Los Angeles– The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have unveiled a new universal vaccine initiative aimed at tackling pandemic-prone viruses, including avian influenza and coronaviruses. Dubbed Generation Gold Standard, the next-generation platform leverages modernized, whole-virus vaccine technology to offer broad-spectrum protection against emerging viral threats.
The initiative centers around a beta-propiolactone (BPL)-inactivated whole-virus approach, a refined version of traditional vaccine methods. According to the NIH, this strategy will support in-house development of universal vaccines for influenza and coronaviruses, including promising candidates BPL-1357 and BPL-24910.
“These vaccines are designed to protect against a range of pandemic-prone viruses, such as H5N1 avian flu and various coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV-1, and MERS-CoV,” the NIH said in a statement.
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. emphasized the program’s focus on scientific rigor and public trust. “Every innovation in vaccine development must be grounded in gold-standard science, transparency, and the highest levels of safety and efficacy testing,” he said.
The platform represents a strategic shift in the role of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), aligning it more closely with its statutory mission under the Public Health Service Act to prepare for all influenza threats—not just those currently circulating.
The rollout of Generation Gold Standard comes amid major restructuring within HHS. The agency is facing sweeping workforce reductions expected to affect nearly 20,000 employees, along with cuts to NIH research funding. A leaked document last month outlined a proposal by the Trump administration to slash the NIH’s budget by 40%, from $47 billion to $27 billion.
Funding for the new vaccine platform will be sourced from BARDA, the HHS division responsible for supporting medical countermeasures to public health threats. The initiative is also expected to replace the Biden-era Project NextGen, a $5 billion program aimed at developing next-generation COVID-19 vaccines and treatments.
An HHS spokesperson described the previous program as “wasteful” and lacking in comprehensive pandemic preparedness. “Generation Gold Standard represents a paradigm shift,” said NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya. “We’re extending vaccine protection beyond strain-specific limits by bringing time-tested vaccine methods into the 21st century.”
Clinical trials for the universal influenza vaccine are expected to begin in 2026, with the goal of securing FDA approval by 2029. (Source: IANS)
