A Florida bill has been filed would require foods genetically engineered to contain vaccines “or vaccine material” to be labeled as such.
The measure (SB 196), introduced Jan. 13 by Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, would revise the definition of “drug” to includes such edible vaccines. It would deem a drug misbranded “if it is a food containing a vaccine or vaccine material, but its label does not include specified information.”
The bill would seem a premptive strike at a growing industry. No edible vaccines are approved for use in the U.S., but research modifying common fruits and vegetables to delivery vaccine material goes back several years.
Much of the research is based on mRNA technology, the basis of primary COVID-19 vaccines.
According to scientists, plant-based edible vaccines could overcome the constraints of tradition vaccines. Among the benefits: They would not require refrigeration and the manufacturing cost would be low, allowing it be more available globally to rural communities or developing countries.
Gruder’s bill does not yet have a House sponsor. It has been referred to Senate committees for the upcoming Legislative session.
It is among the many vaccine-related bills popping up in more than 15 states that touch on some of the opposition that's been growing since the COVID pandemic.
They include attempts to resurrect or create new religious exemptions from immunization mandates, establish state-level vaccine injury databases or dictate what providers must tell patients about the shots.
Many see a political opportunity to rewrite policies in their states during President Donald Trump's administration and if Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is confirmed as the next secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.
However, childhood vaccination rates against dangerous infections like measles and polio continue to fall nationwide, and the number of parents claiming non-medical exemptions so their kids don't get required shots is rising.
A new poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research says about half of Americans are “very” or “extremely” concerned that those declining childhood vaccination rates will lead to more disease outbreaks.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
