Eric Topol

I'm outraged by this pathetic and inexcusable inability for this country to go after nasal and better, durable, variant-proof vaccines

RT @[email protected]

An explainer for why the US is not pursuing nasal vaccines. TLDR: there is no good explanation
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/18/health/covid-nasal-vaccines-warp-speed.html by @[email protected]
w/ @[email protected] @[email protected]

🐦🔗: https://twitter.com/EricTopol/status/1593619566227177472

The End of Covid Vaccines at ‘Warp Speed’

Financial and bureaucratic barriers in the United States mean that the next generation of Covid vaccines may well be designed here, but used elsewhere.

Nov 20, 2022 at 4:32pmWeb
Show threadEric TopolNov 20, 2022
Months ago @[email protected] and I laid out the strong case for nasal vaccines to achieve containment of the virus, breaking the chain of transmission at the individual and population level
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciimmunol.add9947 @[email protected]
Show threadEric TopolNov 20, 2022
No need to dream anymore. This can be done.
But it takes will, priority and funding
And debunking the delusion that we're done with #SARSCoV2
https://www.science.org/doi/epdf/10.1126/science.372.6539.227
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-00340-4
Show threadKBSez ✅Nov 20, 2022

@erictopol It also takes a populous that isn't a bunch of f-cking idiots thinking vaccines are a plot or will implant tracking bots in you.

I've talked to folks who were kids when the polio vaccines were released and they stood in line at school and got them and were thrilled to get it.

A huge number of the anti-vaxx'ers died from stupidity but unfortunately not enough of them....

Show threadElsi ElizaNov 24, 2022
@erictopol Please let this happen, please let this happen, please let this…#DreamForThePerfectVaccine #CovidIsNotOver
Show threadMedTwitter ExpatNov 20, 2022
@erictopol we need her to come to #MedMastodon Eric!!
Show threadWearthemaskinmichiganNov 20, 2022
@erictopol fantastic. How does Enovid sprays trial look?
Show threadAmy RodmanNov 20, 2022
@erictopol thank you!
Show threadKathy CarboneNov 21, 2022
@erictopol As a former long time employee of CBER/FDA, and Chief of the Pediatric & Respiratory Virus section, I agree with you. Hopefully the technology to measure IgA immunity & effective nasal vaccination will meet the challenge soon. If we can create new mRNA vaccines in 6 weeks, we can do this, even though it’s tough. Probably only way to effectively prevent respiratory virus infection w vaccines. 👍🏼
Show threadNafnlaus 🇮🇸 🇺🇦Nov 20, 2022
@erictopol It's maddening, isn't it? Sigh...
Show threadAnnNov 26, 2022

@nafnlaus @erictopol

It is infuriating.

But it's hard to make the case for spending $$ on researching a new vaccine when you keep saying that the pandemic is over and that the current vaccines work just fine. And when the messaging results in so few people getting the new boosters.

As I said, infuriating 🤬

Show threadTobias KiuntkeNov 20, 2022
@erictopol Isn't that such a very American thing to do? Interest dries up and we move on to the next outrage or the next crisis. Not that I'm trying to justify or rationalize this but it's the truth. America does so many great things but we have a collectively, and comparatively, short attention span.
Show threadLaurie BrunoNov 20, 2022
@erictopol meanwhile China is going into another lockdown tomorrow.
Show threadGary Singer, MDNov 20, 2022
@erictopol The #antiscience movement in this country is killing people and politicians are aiding and abetting them. Is #PeterHotez on #Mastodon yet?
Show threadAnitaBrennerNov 20, 2022
@erictopol We are again at the mercy of the variants - which is not a good preventative public health strategy. I mistakenly thought that the current triple threat to little kids (RSV, Flu, Covid) would move the needle on masking & federal funding. Nope.
Show threadCAP'N (he/him)Nov 20, 2022

@erictopol
I'm tired of outrage

What can we DO

Show threadTerryAdirimMDNov 20, 2022
@erictopol Congress must step up and fund vaccines and treatments.
Show threadDavid HeathNov 20, 2022
@erictopol Refusing to fund more effective vaccines is Republicans’ way of cowtowing to anti-science conspiracy theorists.
Show threadLegal_CaffeineNov 20, 2022
@erictopol Between the prevalence of a lack of political will and the resurgence of anti-vaxxers, this should not come as a surprise to anyone.
Show threadKaylynNov 20, 2022
@erictopol Inexcusable. Thank you for continuing to shine a light on this outrageous situation.
Show threadA Concerned ScientistNov 20, 2022

@erictopol

Until you start addressing the reason behind this, corporate/pharmaceutical profits, you're not going to get anywhere. There's an extremely profitable situation right now for some people and they're not going to let go of that unless forced.

Show threadGhost of TwitterNov 20, 2022
@erictopol coordinating this is arguably the most critical thing for Jha to do, instead he goes on the news still to tell us whether it is safe to gather as if he isn't now the coordinator of the covid response for the current admin.
Show threadAllardNov 20, 2022
@erictopol Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory! We are soo close.
Show threaddex3703Nov 20, 2022
@erictopol Explanation is 1) plenty of $$$ to be made from what vaccines already exist - maximize returns before new development expenses, 2) limit of what freemarket neoliberal ideology permits, 3) limit of a government hollowed out over 40 years to deal constructively with...anything.
Show threadSchnackofantNov 20, 2022
@erictopol ...and yet they seem like the only way forward to those who still take C-19 seriously 🙈
Show threadHeatherNov 20, 2022
@erictopol This is unbelievably frustrating. Makes me made we wasted all that money paying medical bills for anti-vaxxers. Maybe I'm a bad person for saying that but it's how I feel. Congress will never, ever allot more money, given the results of the recent election.
Show threadChuck HanNov 20, 2022
@erictopol Any mention of the #FDA / #CDC being in bed with #Pfizer will probably be dismissed as conspiracy theory, but whatever. The slow-walking of #Novavax and nasal vaccines will prove to be a deadly inflection point WRT to #LongCovid, excessive deaths, etc. in the United States.
Show threadRaywat DeonandanNov 26, 2022
@erictopol Hi Eric. Have you heard anything about the supposed mucosal COVID vaccines in Russia, Cuba, Iran, India, and China? Finding efficacy data is nigh impossible.
Show threadSuperTwaddleNov 26, 2022
@deonandan @erictopol the company in this article has big impressive efficacy claims on its site, fwiw: https://www.fiercebiotech.com/biotech/sanotize-plans-phase-3-covid-prevention-trial-us-rather-treatment-regulators-ice-viral-load
Show threadRaywat DeonandanNov 26, 2022
@SuperTwaddle @erictopol Thanks. That's not a mucosal vaccine, though. It's more of a therapeutic. But I agree, the numbers are impressive. It's in wide use in Israel.
Show threadSuperTwaddleNov 26, 2022

@deonandan @erictopol
https://sanotize.com/faq/

https://www.bloomberg.com/press-releases/2022-02-09/phase-3-clinical-trial-confirms-sanotize-s-breakthrough-treatment-is-99-effective-against-covid-19-receives-regulatory

FAQ - Sanotize

Sanotize
Show threadRaywat DeonandanNov 26, 2022
@SuperTwaddle @erictopol Yep, likely an excellent therapy. But a true mucosal vaccine would prevent infection in the first place and obviate the need for a therapy. So while this is great, the world needs an intranasal mucosal vaccine to truly end the pandemic.