On January 29, 2025, Idaho State Senator Brandon Shippy introduced a bill that would place a ten year moratorium on “human gene therapy products.” The bill incorrectly includes vaccines, including mRNA Covid vaccines, in its definition of gene therapy. The misconception that vaccines are gene therapy was rampant during the Covid pandemic but has been debunked by medical experts.
Dr. David Pate, a retired physician and the former CEO of St. Luke’s Health System, reiterated that immunizations do not use gene therapy, but that the proposed legislation would “ban current and emerging treatments for serious medical conditions” at a time when new and potentially deadlier viruses are emerging.
Update: The Senate Health and Human Services Committee approved the bill on March 3, 2025.