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2w ago

RFK Jr. Draws Criticism Over Delayed CDC Shooting Response and mRNA Funding Cuts

Experts warn that pausing nearly $500 million in mRNA vaccine research could undermine pandemic preparedness

Former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams is pictured testifying during a hearing in Washington, D.C., about the coronavirus crisis in 2021.
Former U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams speaks about the coronavirus in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House, Friday, April 3, 2020, in Washington
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Overview

  • Former Surgeon General Jerome Adams said Kennedy “failed his first major test” by waiting more than 18 hours to publicly condemn the Aug. 8 shooting at the CDC’s Atlanta campus, which left Officer David Rose dead.
  • Kennedy issued a statement on X expressing condolences for Rose’s family and pledging support for CDC staff after critics said his initial response was too muted.
  • On Aug. 5, HHS paused 22 mRNA vaccine projects worth nearly $500 million, with Kennedy arguing that whole-virus platforms offer broader protection against respiratory infections.
  • Adams and other public health experts contend that mRNA technology helped save over two million lives during the COVID-19 pandemic and warn that scaling back research could imperil future outbreak responses.
  • Critics also say Kennedy’s past rhetoric labeling the CDC a “cesspool” risks undermining trust in federal health agencies and potentially fueling violence against public health workers.