Topline
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the cancellation of contracts and grants worth nearly $500 million earmarked for the development of mRNA vaccines, the latest in a series of moves by the long-time vaccine critic who had repeatedly cast doubts about the safety and efficacy of such shots despite pushback from scientists.
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is seen on stage at the inaugural Great American Farmers Market on the National Mall on Monday.
CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
Key Facts
In a statement issued on Tuesday night, the Department of Health and Human Services described the move as a “coordinated wind-down of its mRNA vaccine development activities under the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA).”
The agency claimed the decision was made after carrying out a “comprehensive review” of mRNA-related investments made during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Kennedy said BARDA will scrap 22 mRNA vaccine development investments, claiming that data showed “these vaccines fail to protect effectively against upper respiratory infections like COVID and flu.”
Kennedy also claimed that the HHS will shift this funding towards “safer, broader vaccine platforms that remain effective even as viruses mutate,” without offering any specifics.
The noted vaccine also insisted that the HHS “supports safe, effective vaccines for every American who wants them.”
Chief Critics
In a post on X, immunologist and former BARDA Director Rick Bright wrote: “BARDA invested in mRNA technology precisely because it could deliver safe, scalable vaccines in record time, a capability proven during COVID. By dismantling that platform, we’re crippling our front-line defense, just ahead of unknown biological threats.” Chris Meekins, who served as assistant secretary for pandemic preparedness in the HHS during the first Trump administration, also criticized the move, tweeting: “Ending BARDA’s investment in mRNA technology creates a national security vulnerability. These tools serve as a deterrent to prevent other nations from using certain biological agents. The speed of the technology to create new biodefense capabilities is a national security asset.” Epidemiologist Mike Osterholm, who serves as the director of University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, told the Associated Press: “I don’t think I’ve seen a more dangerous decision in public health in my 50 years in the business.”
Which Major Contracts And Grants Have Been Impacted?
Overall, the move impacts 22 contracts and grants, including BARDA’s award to Moderna and the University of Texas Medical Branch to develop an mRNA vaccine for the H5N1 bird flu virus. Funding for Emory University and Tiba Biotech, who were working on an mRNA-based inhalable dry power antiviral treatment was also scrapped as part of the move. The HHS is also rejecting “multiple pre-award solicitations” from Pfizer, Sanofi Pasteur and others under BARDA’s Rapid Response Partnership Vehicle, which was set up to rapidly develop treatments against pandemic influenza and other emerging infectious diseases.
What Has Kennedy Previously Said About Mrna And Covid-19 Vaccines?
Kennedy, a long-time vaccine skeptic, has repeatedly spoken out against mRNA vaccines despite pushback from public health experts. In a 2023 podcast interview, Kennedy claimed without evidence that “There’s no vaccine that is safe and effective.” The Health Secretary has also repeatedly pushed the debunked idea that vaccines can cause autism. In 2021, Kennedy falsely claimed that the COVID-19 shots were “the deadliest vaccine ever made.”
Further Reading
U.S. Stops Recommending Covid Vaccine For Pregnant Women, Children—Critic Immediately Slams Move (Forbes)
FDA Changes May Limit COVID Vaccine Access—Drawing Some Criticism. Here’s What We Know (Forbes)
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