Senators press HHS to detail plans for developing new COVID-19 vaccines

Seven senators last week urged the Biden administration to outline plans to develop more durable COVID-19 vaccines following a year of emerging variants that have tested the efficacy of current treatments.

Led by U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, the bipartisan group of lawmakers wrote to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Dawn O’Connell with their request. They were particularly interested in universal, next generation COVID-19 vaccines that could either offer greater protection against evolving variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus or reduce the need for successive booster shots.

“We appreciate your open and thoughtful comments on the Administration’s efforts to end the pandemic and the critical role the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) serves in developing next generation COVID-19 vaccines that are easier to store, ship, and administer and that may prove more durable than the current authorized and approved vaccines,” the senators wrote. “We request a briefing to better understand the Administration’s plans to support development of next generation COVID-19 vaccines.”

Kaine was joined by U.S. Sens. Roger Marshall (R-KS), Bob Casey (D-PA), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Tina Smith (D-MN). Last month, Kaine also pressed O’Connell to openly support vaccine advancements.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), vaccinated individuals are significantly less likely to be hospitalized or die due to COVID-19, though there is no guaranteed remedy. Today, more than 80 percent of Americans at least five years old have received at least one dose of a vaccine. In previous testimony, O’Connell noted that BARDA is working with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) to create a joint research agenda and budget to hasten the availability of new vaccines.

“The data are clear: the currently available vaccines have been very successful in reducing serious illness, hospital admissions, and death,” the senators wrote. “Yet while the first generation of COVID-19 vaccines provided a tremendous return on investment, these vaccines have limited success in preventing forward transmission by vaccinated individuals with breakthrough infections. Further, existing COVID-19 vaccines do not appear to be as durable as many other vaccines, requiring booster shots to continue protection against the virus, particularly with the emergence of variants.”

The lawmakers requested a briefing on a plan by March 4, 2022.