Comment from Grillo Theresa

Please fully fund vaccine research and development now. Prioritize better influenza vaccines for all ages, including adults 50+ who face the greatest risk of severe flu and complications. Support technologies like Moderna’s mRNA platform that enable faster, more precise updates to match circulating strains. Ensure FDA review decisions are driven solely by scientific and clinical expertise — free from political interference or input from individuals promoting anti‑science or anti‑vaccine agendas. Investing in vaccine science and protecting regulatory independence will save lives, reduce hospitalizations, and strengthen public health preparedness. Moderna’s phase 3 trial of its mRNA seasonal influenza vaccine (mRNA‑1010) enrolled 40,703 adults 50+ and reported a relative vaccine efficacy (rVE) of 26.6% versus a standard‑dose comparator (2.0% vs 2.8% symptomatic influenza incidence). Per researchers at University of Minnesota, The trial found consistent rVE across strains: ~29.6% against A/H1N1, 22.2% against A/H3N2, and 29.1% against B/Victoria, and a similar 27.4% rVE in participants ≥65 years. mRNA‑1010 recipients had fewer flu‑related healthcare visits (80 vs 120) for an rVE of 33.7% for care‑seeking illness, though local and systemic reactions (injection‑site pain 65.8% vs 29.8%; fatigue 45.1% vs 20.3%) were more frequent (clinicaltrialsarena.com) mRNA platforms shorten production timelines versus egg‑based methods and avoid egg‑adapted mutations, enabling vaccines to be updated closer to the season’s circulating strains for a better antigenic match. Peer‑reviewed publication of the phase 3 results supports the potential for mRNA influenza vaccines to improve protection in older adults, who suffer disproportionately high flu morbidity and mortality worldwide.