Based Biologics Have Been Approved for Food Animals?
There are several DNA and RNA-based genetic technologies that have received USDA approval or conditional approval for use on chickens, cows, fish, and pigs as outlined below.
âą Chickens
⊠In September 2015, Harrisvaccines received a USDA conditional license for an RNA-based avian influenza vaccine. Harrisvaccines âemploys their unique SirraVaxSM RNA Particle (RP) technology platformâ which can be updated to match current and future avian flu strains.
In October 2015, Harrisvaccines was awarded a USDA stockpile contract of 48 million doses of their âpioneering RNA particle vaccine.â In November 2015, Merck acquired Harrisvaccines.
⊠In November 2017, AgriLabs received USDA conditional approval for âthe first DNA vaccine ever licensed for chickensâ for avian flu using âAgriLabsâ ExactVac DNA technology with ENABL adjuvant.â In January 2018, Huvepharma acquired AgriLabs. Huvepharmaâs DNA-based avian influenza vaccine has a conditional license on APHISâs most recent list of approved veterinary biological products.
âą Cows
⊠Bayerâs Zelnate DNA Immunostimulantreceived USDA approval for use against bovine respiratory disease (BRD) in January 2014. Zelnate is the âfirst-of-its-kindâ DNA immunostimulant that is a genetic technology rather than a vaccine or antibiotic. Bayerâs DNA immunostimulant is on APHISâs most recent list of approved veterinary biological products.
âą Fish
⊠Elancoâs Apex IHN DNA vaccine for salmonids against Infectious Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus (IHNV) has received USDA approval and is on APHISâs most recent list of licensed biologics for aquatic animals.
Elancoâs DNA technology uses ârelevant genetic components of the virusâ that are inserted into a plasmid and injected into the muscle, after which the plasmid âinstructs cells to produce antigens, which initiate an immune response.â
âą Pigs
⊠In June 2014, Harrisvaccines became the first in the nation to receive USDA conditional licensing for their RNA-based PEDv vaccine for pigs. In November 2015, Merck acquired Harrisvaccines. Merckâs âRNA particle platformâ for Coronavirus and Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Vaccine (PEDv) has conditional approval by the USDA and this product has conditional licensing on APHISâs most recent list of veterinary biological products.
⊠In December 2017, AgriLabs received USDA approval for a DNA-based swine flu vaccine. In January 2018, Huvepharma acquired AgriLabs. Huvepharmaâs ExactVac DNA-based swine flu vaccine is on APHISâs most recent list of approved veterinary biological products.
⊠In 2020, Huvepharmaâs DNA-based vaccine platform for pigs received USDA approval as a âprescription platform productâ so that the âmanufacturer may update the gene insert in this vaccine under expedited procedures to respond to emerging needs.â Huvepharmaâs DNA-based swine vaccine platform has conditional licensing as a prescription product on APHISâs most recent list of approved veterinary biological products.
⊠In 2020 and 2021, Merckâs Sequivity RNA vaccines for strains of swine influenza, which use âRNA particle technology,â were approved by the USDA and are on APHISâs most recent list of approved veterinary biological products.
⊠Also in 2021, Merckâs RNA particle technology, for use as a âprescription platform product,â was conditionally approved by the USDA and has conditional licensing on APHISâs most recent list of veterinary biological products.
5. Is There Ongoing Research Into DNA or RNA-Based Veterinary Biologics?
There are a number of ongoing studies on DNA and RNA-based genetic technologies for veterinary medicine, as outlined below.
Bayer Partners with BioNTech to Develop mRNA Vaccines, Drugs for Animal Health, May 2016 |
Development of a Self-amplifying mRNA Vaccine for African Swine Fever and Classical Swine Fever, Start Date: Jun 1, 2021, End Date: May 31, 2024 |
Development of mRNA-based Vaccines for Heterosubtypic Protection Against Infectious Bronchitis and Infectious Laryngotracheitis Viruses, Start Date: Oct 1, 2021, End Date: Sep 30, 2023 |
mRNA Vaccine Development for Emerging Animal and Zoonotic Diseases, February 2022 |
Novel mRNA Vaccine Technology for Prevention of Bovine Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Start Date Oct 1, 2021, End Date Sep 30, 2026 |
Novel Vaccine Technologies in Veterinary Medicine: A Herald to Human Medicine Vaccines, April 2021 |
Vaccines to Reduce Salmonella Infantis in Chickens, Start Date: Sep 1, 2022, End Date: Oct 1, 2024 |
6. Is It Possible for mRNA Vaccines in Livestock to Contaminate Meat, Dairy or Egg Products?
According to a recent Epoch Times report, a 2014 USDA presentation on Vaccination for Contagious Diseases states that food animals receiving vaccines are subject to âmandatory withdrawal periods prior to slaughter for human consumption. Animals may not be sent to market until the withdrawal time has elapsed.
During the mandatory withdrawal time vaccinated animals or products from vaccinated animals may not enter the food chain. The withdrawal time is determined by the country in which the vaccine is licensed and stated in the product license.â As the Epoch Times report notes, the USDA recognizes that there must be a waiting time between vaccination and slaughter for human consumption due to risks of contaminating the food supply.
The USDA presentation does not, however, acknowledge DNA or RNA-based biologics, but the same standard of waiting times likely applies, as evidenced by Merckâs RNA vaccine for pigs, which states âDo not vaccinate within 21 days before slaughter.â However, Dr. Peter McCullough notes that mRNA technology âis far more durable than we ever couldâve imagined. It lasts in the human body for months unchanged.â
Therefore, even with standard wait times, Dr. McCullough believes it is conceivable that mRNA technology administered to food animals could contaminate the food supply. With that said, the Epoch Times report found âzero peer-reviewed studies looking into the transmissibility of mRNA vaccines from livestock to humans via either milk or meat.â
Dr. Peter McCullough has warned that developers of novel vaccine technologies for veterinary medicine are âblinded with infatuation for molecular biology and have lost sight of biological product safety in the food supplyâ adding that they have failed to acknowledge the âpossibility of collateral impact to humans.â
In addition, Dr. McCullough has raisedconcerns regarding transmissibility based on a recent study which loaded cowâs milk with mRNA, and by consuming the milk, mice were successfully administered a Covid vaccine.
Dr. McCullough points out the âconsiderable ethical issuesâ this research presents, with a large segment of the public having âstrong objections to mRNA in the food supply, particularly if it was done surreptitiously or with minimal labelling/warnings.â
7. Are There Labeling Requirements for Meats, Dairy or Eggs That May Have Been Contaminated by DNA or RNA-Based Veterinary Biologics?
The required labeling for meat, dairy and egg products is not transparent about possible exposure to DNA or RNA-based veterinary biologics. The USDA does, however, require âBioengineeredâ labeling for foods that âcontain detectable genetic material that has been modified through certain lab techniques and cannot be created through conventional breeding or found in nature.â
It is unclear whether the USDAâs testing processfor âdetectable genetic materialâ is capable of picking up traces of genetic material from biologics used in veterinary medicine.
Moreover, the USDAâs âOrganicâ labeling does appear to permit vaccines for livestock used for meat, dairy and eggs, though the requirementsstate that animals must not be given hormones or antibiotics. A 2013 Agricultural Marketing Service document states that âorganic livestock must be: â Produced without genetic engineering.â However, the same document goes on to say that âOnly a few drugs, such as vaccines, are allowedâ for organically raised livestock.
Furthermore, in many cases, labeling is not clear about the country from which meats originate. Country of Origin Labeling (COOL)requirements were dropped for beef and porkin 2016. COOL requirements remain in place for lamb, goat, chicken, and fish. Additionally, USDA regulations on meat, poultry and eggs have enabled âProduct of USAâ labeling for animals born and raised in other countries and only processed in the U.S.
However, in March 2023, the USDA proposed a new rule to restrict labeling for âProduct of USAâ or âMade in the USAâ to be used on âmeat, poultry and egg products only when they are derived from animals born, raised, slaughtered and processed in the United States.â
8. Which Organizations Are Behind This Agenda?
According to a Coreyâs Digs report, Codex Alimentarius was established by the UNâs Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the WHO, for âthe sole purpose of setting the standards and guidelines for all food that is consumed by human beings.â
The report states that Codex does not have the authority to make laws, âso the 189 country members, 20 of which are heads of the various committees, take these âstandardsâ and create regulations and laws in their respective country. The USDA, for example, is a driving force for not only adhering to the standards, but making certain other countries follow in lock step as well.â
Codex Alimentarius plays âa key roleâ in the implementation of new technologies within food standards, including âgenetic editingâ and ânanotechnology applications in the food sectorâ as well as âalternative food proteins.â
9. What Are Lawmakers, Producers and Concerned Citizens Doing to Protect Against Contamination of the Food Supply From mRNA Vaccines?
Lawmakers have proposed legislation in Arizona, Idaho, Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas to prohibit mRNA in meats or to require disclosure in food labeling. While legislation in Missouri and Idaho failed, efforts to block mRNA vaccines in livestock remain ongoing in other states.
A trade group, known as The Beef Initiative, has pledged that their Beef Box producers will not âuse any mRNA vaccines in their livestock.â Over 100 producers are partnered with The Beef Initiative and can be found here.
Attorney Tom Renz has spearheaded the movement by states for transparency and disclosure of mRNA gene therapies in the food supply. Renz helped to draft Missouriâs HB1169. Naomi Wolf of Daily Clout is also promoting the cause. Doctor Peter McCullough has raised awareness on the issue of genetic technologies used in veterinary medicine and the potential dangers to the food supply in recent interviews and on substack publications.
10. What Can the Public Do about It?
Stay informed and inform others by sharing this information. Additional resources on this topic are listed below. Support lawmakers and advocacy groups pushing for transparency and blocking DNA or RNA-based biologics from entering the food supply. Know whatâs in your food and who is producing it.
Buy from producers that have pledged to never use DNA or RNA-based genetic technologies, such as The Beef Initiative. Coreyâs Digs has also published an excellent resource for finding high-quality foods as well as an incredible source for US Prime and High Choice Beef.
No comments:
Post a Comment