US Health Secretary RFK Jr. Cancels 22 mRNA Vaccine Contracts, Threatening Research, Industry

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the current US Secretary of Health and Human Services, has taken a controversial stance against vaccines, particularly mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, leading to the cancellation of numerous vaccine research contracts and sparking significant backlash from the scientific community. Despite his anti-vaccine rhetoric and attempts to challenge studies affirming vaccine safety, experts clarify that liability protections for vaccines remain intact and that Kennedy's calls for study retractions are atypical for a public health official. Kennedy's skepticism aligns with a faction within President Donald Trump's administration that reportedly plans to withdraw COVID-19 vaccines from the US market within months, a move seen as potentially chaotic and legally complex. The cancellation of mRNA vaccine research funding is especially concerning given the technology's broad potential beyond COVID-19, including the development of universal cancer vaccines, a field experts warn is being set back by these policy decisions. While Trump's administration originally hailed mRNA vaccine technology as a monumental scientific achievement, Kennedy's recent actions have caused unease among researchers and pharmaceutical companies leveraging this platform. The American Academy of Pediatrics and other health authorities continue to oppose Kennedy's anti-vaccine policies, maintaining support for existing vaccine recommendations and protections.