Plasmid DNA from Pfizer COVID Vaccine Manufacturing

  • COVID
  • Thread starter .Scott
  • Start date
  • #1
.Scott
Science Advisor
Homework Helper
3,475
1,588
TL;DR Summary
Dr. Buckhault using his own funds and with assistance from USC students and facilities, took advantage of the opportunity to check mRNA vaccine batches for DNA fragments. He found them and his concerns, taken at face value, seem valid and reasonable to me.
Last week, Phillip Buckhaults, PhD addressed the South Carolina Senate on the subject of DNA fragments the USC lab has found in batches of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines. Those fragments are from plasmids used by Pfizer in the large-scale manufacturing of their vaccine - but not in the early batches used in their early studies.

His address was about 34 minutes in length and is included in a "News Break" news article.

His study was ad hoc and he does not believe his finding rise to the quality level of peer-review publication.

Dr. Buckhaults is a professor at the University of South Carolina. His lab research has focused on "Determining biochemical mechanisms by which germline variants contribute to cancer health disparities that exist between people of different ethnic ancestries" and "Using genome sequencing and functional genomics to develop novel personalized medicine approaches to treat colon cancer".

He said that the DNA levels in the Pfizer vaccine batches are near the regulatory limit - in some batches a bit over. But the DNA is encapsulated in lipids and those limits are not appropriately addressed in the FD regulations. He also found DNA in the Moderna vaccine, but at lower levels.

His conclusions (from his PowerPoint):
We should check a bunch of vaccinated people to see if plasmid DNA has integrated into their genomic DNA.
We (you [government]) should insist that the USFDA force Pfizer to get the DNA out of the booster and all future mRNA based vaccines.
The regulation that allowed the DNA to be there should be changed. It's a leftover from previous vaccines that contained only naked DNA. The mRNA vaccines have this DNA encapsulated in a lipid nanoparticle delivery system (trojan horse) and so the DNA is a far more serious issue.
...

I very much expect that this will become an unavoidable public conversation.
Although Dr. Buckhaults is supportive of COVID vaccination, and expressed his support in his address, I have already seen postings that are using his address to argue against the programs - in terms we are probably all well-familiar with.
 
Last edited:
Biology news on Phys.org
  • #2
We were having a brief conversation about this earlier this week. It's definitely fuel for any anti vaxxers to get carried away with until more information is determined.

Meanwhile, while it gave excuse for a few to complain about why their own (intentional) transfections weren't working lol.
 
  • #4

Similar threads

Replies
4
Views
2K
Replies
4
Views
973
  • Biology and Medical
Replies
4
Views
3K
Back
Top