Dr. Mike Trangle

even through this election cycle, more and more discussions about, oh, you destroy the economy by doing these lockdowns, when you really realize what happened. You know, to call them lockdowns was to say, I'm smart. And we all know that's not true.

even through this election cycle, more and more discussions about, oh, you destroy the economy by doing these lockdowns, when you really realize what happened. You know, to call them lockdowns was to say, I'm smart. And we all know that's not true.

Well, first of all, everyone will always acknowledge there's never enough funding, okay? But what does that mean? Well, today, as I mentioned earlier, the lead article in Foreign Affairs is my piece on that very issue as it relates to influenza and coronavirus vaccine preparedness, okay? And the lack of funding. So we are and have had a model for public health funding that is based on a biennium.

Well, first of all, everyone will always acknowledge there's never enough funding, okay? But what does that mean? Well, today, as I mentioned earlier, the lead article in Foreign Affairs is my piece on that very issue as it relates to influenza and coronavirus vaccine preparedness, okay? And the lack of funding. So we are and have had a model for public health funding that is based on a biennium.

Every 2 years it's based on very limited foresight into really the future. Now take the Defense Department funding when they decide to build a new aircraft carrier from start to finish is 14 years. They basically fund it for the whole 14 years. Okay, fast forward funding.

Every 2 years it's based on very limited foresight into really the future. Now take the Defense Department funding when they decide to build a new aircraft carrier from start to finish is 14 years. They basically fund it for the whole 14 years. Okay, fast forward funding.

They take into account all the different issues that could come up and the cost overruns that might happen, et cetera, et cetera. Nobody, nobody complains about that. That's the approach that we find necessary. If you look at our influenza vaccine work right now, I mean, the vast majority is being funded by the US government, which is fortunate, but it's less than a billion dollars.

They take into account all the different issues that could come up and the cost overruns that might happen, et cetera, et cetera. Nobody, nobody complains about that. That's the approach that we find necessary. If you look at our influenza vaccine work right now, I mean, the vast majority is being funded by the US government, which is fortunate, but it's less than a billion dollars.

And there is no long-term future planning for funding. It's biennium to biennium. And talk about if you wanted to find a magic bullet that could take off the table one of the very worst wars of all against another pandemic virus, you'd think we'd be investing in this like the defense. We're not.

And there is no long-term future planning for funding. It's biennium to biennium. And talk about if you wanted to find a magic bullet that could take off the table one of the very worst wars of all against another pandemic virus, you'd think we'd be investing in this like the defense. We're not.

And I go into that in some detail in this piece today about why we need a new mindset to deal with what is our current cost of investing versus the cost of not investing. What's the potential return on investment? And I do believe we can get much, much better flu vaccines and much better COVID vaccines or coronavirus vaccines in general.

And I go into that in some detail in this piece today about why we need a new mindset to deal with what is our current cost of investing versus the cost of not investing. What's the potential return on investment? And I do believe we can get much, much better flu vaccines and much better COVID vaccines or coronavirus vaccines in general.

And that could fundamentally change the game on when the next pandemic emerges, what that's all about then. But we don't do that. We're back. We're still making in this country the vast majority of our flu vaccine in chicken eggs. Yeah, this is 1940s technology, guys. Yeah. I mean, what's wrong with us?

And that could fundamentally change the game on when the next pandemic emerges, what that's all about then. But we don't do that. We're back. We're still making in this country the vast majority of our flu vaccine in chicken eggs. Yeah, this is 1940s technology, guys. Yeah. I mean, what's wrong with us?

You know, these are vaccines that when you give them and the fact, you know, I'm again, a counter voice right now. I'm urging people do not get your flu vaccine right now. Do not. get it when it's closer to the actual advent of flu season and let the public know when that's starting. So if we start to see activity in Minnesota in November, let the public know. Why?

You know, these are vaccines that when you give them and the fact, you know, I'm again, a counter voice right now. I'm urging people do not get your flu vaccine right now. Do not. get it when it's closer to the actual advent of flu season and let the public know when that's starting. So if we start to see activity in Minnesota in November, let the public know. Why?

Because we have clear data today that anywhere from 3% to 12% per month reduction in protection occurs after vaccination. So it's just waning immunity. So if I get my dose now and it's not till four or five months from now, flu season really starts, I may have lost 50% of the protection of that vaccine just as I'm getting into the flu season.

Because we have clear data today that anywhere from 3% to 12% per month reduction in protection occurs after vaccination. So it's just waning immunity. So if I get my dose now and it's not till four or five months from now, flu season really starts, I may have lost 50% of the protection of that vaccine just as I'm getting into the flu season.

So, I mean, I think that's the kind of thing. What if we had a vaccine that could give us long-term protection against a variety of different strains? Shouldn't we be funding that like we fund the Defense Department? So that's my mindset. I don't try to say, well, the Defense Department gets lots of money. I'm talking about cost investment related to return on investment.

So, I mean, I think that's the kind of thing. What if we had a vaccine that could give us long-term protection against a variety of different strains? Shouldn't we be funding that like we fund the Defense Department? So that's my mindset. I don't try to say, well, the Defense Department gets lots of money. I'm talking about cost investment related to return on investment.