US Health Department cancels $500M funding for mRNA vaccines
What's the story
United States Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr has announced the cancellation of $500 million worth of funding for mRNA vaccines. The decision affects 22 projects led by major pharmaceutical companies such as Pfizer and Moderna. Kennedy, a known vaccine skeptic, said he was pulling the funding over concerns that "mRNA technology poses more risks than benefits for these respiratory viruses."
Expert backlash
Doctors slam decision as 'turning back on'
Kennedy's decision has been criticized by doctors and health experts. Peter Lurie, a former US Food and Drug Administration official, slammed the move as the US "turning its back on one of the most promising tools to fight the next pandemic." Dr. Paul Offit from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia called mRNA vaccines "remarkably safe" and essential for preventing severe infections from viruses like COVID-19.
New direction
Focus on 'safer, broader vaccine platforms': Kennedy
Kennedy said his administration is now focusing on "safer, broader vaccine platforms that remain effective even as viruses mutate." He claimed that mRNA vaccines could encourage new mutations and prolong pandemics. The HHS said it would now invest in "platforms with stronger safety records and transparent clinical and manufacturing data practices."
Policy shifts
Disbanded committee that makes government recommendations on immunizations
Since taking office, Kennedy has made major changes in how vaccines are developed and regulated. He disbanded a 17-member committee that makes government recommendations on immunizations and replaced its members with vaccine skeptics. He also removed COVID-19 vaccines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recommended immunization schedule for healthy children and pregnant women.
Future plans
Work underway on 'universal vaccine'
At a news conference in Anchorage, Alaska, on Tuesday, Kennedy announced that work is underway on a "universal vaccine" that mimics "natural immunity." He said this new vaccine could be effective against coronaviruses and the flu. The HHS stressed that other uses of mRNA technology within the department are not affected by this decision.