The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced this week that it is beginning a coordinated wind-down of its mRNA vaccine development activities. This action is being taken under the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority.
“We reviewed the science, listened to the experts and acted,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said. “BARDA is terminating 22 mRNA vaccine development investments, because the data show these 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.”
The wind-down affects a range of programs, including:
- Termination of contracts with Emory University and Tiba Biotech.
- Descoping of mRNA-related work in existing contracts with Luminary Labs, ModeX and Seqirus.
- Rejection or cancellation of multiple pre-award solicitations, including proposals from Pfizer, Sanofi Pasteur, CSL Seqirus, Gritstone and others.
- Restructuring of collaborations with the U.S. Department of Defense and the joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense.
Kennedy, who has long expressed skepticism about the safety and efficacy of certain vaccines, said the move signals a broader shift in federal vaccine development priorities. Going forward, BARDA will focus on platforms with stronger safety records and transparent clinical and manufacturing data practices, he said. Technologies that were funded during the emergency phase but failed to meet current scientific standards will be phased out in favor of evidence-based, ethically grounded solutions.
Other health care leaders, however, are concerned about the HHS decision.
"It's an excellent technology,” Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, told ABC News. "It saved millions of lives and did it in a remarkably safe manner. I think it's an unscientific move, a move that goes against existing science."
Dr. Peter Hotez, a professor of pediatrics and molecular virology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, is concerned about how it will affected preparedness for a potential future pandemic.
"The message to the companies will clearly be that they can no longer rely on the U.S. government for supporting any mRNA vaccine work, which is unfortunate or even tragic, because the mRNA platform is one of the few that we have for pandemic threats in terms of something that we can make a vaccine for very quickly," he said.
Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., himself a physician, also questioned the action.
"It is unfortunate that the secretary just canceled a half a billion worth of work, wasting the money which is already invested,” he posted on X. “He has also conceded to China an important technology needed to combat cancer and infectious disease. President Trump wants to Make America Healthy Again and Make America Great Again. This works against both of President Trump’s goals.”
Kennedy defended the decision.
“Let me be absolutely clear: HHS supports safe, effective vaccines for every American who wants them,” he said. “That’s why we’re moving beyond the limitations of mRNA and investing in better solutions.”
© Arc, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to TMSalesOperations@arc-network.com. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.