Robert Kennedy Jr. cancels funding for 22 vaccine development projects

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced the cancellation of 22 contracts for the development of messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines, valued at more than $500 million (€430 million), considering that they pose "more risks than benefits" against respiratory viruses.

The decision is the latest in a series of measures that reflect the unorthodoxy of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, a well-known vaccine skeptic. In just six months, he has ended recommendations for COVID-19 vaccinations for pregnant women and minors; dismissed the committee that establishes the criteria; and refused to defend immunization amid the worst measles outbreak in decades—more than 1,300 cases—leaving the decision to get vaccinated to the discretion of each individual.

"The data shows that these vaccines do not effectively protect against upper respiratory infections like COVID-19 and influenza," said Kennedy, who announced late Tuesday in a video posted on social media that he was terminating the contracts and shifting the funds to other "safer" vaccine platforms.

According to Kennedy, the pandemic has already demonstrated the “ineffectiveness” of mRNA vaccines. “The problem is that mRNA only encodes a small portion of the viral proteins, usually a single antigen. A single mutation can render the vaccine ineffective,” so HHS will prioritize funding for those that can maintain their effectiveness even with virus mutations.

Infectious disease experts maintain that the mRNA technology used in vaccines is safe and credit its development during Donald Trump's first administration in 2020 with slowing the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. Indeed, they argue that mRNA technology offers potential advantages in rapid production, crucial in the event of a new pandemic requiring a new vaccine, which is why they warn that future pandemics will be harder to stop without the help of mRNA.

Although some contracts in the final stages of funding may be completed to avoid wasting previous investment—which, being federal funds, comes out of taxpayers' pockets—no new mRNA-based projects will be initiated, according to the Department.

Prioritizing the most robust safety records and transparent clinical and manufacturing data practices is also a priority for the U.S. Department of Health. Thus, technologies that were funded during the emergency phase of the pandemic, but which the Department believes do not meet current scientific standards, will be phased out in favor of "evidence-based and ethically grounded" solutions, such as whole-virus vaccines and "novel platforms that do not collapse when viruses mutate."

“I'll be absolutely clear: HHS supports safe and effective vaccines for all Americans who want them,” said Kennedy, a proponent of free will , not policies and vaccination schedules. “That's why we're overcoming the limitations of mRNA and investing in better solutions,” he concluded.

“ RFK Jr. is systematically undermining vaccine science and endangering health. The U.S. Secretary of Health’s recent abolition of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices [the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s main agency] is just one example of his numerous attempts to replace science with his personal agenda,” the Center for American Progress said. “In just his first months as secretary, Kennedy has jeopardized the credibility of the U.S. vaccine system and left families and communities exposed to imminent health threats.”