In 2016 , a “ rogue ” scientist from the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine ( SIU ) led a shady seaward herpes virus vaccine research broadcast , which wear legion rules and regulations require for medical research . It ’s now fear this could put the SIU ’s $ 15 million federal research funding at risk , according to a band of documents obtained through an FOIA postulation byThe State Journal - Register .
The controversy has also since bring in in PayPal father Peter Thiel , whose investment firm later vest millions into the task .
The inquiry , go by the late Dr William Halford , involved test out an data-based venereal herpes virus vaccinum on 20 humans on the quiet Caribbean island of St Kitts between March and August 2016 . The patient’sconsent formsopenly state that the trial was ignoring regulations of the US Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) .
The aesculapian trial run was execute by the secret company Rational Vaccines , co - founded by Dr William Halford , who also independently worked at the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine ( SIU ) . He die onJune 22 of this class , after a engagement with cancer . Inhis account , he want to defy the regulations of US clinical test because he was desperate to tight - track the herpes virus vaccine adopt his diagnosing of cancer .
In hisown words , Dr Halford compose : “ Some readers may regain this line of action foolhardy … I would suggest the antonym … The endangerment I accepted by ego - injecting the live HSV-2 vaccinum pale in comparison to the morbidity that actually come about in the 1.5 billion mass who were new infect with HSV-1 or HSV-2 whilst FDA approve herpes virus subunit vaccine trial have failed for three decades . ”
In August , Kaiser Health Newsreported that controversial Paypal laminitis Peter Thiel and a “ group of loaded libertarians ” had empower $ 7 million into Rational Vaccines . This money was reportedly invested after Dr Halford and Rational Vaccines had carry out the human test in the Caribbean .
In the past tense , Silicon Valley billionaire Thiel has expressed disdain for the overly bureaucratic nature of the FDA , once saying“you would not be capable to invent the infantile paralysis vaccine today ” due to their regulation .
Halford attempt to submit the findings of his studies on the genital herpes virus vaccine into the daybook Future Virology , however theeditors rejected the written report . One reviewer said : “ This manuscript is partially a visual modality , partly science , and partly aspirant thinking . ”
Whether SIU loses their $ 15 million funding pot depend on the on-going federal question , conducted by an sleeve of the US Department of Health and Human Services .
“ This researcher move scalawag , ” Holly Fernandez Lynch , a attorney who specialize in medical ethics , toldKaiser Health News . “ It ’s truthful that university ca n’t stand behind their researcher follow their every move . But when one of their own goes rogue , a university should launch an fast-growing investigation , interview the participants , and make certain it never happen again . ”
