Big Pharma to frame vaccines as essential for ‘national security,’ leaked memo reveals
A leaked memo reveals that drugmakers are planning several moves to protect their interest in vaccines, including repositioning them as essential for national security and forcing HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. out of office.
The document records minutes from an April meeting of the Vaccine Policy Steering Committee (VPSC), a division of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO). BIO’s members include Pfizer, Merck, Novavax, Vaxcyte, and hundreds of other biotech companies. It is co-chaired by Silvia Taylor of Novavax and Art Hirt of drug giant Merck.
Vaccines as ‘national security assets’
Under “Communications and Messaging Strategy,” the document notes: “Need to frame vaccine narrative around ‘efficiency,’ 'transparency,' and 'national security.’” The VPSC also states its intention in the memo to “reposition vaccines as national security assets.”
Former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, who sits on the board of Pfizer, suggested that the drug industry “focus on the national security benefit” by emphasizing the “need for domestic manufacturing.”
Gottlieb is also a fellow at the think tank American Enterprise Institute (AEI), which describes itself as “center-right.” The AEI is one of several conservative influences that BIO hopes to use to promote vaccines and push Kennedy out of office.
“Engage conservative voices and grassroots/state-level influencers rather than federal figures like RFK Jr.,” reads one of the lines in the meeting minutes. The document states that “AEI and former Senator Richard Burr [are] seen as important conservative allies in vaccine advocacy.” The VPSC aims to “build a relationship with AEI” and “use [it] as a data-leading voice to leverage the discussion.”
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) was also named as an ally of the vaccine industry.
The plot to oust Kennedy
BIO’s VPSC also hopes to turn key Trump officials against Kennedy: “[I]t is time to go to The Hill and lobby that it is time for RFK Jr to go…communicate what’s going on in business,” said a meeting attendee. The document specifically names Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, both of whom work under Kennedy, as potential allies against the HHS secretary.
“More productive to target Makary and Trump Insiders vs RFK Jr,” the meeting minutes state, also referring to Dr. Oz as “a potential ‘voice of reason’ on public health within the current administration.”
The drugmakers expressed interest in sabotaging Kennedy’s relationship with President Trump, speculating that there is “potential for breakdown over conflicting interests.” While the VPSC acknowledges that “Trump owed RFK Jr (for his support),” it adds that Trump’s “loyalty may/may not last.” Based on subsequent entries in the document, the plan is to present Trump with “definitive examples of RFK Jr’s threat to vaccines and public health” and convince the president that “[i]f vaccine companies lose the confidence of investors – everyone loses.”
