RFK Jr cuts US funding for mRNA vaccines

US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr has cancelled almost $500 (£375) million in federal funding for mRNA vaccine projects aimed at respiratory viruses including COVID-19 and influenza.

The US Department of Health and Human Services announced that it will begin shutting down funding in mRNA vaccine development. This includes ending contracts with academic partners, restructuring existing contracts or withdrawing funding from previously awarded contracts with several companies, in total affecting 22 projects worth $500 (£375) million. Some late-stage contracts will be completed to preserve prior taxpayer investment, but no new federally funded mRNA vaccine projects will be initiated.

Kennedy said: 'The data show these [mRNA] vaccines fail to protect effectively against upper respiratory infections like COVID and flu. We're shifting that funding toward safer, broader vaccine platforms that remain effective even as viruses mutate.'

mRNA vaccines work by delivering genetic instructions that prompt the body's cells to make a harmless piece of a virus, triggering an immune response without using the live virus. They were instrumental in controlling COVID-19, enabling rapid development and rollout. Medical experts have warned that the cuts could slow research into infectious disease prevention and the development of mRNA applications in other areas, including cancer and HIV.

'I think it's an unscientific move,' Dr Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Centre at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, told ABC News. Citing the effectiveness of mRNA vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic, he added: 'It's an excellent technology. It saved millions of lives and did it in a remarkably safe manner.'

Kennedy has repeatedly questioned the effectiveness and safety of mRNA technology against respiratory viruses, claiming they are not effective and could encourage viral mutations. Many scientists dispute these claims, noting that viruses mutate regardless of vaccine presence and that mRNA vaccines have been shown to be safe in large-scale trials. Beyond respiratory viruses, early-stage studies suggest that mRNA technology could support 'personalised' cancer vaccines and HIV prevention (see BioNews 1236).

'What Mr Kennedy's... actions are doing is weakening our pandemic preparedness and weakening our biosecurity,' Peter Hotez, professor of paediatrics and molecular virology at Baylor College of Medicine in Texas, told ABC News. '...He's caused uncertainty among the American people about the safety and effectiveness of mRNA for any condition... in fact, mRNA technology is probably the most exciting technology we have now for cancer and also other non-communicable illnesses.'

The funding cancellation comes amid broader changes to US vaccine policy. Kennedy previously removed the COVID-19 vaccine from the recommended immunisation schedule for healthy children and pregnant women and dismissed all members of the Advisory Committee on Immunisation Practices.