Overview

• Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ordered HHS to cancel roughly $500 million in BARDA and NIH contracts for mRNA vaccine research and development.
• The department cited safety and effectiveness concerns, releasing dossiers critics say cherry-pick data on myocarditis and limited protection against upper respiratory infections.
• Health experts and researchers warn the cuts could slow U.S. rapid-response vaccine capacity and increase vulnerability to future pandemics.
• Industry investors report the policy shift is deterring private investment and risking the migration of biotech and manufacturing operations overseas.
• Observers caution that the funding retreat may hinder mRNA advancements beyond infectious diseases, including burgeoning cancer therapeutics.