USA RFK Jr Scraps $500 Million mRNA Vaccine Program

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RFK Jr Scraps $500 Million mRNA Vaccine Program, Sparking Backlash from Health Experts

 

US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr has cancelled half a billion dollars in federal funding for the development of mRNA vaccines targeting viruses such as Covid-19 and the flu, igniting sharp criticism from public health officials and scientists.

 

The $500 million cut will halt 22 ongoing projects overseen by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), including major efforts by pharmaceutical giants Pfizer and Moderna. These programs were aimed at developing vaccines for viruses such as bird flu, Covid-19, and other respiratory illnesses. The funding was originally administered by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), a division of HHS.

 

Kennedy, a known vaccine sceptic, defended the move by claiming mRNA vaccines are more harmful than beneficial when used against respiratory viruses. “We reviewed the science, listened to the experts, and acted,” Kennedy said in a statement. “The data show these vaccines fail to protect effectively against upper respiratory infections like COVID and flu.” He added that the funds will be redirected toward “safer, broader vaccine platforms that remain effective even as viruses mutate.”

 

Kennedy further argued that mRNA vaccines might be contributing to the evolution of new virus strains. “mRNA vaccines can help encourage new mutations and can actually prolong pandemics as the virus constantly mutates to escape the protective effects of the vaccine,” he claimed.

However, medical experts strongly rejected Kennedy’s assertions, warning that the cancellation jeopardises national readiness for future pandemics. “This is the US turning its back on one of the most promising tools to fight the next pandemic,” said Dr Peter Lurie, a former official at the US Food and Drug Administration, in an interview with the BBC.

 

Dr Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and one of the inventors of the rotavirus vaccine, described mRNA vaccines as “remarkably safe” and said they played a vital role in curbing severe Covid-19 infections. He disputed Kennedy’s suggestion that vaccines drive mutations, pointing out that viruses naturally mutate every year — with or without vaccines — as seen in the case of influenza.

 

“mRNA vaccines were critical in stopping the pandemic and saving millions of lives,” Dr Offit said. He also warned that the funding cancellation could leave the country in a “more dangerous” position should another pandemic emerge, noting that mRNA platforms offer faster development timelines compared to traditional vaccines.

 

BARDA confirmed that it would now focus its investment on vaccine platforms with what it called “stronger safety records and transparent clinical and manufacturing data practices.” Traditional vaccines, which often use inactivated viruses to trigger immune responses, are being prioritized under this strategy. In contrast, mRNA vaccines function by instructing human cells to produce proteins that simulate a viral infection, prompting the immune system to build defenses.

 

Kennedy’s latest decision is part of a broader overhaul of federal vaccine policy since he assumed office. In June, he dismissed all 17 members of the committee responsible for advising on national immunization schedules, replacing them with individuals known for casting doubt on vaccine safety and efficacy. He has also removed the Covid-19 vaccine from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s immunization recommendations for healthy children and pregnant women.

 

Despite Kennedy’s controversial stance, Moderna and Pfizer’s mRNA vaccines were thoroughly tested in large-scale clinical trials and have consistently been found to be both safe and effective, health authorities say. The ongoing debate has raised concerns about the future of evidence-based vaccine policy in the United States as it faces ongoing and emerging public health threats.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Source BBC  2025-08-07

 

 

[Tug]

Trumps minions have us pedaling backwards just as fast as he can…..this appointee is going to get folks killed in my opinion.god help us if something serious like Ebola or similar get loose in the states……THANKS REPUBLICANS……just beggers belief.