RFK Jr Axes $500 Million in Funding for mRNA Vaccine Development

On Tuesday, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr announced plans to cancel 22 mRNA-based vaccine development projects totaling nearly $500 million, citing scientific review and safety concerns tied to COVID-19 and flu vaccines.¹ The decision ends federal support for contracts and proposals involving Emory University, Pfizer, Sanofi, and others, and shifts the HHS Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA)’s vaccine strategy toward alternative platforms.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr halts 22 mRNA vaccine initiatives, drawing criticism from health experts over pandemic preparedness concerns. | Image credit: angellodeco - stock.adobe.com

Rick Bright, PhD, immunologist and former director of BARDA, called this move “a bad day for science, and [a] huge blow to our national security” in a post on X. “This decision will have dangerous repercussions.”

“We reviewed the science, listened to the experts, and acted,” said Kennedy in a statement.¹ “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.”

This scale-back includes the cancellation of contracts with Emory University and Tiba Biotech, the rejection of proposals from companies like Pfizer, Sanofi Pasteur, and CSL Seqirus, and the restructuring of partnerships involving Moderna and AstraZeneca. While some final-stage contracts will be allowed to continue to preserve prior taxpayer investments, no new mRNA-based projects will be initiated. HHS has also directed the Global Health Investment Corporation, which manages BARDA Ventures, to halt all equity investments in mRNA technologies.

Going forward, BARDA will prioritize vaccine platforms with stronger safety records and more transparency in clinical and manufacturing data—such as whole-virus vaccines and other novel immunization approaches that may offer broader and more durable protection, according to Kennedy.

Although Kennedy has long been a vocal critic of vaccines, he emphasized that the department still supports their safe and effective use for all Americans.

“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 and investing in better solutions,” said Kennedy in a statement.

On July 7, 2025, 6 leading medical organizations and a pregnant physician filed a federal lawsuit against Kennedy, arguing that his removal of COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for children and pregnant individuals was unlawful and harmful to public health.² Filed in the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts, the case—American Academy of Pediatrics v Robert F. Kennedy Jr—alleges that Kennedy bypassed established procedures and undermined scientific guidance by eliminating CDC recommendations and removing vaccine experts from federal advisory panels. The plaintiffs, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, said these actions have fueled vaccine misinformation, compromised patient care, and eroded public trust.

Several leading scientists and public health officials are pushing back against the decision made by Kennedy to cancel mRNA funding under BARDA, according to CNN.³

Peter Hotez, MD, PhD, pediatrician and director of the Center for Vaccine Development at Texas Children’s Hospital, said the move advances a “pseudoscience agenda” and undermines the nation’s biosecurity. He emphasized that while all biotechnologies have trade-offs, mRNA is a critical tool during pandemics and in the development of cancer vaccines. Hotez warned that under Kennedy’s leadership, HHS is signaling that the federal government may no longer be a reliable driver of biomedical innovation.

Paul Offit, MD, director of the Vaccine Education Center and attending physician in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, called the decision “just wrong” and based on false claims about mRNA safety. He described the vaccines as “remarkably safe and effective” and said the funding cuts could leave the country vulnerable in the face of future pandemics.

References

1. HHS Winds Down mRNA Vaccine Development Under BARDA. HHS. News release. August 5, 2025. Accessed August 6, 2025. https://www.hhs.gov/press-room/hhs-winds-down-mrna-development-under-barda.html

2. Klein H. RFK Jr sued by medical societies over unlawful COVID-19 vaccine rollbacks. AJMC^®. July 8, 2025. Accessed August 6, 2025. https://www.ajmc.com/view/rfk-jr-sued-by-medical-societies-over-unlawful-covid-19-vaccine-rollbacks

3. Christensen J. HHS slashes funding for mRNA vaccine development. CNN. August 5, 2025. Accessed August 6, 2025. https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/05/health/hhs-slashes-funding-for-mrna-vaccine-development