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6d ago

HHS Cancels $500M in mRNA Vaccine Contracts, Winding Down Respiratory Virus Efforts

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s determination that mRNA respiratory vaccines pose more risks than benefits, reinforced by Jay Bhattacharya’s emphasis on lost public trust, is drawing alarm over potential setbacks to U.S. pandemic readiness.

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Overview

  • HHS has officially terminated 22 BARDA contracts worth roughly $500 million, canceling federally backed mRNA vaccine development for influenza, COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses.
  • Kennedy has defended the decision on the basis that mRNA platforms fail to protect effectively against upper respiratory infections, citing safety and efficacy concerns.
  • NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya has argued that mRNA vaccines have not earned sufficient public trust to fulfill their role in broad immunization campaigns.
  • Public-health experts including Michael Osterholm and Jerome Adams warn that withdrawing mRNA support could undermine rapid-response capacity and leave the U.S. ill-prepared for future pandemics.
  • Some canceled contracts extended beyond vaccine development to cover RNAi therapeutics and antiviral formulation projects, even as HHS says it will keep funding mRNA research for oncology and genetic therapies without detailing replacements for infectious-disease preparedness investments.