Speakers: Dr. Kat Lindley, Dr. Brook Miller, Dr. Karina Acevedo
Dr. Karina Acevedo-Whitehouse opened her presentation with this simple question:
“Are you comfortable eating an animal that was injected with a gene therapy?”
We all strive to eat healthy. Maybe you pay extra to buy organic food. But what if the label said, “injected with mRNA”?
The use of so-called “mRNA vaccines” in livestock started back in 2010, specifically targeting diseases like foot-and-mouth in a series of trials. By 2012, the USDA approved the use of mRNA vaccination for swine flu in pigs.
After the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines, we’ve only seen mRNA use in animals increase. Does that mean meat you buy at the grocery store is contaminated? Should you eat meat from animals “treated” with mRNA vaccines at all?
The FLCCC Alliance Weekly Webinar is here to clarify these questions and more!
This week, our guests are both FLCCC Senior Fellows. Dr. Karina Acevedo-Whitehouse, who specializes in immunology and veterinary medicine, presents an insightful overview of what we know—and what we don’t—about mRNA vaccines for use in animals. Then, Dr. Brooke Miller, a family doctor and cattle rancher, discusses the potential impact of these vaccines on our food supply.
In this post, when we talk about mRNA vaccines, we are actually referring to injectable gene therapies, which are very different from conventional vaccines. In fact, they come in various forms:
- Self-amplifying RNA vaccines
- RNA particle technology
- Adjuvanted RNA particle vaccines
- Propagation-defective RNA replicons
- Alpha virus replicon particle systems
The COVID-19 vaccine has been shown to impact heart health in children, cause excess deaths worldwide, and hurt pregnant mothers and their babies. There are even calls for outlawing the use of mRNA injections altogether.
Given the mounting evidence of harm, it’s natural to have concerns about the potential impact of mRNA injections on our food supply and the potential risks to human health.
The Risks of mRNA Vaccines in Animals
Unlike traditional vaccines, these vaccines introduce synthetic genetic material, specifically RNA, into an animal’s cells to make a protein that triggers an immune response. As Dr. Acevedo-Whitehouse emphasized, “words matter,” particularly when it comes to defining and understanding what gene therapy truly entails.
If you watch the above webinar, you’ll see she provided a thorough review of the perils associated with these so-called mRNA vaccines, reminding the audience of the various reasons why one might want to avoid them. Dr. Acevedo-Whitehouse also referenced her own study, highlighting the dangers of these products.
Download Dr. Acevedo-Whitehouse’s presentation
One concern is that the immunosuppression caused by mRNA could make animals more vulnerable to other diseases, raising concerns about the overall health of vaccinated animals and, by extension, the safety of the food supply.
Key Safety Concerns With Use of mRNA Vaccines
Dr. Acevedo-Whitehouse presented several critical safety concerns related to mRNA vaccines in livestock:
- Limited data on safety, biodistribution, and pharmacokinetics
- No data on mid- and long-term effects
- No data on genotoxicity
- No data on transgenerational effects
- No data on the effect of sustained antigenic stimulation
- No data on the effect of accumulation of nanolipid particles from repeated booster shots
The use of mRNA vaccines in livestock without fully understanding their implications could have unintended consequences for both animal health and humans who consume animal products derived from treated animals.
The Application of mRNA Vaccine Technology in Livestock
One of the most pressing questions addressed by Dr. Acevedo-Whitehouse was: “Is this technology currently in widespread use on livestock?” She explained that there has indeed been a shift in veterinary medicine around the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, with mRNA technology being increasingly applied to animals. The first trials of these vaccines were conducted as early as 2010, starting with efforts to protect against swine flu and foot-and-mouth disease in cattle.
Dr. Acevedo-Whitehouse points out that companies like Merck, through their Sequivity platform, have been developing prescription vaccines for animals for years. Yet, despite the growing use of these technologies, she emphasized a critical gap in knowledge: we lack information about the potential impact of mRNA vaccines on humans who consume products from vaccinated animals. This lack of data raises concerns about the risks these vaccines might pose to human health through the food supply.
Dr. Acevedo-Whitehouse highlighted additional potential risks to animals, including:
- Autoimmune conditions such as autoinflammation and cellular degeneration
- DNA damage and genomic instability leading to cancer
- The potential for unintended protein production due to frame shifts in ribosome reading, which could have unpredictable effects
The Precautionary Principle and the Need for Caution
Dr. Acevedo-Whitehouse invoked the precautionary principle, which calls for caution in the face of scientific uncertainty, particularly when the stakes are as high as food safety. She questioned, “How on earth can we know that there is no risk?” without thorough and independent studies.
Her worries are amplified by the fact that this technology has bypassed many traditional safety checks in veterinary medicine, making its widespread use in livestock particularly troubling.
Dr. Brooke Miller’s Call for Transparency and Labeling
Dr. Brooke Miller joined the conversation with a focus on the broader implications for food safety in the United States. He starkly said, “The food supply in the United States is under attack,” pointing to the pressures facing American ranchers and the broader agricultural industry.
Dr. Miller stressed the importance of clear labeling, arguing that if mRNA or self-amplifying RNA vaccines are eventually approved for use in livestock, “it’s gotta be labeled, so people have a choice of what they are eating.” This transparency is crucial for allowing consumers to make informed decisions about their food.
Dr. Miller also noted ongoing efforts to push back against the use of mRNA vaccines in food animals. He referenced recent legislation and resolutions aimed at outlawing the use of these vaccines in livestock until more comprehensive safety data is available. This legislative push reflects the growing concern among both consumers and industry professionals about the potential risks associated with these vaccines.
What is the Future of RNA in Farm Animals?
Though the risks are clear and the data gaps certain, the future use of mRNA injections in animals will be an important thread to watch going forward.
As the development of mRNA vaccines continues to expand, it’s vital that we apply the precautionary principle, demanding comprehensive research, clear labeling, and transparency from both the industry and regulators. The safety of our food supply and the health of people who consume products from vaccinated animals depend on it.
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