Rational Vaccines and the NIH Strategic Plan for Herpes Research: A Controversial Partnership
In support of the NIH Strategic Plan for Herpes Research (see my previous post), a group known as Rational Vaccines received $2.8 million in grants from NIH. These grants will support:
🔬Development of a new diagnostic test for routine-based testing
🔬Prevention and treatment of ocular herpes via a live-attenuated HSV-1 strain
🔬Development and manufacturing of an HSV vaccine to reduce transmission.
What the press release, issued by Rational Vaccines (not NIH), doesn’t draw attention to is Rational Vaccines’ past.
The US has a history of unethical studies and treatment of marginalized populations related to STIs. Rational Vaccines is also a part of that history.
In 2013, William Halford, cofounder of Rational Vaccines, conducts clinical trials for herpes vaccines in hotel rooms. In 2015, Halford partners with Agustin Fernandez, a former Hollywood film executive, to formally found Rational Vaccines. While Halford died in 2017, Fernandez remains CEO.
In 2017 Rational Vaccines funds nearly $7 million in unregulated offshore herpes research in St. Kitts. Some of this funding came from Peter Thiel, Trump advisor. Following this trial, the FDA launched a criminal investigation into Rational Vaccines. At the same time, recipients of the vaccine who experienced adverse reactions filed a lawsuit.
In discussions about the “trials,” Fernandez said, “We’re clearly pushing forward on all tracks. What we’re not going to do is wait for the US.” While I couldn’t find any public report about the findings in the FDA investigation, Rational Vaccines now has a clinical and scientific advisory board.
So, can we trust this organization? With the Scientific and Clinical Advisory Boards, in addition to funding obligations, it’s likely these studies and initiatives will abide to scientific and ethical standards. However, keep in mind that Fernandez remains as CEO. This company already showed that it doesn’t care about ethics, it only cared when it got caught.