Kennedy Jr. slashes $500 million from mRNA vaccine funding.
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced the discontinuation of mRNA vaccine development within its biomedical research division, citing a comprehensive review of mRNA-related investments initiated during the COVID-19 pandemic. This decision affects a total of 22 projects worth nearly $500 million, with the saved funds being redirected to "safer, broader vaccine platforms."
The HHS's decision does not affect other applications of mRNA technology. The department continues to support companies in developing medical devices to combat public health threats, such as those working on mRNA-based vaccines for other diseases. For instance, German biotech company BioNTech is active in the development of vaccines against public health threats, but their specific involvement in the aforementioned tenders is not specified.
The cost-cutting measure comes amidst a lawsuit directed against Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who removed healthy pregnant women and children from the relevant vaccine recommendation lists in May. In July, US medical associations sued the Trump administration to reinstate a withdrawn COVID-19 vaccine recommendation for pregnant women and children.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s claim that mRNA vaccines do not effectively protect against upper respiratory tract infections like COVID-19 and influenza is not supported by the prevailing scientific evidence. On the contrary, extensive data demonstrate that mRNA vaccines have been highly effective at reducing COVID-19 infection rates, severe disease, and mortality, including against variants.
Scientific experts have highlighted that mRNA vaccines given during the COVID-19 pandemic reduced infection rates by over 70%, with three doses decreasing mortality in the elderly by 93%, and saving hundreds of thousands of lives in the UK alone. Experts also point out that mRNA vaccines can be quickly adapted to new variants of viruses, allowing effective responses to the constantly mutating coronavirus and potentially to influenza viruses as well.
Kennedy’s statement that a single mutation can make mRNA vaccines ineffective oversimplifies the complexity of immune protection. While mutations can reduce vaccine efficacy, booster doses and updated vaccine designs have maintained substantial protection against many SARS-CoV-2 variants. Leading infectious disease experts strongly disagree with Kennedy’s assessment, warning that halting mRNA vaccine development poses risks to public health and preparedness for future respiratory virus outbreaks.
In summary, the scientific consensus, supported by extensive real-world data and expert analysis, indicates that mRNA vaccines do effectively protect against COVID-19 and have considerable potential for flu vaccines due to rapid adaptability, contradicting RFK Jr.’s claims. His justification for canceling $500 million in mRNA vaccine research funding has been described as based on falsehoods and lacking scientific support.
The HHS has terminated the contract with Moderna for the late-stage development of a human bird flu vaccine, which was one of the affected projects. Several tenders for COVID-19 vaccine development, including offers from Pfizer, Sanofi Pasteur, CSL Seqirus, Gritstone, and others, were rejected or canceled by the US Department of Health and Human Services.
- The European Union, with its keen interest in health and safety, might consider further investing in mRNA vaccine development, especially for medical-conditions like influenza, given the demonstrated effectiveness of these vaccines against COVID-19 and potential applications in health-and-wellness.
- As political debates surrounding vaccine recommendations continue (general-news), it is crucial to maintain a focus on the science supporting mRNA vaccines, which has shown them to be highly effective in reducing infection rates, severe disease, and mortality.
- The discontinuation of mRNA vaccine development in the US, while affecting certain projects, does not necessarily reflect the global commitment to this technology; companies in Europe, such as BioNTech, are still actively engaged in the development of mRNA-based vaccines for various health threats.
