The Ministry of Health and Human Services will cancel contracts and withdraw funds for several vaccines that are being developed to combat respiratory viruses such as Covid-19 and the flu.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced in a statement Tuesday that 22 projects totaling $500 million will be suspended to develop vaccines using mRNA technology.
Kennedy's decision to close the project is the latest in a series of decisions, making longtime vaccine critics' suspicions fully effective at the national health department. Kennedy pulled back recommendations around Covid-19 shots, fired a panel making recommendations for the vaccine, and refused to provide intense support for vaccination as the measles outbreak worsened.
The health secretary criticized the mRNA vaccine in a video on his social media account and explained his decision to cancel a project led by major pharmaceutical companies in the country, including Pfizer and Moderna, which provides protection against viruses such as the flu, Covid-19 and H5N1.
“To replace troubled mRNA programs, we are prioritizing the development of safer and broader vaccine strategies, including new platforms that don't collapse when the virus mutates,” Kennedy said in the video.
Infectious disease experts say the mRNA technology used in the vaccine is safe and they praise its outbreak in the first Trump administration for slowing down the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. They warned that future pandemics will be difficult to stop without the help of mRNA.
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“I don't think I've seen a more dangerous decision in public health in my 50 years in business,” said Mike Osterholm, an expert on infectious disease and pandemic preparation at the University of Minnesota.
He said mRNA technology offers significant rapid production potential benefits in the event of a new pandemic that requires new vaccines.
Dr. Paul Offit, a vaccine expert at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, said the mRNA project shelf is shortsighted as concerns continue to loom over the avian flu pandemic.
“It certainly saves millions of lives,” Offit said of the existing mRNA vaccine.
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Scientists use mRNAs more than infectious disease vaccines, and researchers around the world are investigating the use of cancer immunotherapy. At the White House earlier this year, billionaire tech entrepreneur Larry Ellison praised mRNA for its cancer treatment potential.
Traditionally, vaccines often require the growth of viruses to cleanse the material in giant vats of chicken eggs and cells. The mRNA approach begins with a snippet of genetic code that posts instructions for creating proteins. Scientists choose proteins, target them, inject their blueprints, and the body is sufficient to induce immune protection and produce their own vaccine doses.
In a statement Tuesday, HHS said “other use of mRNA technology within the department will not be affected by this announcement.”
mRNA technology is used in approved COVID-19 and RSV shots, but has not yet been approved for influenza shots. Moderna, who was studying the combination of Covid-19 and influenza mRNA shots, believed that mRNA could speed up the production of influenza compared to traditional vaccines.
The abandoned mRNA project marks a “change in vaccine development priorities,” the Health Department said in a statement, adding that it will begin “investing in better solutions.”
“Let me be absolutely clear. HHS supports safe and effective vaccines for all Americans who want them,” Kennedy said in a statement.
Speaking at a press conference in Anchorage, Alaska on Tuesday, hours later, Kennedy said it was ongoing with the alternatives.
He said the administration's focus is “universal vaccines” that mimic “innate immunity.”
“It could be effective – we believe it will be effective – we are against the flu as well as the coronavirus,” he said.
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