Health Experts Speak Out After RFK Jr. Eliminates $500 Million In mRNA Vaccine Contracts

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is facing heated criticism from public health experts after he announced that he's eliminating 22 contracts—amounting to $500 million in cuts—aimed at developing mRNA vaccines.

Several projects are being cut from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), an HHS program that partners with the pharmaceutical industry to develop vaccines and other tools for public health emergencies.

Many drugmakers have focused on mRNA research due to its adaptability; the platform can be quickly modified to address new viruses or variants, and scientists view it as a critical resource for pandemic preparedness. However, mRNA has become a central target for anti-vaccine activists like Kennedy who argue—despite extensive ongoing research—that it poses serious safety risks.

On Tuesday, Kennedy said the BARDA funds would instead be redirected toward "safer, broader vaccine platforms" that remain effective as viruses mutate. He pointed to whole-virus vaccines, which rely on weakened or inactivated viruses to generate immune responses, as an example.

He said, in part:

"After reviewing the science and consulting top experts at NIH and FDA, HHS has determined that mRNA technology poses more risks than benefits for these respiratory viruses [like COVID-19]. That's why after extensive review BARDA has begun the process of terminating these 22 contracts totaling just under $500 million."

"To replace the troubled mRNA programs, we're prioritizing the development of safer, broader vaccine strategies like whole virus vaccines and novel platforms that don't collapse when viruses mutate."

"Let me be absolutely clear, HHS supports safe, effective vaccines for every American who wants them. That's why we're moving beyond the limitations of mRNA for respiratory viruses and investing in better solutions."

You can hear what Kennedy said in the video below.

Kennedy's announcement received immediate pushback from Rick Bright, who directed BARDA from 2016 to 2020:

“This isn’t just about vaccines. It’s about whether we’ll be ready when the next crisis hits. Cutting mRNA development now puts every American at greater risk.”

“The COVID pandemic showed us what’s possible when science moves fast. Dismantling that momentum now is like disbanding the fire department because the fire’s out.”

Dr. Jake Scott, an infectious disease specialist at Stanford Medicine, said Kennedy is misinformed about the science behind mRNA vaccines, calling terminating the contracts "a very misguided, irresponsible and I would say reckless move," adding:

"It really does reveal a fundamental misunderstanding of how vaccines work and how a vaccine against a respiratory virus in particular should be expected to work."

Similarly, Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, pointed out that whole-virus vaccines have been available since the 1800s and that thanks to technological advances, “we make safer, better vaccines” today:

"[Canceling the contracts] is “yet another policy decision engineered by our Secretary of Health and Human Services that is not science-based. That’s a dangerous thing to do.”

The media company The Intellectualist offered a comprehensive explanation as to why Kennedy's move is such a danger to public health at large, writing in a tweet:

"What is unfolding is not just a policy change. It is a direct assault on life-saving medical progress. By suppressing mRNA research and halting the development of critical vaccine programs, we are denying people access to some of the most advanced disease-prevention technologies ever developed."

"mRNA vaccines are no longer just about COVID. They are now being developed to prevent cancers like melanoma and lung cancer, protect newborns from congenital infections like cytomegalovirus (CMV), and defend against global threats like avian influenza, RSV, HIV, malaria, Lyme disease, and Zika. Several of these vaccines are already in Phase 3 trials, and some were just years away from approval."

"That future is now being deliberately dismantled. This is not a matter of policy disagreement. It is a betrayal of public health, rooted in misinformation and fear. It disregards scientific evidence, abandons medical innovation, and puts millions at long-term risk. The cost will not be measured in dollars."

"It will be measured in cancers not prevented, diseases not controlled, and lives not saved. The consequences must be called what they are: preventable mass death on a national scale."

You can see the organization's post below.

Others have widely condemned Kennedy's move.

HHS plays a critical role in shaping public health policy, addressing disease prevention and treatment, funding medical research and community health initiatives—and it's clearer every day that Kennedy Jr. is unfit to run it.

He has denied making false claims about vaccines in the past and made headlines in the spring for pushing back on Americans taking "medical advice" from him when questioned about his anti-vaxxer beliefs—quite the statement from someone who is currently the nation's leading public health official.