Please see the attached [full] guide for parents. Please circulate it as widely as you feel comfortable. I am receptive to respectful discussions with those who believe that scientists, physicians, and other professionals should be able to openly discuss the science and medicine underpinning COVID-19 policies.
Sincerely,
Byram
From the Guide:
Who is Dr. Bridle?
I am an Associate Professor of Viral Immunology in the Department of Pathobiology at
the University of Guelph in Canada. My research program focuses on the development of
vaccines to prevent infectious diseases and treat cancers, as well as studying the body’s immune
response to viruses. I teach several courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels on the
topics of immunology, virology, and cancer biology. The overall aim of my research efforts is to
develop safe and effective new therapies for people. Indeed, one of my previous cancer therapies
progressed into four human clinical trials. I am also involved in training Canada’s next generation
of multidisciplinary researchers, especially in vaccinology. I received funding from the Ontario
Government (COVID-19 Rapid Research Fund, Ministry of Colleges and Universities) and
Government of Canada (Pandemic Response Challenge Program, National Research Council of
Canada) to develop vaccines against COVID-19. The scope of this research is limited to the preclinical
realm and is years away from being ready for testing in a clinical trial. Since I do not hold
any commercial interests, this is not considered a conflict of interest that would preclude me
from publishing my research findings. If that were the case, most researchers could never
comment on topics relevant to their area of expertise, because they receive funding in that area.
Further, my laboratory’s vaccine vectors also express the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2. As such,
what I am presenting here affects my vaccines as much as anyone else’s. I also hold numerous
grants in support of my cancer research and basic viral immunology research programs, including,
but not limited, to the Canadian Institutes for Health Research, Natural Sciences and Engineering
Research Council of Canada, Canadian Cancer Society, and Cancer Research Society. Since the
COVID-19 pandemic was declared, I have been actively involved in providing fact-based,
balanced, scientific answers to questions posed by the public to help them make fully informed
decisions. This has included ~150 media engagements ranging from radio shows, published
articles, and appearances on televised news programs, spanning the local to international scope.
I was also an invited keynote speaker for two international conferences that focused on COVID-
19 and served as an invited member of several COVID-19-focused discussion panels. Vaccinology
is a sub-discipline of immunology. I teach the value of high-quality, well-validated, robustly
safety-tested vaccines and promote their use. I consider vaccines that have been developed on
a foundation of sound science to be the most efficient type of medicine; they have costeffectively
saved millions of people from sickness and/or death. However, I am concerned that
the risk-benefit profile of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines currently being used in Canada and elsewhere
may not be appropriate for the mass immunization of children, youth, and young adults of childbearing
age. My scientific reasoning substantiated by the peer-reviewed literature is contained
within this guide.
See also: Canadian Covid Care Alliance
Taking Sides 