US pharmacist destroyed 500 doses of Moderna vaccine thought it modified human DNA

A Wisconsin pharmacist who was arrested last week for destroying more than 500 doses of the Moderna coronavirus vaccine told police he believed the vaccine was capable of altering human DNA and therefore left them vials outside refrigerators.

The pharmacist identified as Steven Brandenburg was an employee of Aurora Medical Center in Grafton, Wisconsin, where it was initially discovered that he had spoiled 57 vials of the Moderna vaccine. The number later rose to 500 as the medical center found that other doses had been left out of the refrigerator by him.

According to reports, Steven Brandenburg told the court and police who formed this belief that the vaccines were not safe. The district attorney also noted that the accused pharmacist was distraught over his ongoing divorce process.

Detectives said Brandenburg admitted to intentionally ruining the Moderna vaccine doses because he believed they could harm people by changing their DNA.

Of the doses of vaccine destroyed by Brandenburg, nearly 60 had already been given to people before hospital officials found the drug had not been refrigerated long enough to render the vaccine ineffective. The remaining 500 doses were then discarded.

Grafton Police said in a statement the pharmacist “knew that the spoiled vaccinations would be unnecessary and that people who had received the vaccinations would think they had been vaccinated against the virus when in fact they were not. “.

Tests to see if Moderna vaccine can be halved

Meanwhile, scientists at the National Institutes of Health and Moderna Inc could take another two months to test whether the doses of its coronavirus vaccine can be halved to double the supply of doses in the United States.

The US government has considered halving the doses of the Moderna vaccine, which requires two injections, to free up supplies for more vaccines.

The United States has approved the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for emergency use in the country as cases of the coronavirus vaccine continue to rise.

(With contributions from Reuters)