Overview

• Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ordered the termination of 22 BARDA/NIH contracts totaling about $500 million for mRNA vaccine R&D, after earlier ending a major Moderna award.
• Kennedy argues mRNA shots do not effectively prevent upper respiratory infections and raise myocarditis concerns, claims widely disputed by researchers based on large trials and real‑world safety and effectiveness data.
• Companies affected include Moderna, Sanofi, CSL Seqirus, Gritstone Bio and Emory University, while BioNTech said it was not impacted and reaffirmed its confidence in mRNA’s medical potential.
• Scientists and investors warn the cuts, paired with broader vaccine‑policy shifts, could slow rapid‑response vaccine capacity, push research and manufacturing overseas, and allow China and Europe to gain ground.
• HHS circulated studies it says show mRNA harms, but reporting described the evidence as cherry‑picked, and NIH leadership has pointed to public distrust as a rationale for deprioritizing the field.