Murthy: COVID-19 vaccine development could bring ‘cures and treatments for other illnesses much, much closer’

Surgeon General Vivek Murthy says in an upcoming interview on “The Carlos Watson Show” that the development of COVID-19 vaccines could speed up the creation of shots for other diseases.

Watson, the co-founder and CEO of OZY, noted in an interview airing Tuesday that top infectious diseases expert Anthony Fauci recently told him that one legacy of the coronavirus pandemic may eventually be a “breakthrough” in an HIV vaccine and asked Murthy what he made of Fauci’s assessment.

“Well, you know, it’s interesting, Carlos, and this is something Tony and I have talked about, is the technology that has been used to build some of these vaccines, particularly the mRNA vaccines, it’s really interesting in terms of the non-COVID prospects that we have,” Murthy replied.

“But the other area of interest is around cancer, and so I think one of the things I hope will come out of this pandemic is not just better ways to treat and prevent COVID-19 but hopefully a series of platforms and a way of collaborating in science that brings cures and treatments for other illnesses much, much closer within our reach,” he added.

Murthy added that if the COVID-19 vaccine development allowed for better treatments for other illnesses, then that outcome would be “making lemonade out of the lemons that we’ve been getting from this pandemic.”

Other health experts have touched on the possibilities that could come from the sped-up development of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. BioNTech Senior Vice President Katalin Karikó told Reuters last year that the progress achieved during the pandemic could mean a better response for future viruses such as influenza.

“It could be easier sailing for the next anti-viral product, a vaccine for influenza and other infectious disease,” Karikó told the outlet.