RFK Jr. cuts $500 million in mRNA vaccine contracts

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The Trump administration is terminating 22 contracts focused on developing mRNA vaccines and winding down additional federal investments in mRNA technology, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced Tuesday.

Many scientists and infectious disease experts swiftly denounced the move as a broadside on an area of research seen as particularly promising after its use in rapidly developing Covid vaccines.

The projects that are being axed were funded by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), a Department of Health and Human Services program that works with the pharmaceutical industry to develop vaccines and other countermeasures for public health emergencies.

“This isn’t just about vaccines,” Rick Bright, who directed BARDA from 2016 to 2020, said in a text message. “It’s about whether we’ll be ready when the next crisis hits. Cutting mRNA development now puts every American at greater risk.”

“The Covid pandemic showed us what’s possible when science moves fast,” he added. “Dismantling that momentum now is like disbanding the fire department because the fire’s out.”

Kennedy said Tuesday that the terminated contracts were worth nearly $500 million. Among them is an award to the University of Texas Medical Branch and the biotechnology company Moderna to develop an mRNA-based vaccine for H5N1, the strain of bird flu that has infected dozens of people in the United States.

"After reviewing the science and consulting top experts at NIH and FDA, HHS has determined that mRNA technology poses more risks and benefits for these respiratory viruses," Kennedy said in a video announcement on X.

"Let me be absolutely clear, HHS supports safe, effective vaccines for every American who wants them," he added. "That's why we're moving beyond the limitations of mRNA for respiratory viruses and investing in better solutions."

The move adds to mounting evidence that Kennedy, a high-profile figure in the anti-vaccine movement who softened his rhetoric after the presidential election and in confirmation hearings, is pursuing an aggressive anti-vaccine agenda that includes gutting a crucial vaccine advisory committee and cutting $2 billion from a program that supports vaccines for vulnerable children.

Kennedy has referred to Covid shots as the “deadliest vaccine ever made,” a claim contradicted by reams of studies that have found them to be safe. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates the vaccines saved more than 200,000 lives in the United States and prevented more than 1.5 million hospitalizations in the first 10 months they were available.

Many pharmaceutical companies have prioritized mRNA research because the platform can easily be updated to target new viruses or variants, and scientists see it as an important tool to prepare for future pandemics.

But mRNA technology has become a primary target for anti-vaccine activists who have argued — despite ongoing and sizable research — that it represents a massive safety threat.

Children’s Health Defense, the anti-vaccine group founded by Kennedy, applauded defunding mRNA vaccine projects under BARDA on Tuesday.

"While we believe that the mRNA shots on the market are unsafe and should be off the market, this is a welcome step in the right direction. The pandemic preparedness industry as it exists today is a threat to human welfare," CEO Mary Holland said in a statement on X.

In his announcement Tuesday, Kennedy suggested that mRNA vaccines fail to sufficiently protect against Covid and flu, that they can be rendered ineffective by a single mutation and that they can even prolong pandemics.

But infectious disease and vaccine experts said he grossly mischaracterizes the science.

"That's exactly why mRNA is so valuable: It's the only platform where you can actually update the vaccine really quickly," said Dr. Jake Scott, an infectious disease specialist at Stanford Medicine.

Terminating mRNA contracts under BARDA is "a very misguided, irresponsible and I would say reckless move," Scott said. "It really does reveal a fundamental misunderstanding of how vaccines work and how a vaccine against a respiratory virus in particular should be expected to work."

Kennedy said Tuesday that the BARDA funding would be shifted “toward safer, broader vaccine platforms that remain effective even as viruses mutate," such as whole-virus vaccines, which use weakened or deactivated versions of viruses to trigger immune responses.

Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania, said whole-virus vaccines have been around since the late 1800s, noting that “we make safer, better vaccines” today due to technological advances.

The slashing of mRNA contracts is “yet another policy decision engineered by our Secretary of Health and Human Services that is not science-based,” Offit said. “That’s a dangerous thing to do.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. revealed his agency will be cutting funding to mRNA development, calling the vaccine technology "ineffective" and claiming it poses more risks than benefits.

"This technology played a vital role in our pandemic response and continues to show promise for treating serious diseases," said Jeff Coller, Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of RNA biology and therapeutics at Johns Hopkins University. "As other countries advance these proven, safe and effective therapies, American patients may increasingly depend on foreign innovation for breakthrough treatments."

What does defunding mRNA technology mean?
The most obvious consequence of defunding mRNA vaccine development is losing resources to continue improving the technology for vaccines that target infectious diseases, such as COVID-19 and the bird flu, and cancers, Coller said.

However, he also said it sends a “chilling” message to vaccine companies about continuing this type of research in the United States. While they may be able to afford research without federal help, companies could be hesitant to pursue mRNA technology if there’s a chance the Food and Drug Administration may not approve their vaccines.

This could lead companies to move operations and marketing to other countries, which would not only make these therapies more expensive in the United States, but also displace it as “the world leader in biotechnology,” Coller said.

“The rest of the world is doubling down on mRNA medicines. It’s a fact, and the U.S. is going to lose the race,” Coller said. “The decision coming from Kennedy is essentially destroying our dominance in the biotech space.”

Should I expect a COVID vaccine this fall?
It's unclear whether patients should be expecting COVID-19 vaccines this fall, said Dr. Beth Oller, a family physician in Stockton, Kansas, and clinical instructor at the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita.

In June, Kennedy fired all members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, a key vaccine panel that makes recommendations for COVID-19 and other vaccines, and appointed eight new members. During its first meeting, the committee did not make any recommendations for the fall and isn’t expected to reconvene until "September/October," according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.

Kennedy said on May 27 that the COVID-19 vaccine would no longer be included in the CDC's recommended immunization schedule for healthy children and pregnant women, a move that broke with previous expert guidance and bypassed the normal scientific review process.

Under the changes, the only people who will be recommended for COVID-19 vaccines are those over 65 and people with existing health problems. This could make it harder for others who want the COVID-19 vaccine to get it, including health care workers and healthy people under 65 with a vulnerable family member or those who want to reduce their short-term risk of infection.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), among other organizations, issued statements condemning the change, with the ACOG saying it was "...concerned about and extremely disappointed by the announcement that HHS will no longer recommend COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy."

Will insurance cover my COVID shot?
Many consumers are worried about possible cuts to health insurers' coverage of vaccines, a recent poll said.

A KFF poll published Aug. 1 found 40% of adults said they will "definitely" or "probably" get a COVID-19 vaccine shot. Of those who intend to get vaccinated, 62% said they are worried insurance won’t cover the cost of the vaccine.

Groups representing commercial health insurance companies said they still plan to cover vaccines recommended by the CDC and ACIP, the vaccine advisory panel.

"Health plans continue to follow federal requirements related to coverage of ACIP-recommended vaccines and will continue to support broad access to critical preventive services, including immunizations," said Tina Stow, spokesperson for AHIP, which represents health insurance companies.

The CDC currently recommends shared decision-making between parents and doctors for immunizing children with the COVID-19 vaccine. It also recommends vaccines for people who are moderately or severely immunocompromised.

Large employers that provide health insurance benefits for workers and their families will likely continue to cover FDA-approved vaccines, said James Gelfand, president and CEO of the ERISA Industry Committee.

In some cases, employer vaccine coverage might follow FDA approvals rather than narrower ACIP recommendations