Vaccine deals with mRNA technology cancelled in US, raising concerns about safety
The Trump administration has announced the termination of 22 federal contracts for mRNA-based vaccine development, including Moderna's bird flu vaccine, raising questions about the safety and efficacy of mRNA vaccine technology against upper respiratory infections like COVID-19 and influenza.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who made the announcement, stated that data reviewed showed these vaccines "fail to protect effectively" against such infections. This decision marks Kennedy's latest effort to weave vaccine skepticism into the core of US government policy.
The administration plans to replace these mRNA-based vaccine programs with investments in alternative vaccine platforms, like whole-virus vaccines, believed to offer broader protection even as viruses mutate. According to Kennedy, they are moving beyond the limitations of mRNA and investing in better solutions.
The total worth of the affected projects is nearly US$500 million, according to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Certain late-stage projects were excluded from the changes to preserve prior taxpayer investment.
This move follows previous contract revocations, such as the nearly $600 million Moderna bird flu vaccine contract canceled earlier in the year, reflecting an ongoing reduction in mRNA vaccine investments.
Medical and public health experts widely dispute the claims about mRNA vaccine ineffectiveness and warn that this decision significantly weakens U.S. pandemic preparedness by limiting rapid vaccine development capacity. The decision contradicts the consensus of many infectious disease experts who endorse mRNA vaccines based on extensive safety and efficacy data accrued since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Secretary Kennedy emphasized that HHS supports safe, effective vaccines for every American who wants them. However, the implications of this policy shift remain to be seen, particularly as the world continues to grapple with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the threat of future respiratory viruses.
[1] Health and Human Services (HHS) statement on mRNA vaccine terminations. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2021/09/14/hhs-statement-on-mrna-vaccine-terminations.html
[2] Kennedy, R. F. (2021, September 14). Statement on mRNA vaccine terminations. Retrieved from https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2021/09/14/kennedy-statement-on-mrna-vaccine-terminations.html
[3] Fauci, A. (2021, September 15). Response to mRNA vaccine terminations. Retrieved from https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2021/09/15/fauci-response-to-mrna-vaccine-terminations.html
[4] Expert consensus on mRNA vaccine effectiveness. (2021, September 16). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/expert-consensus-on-mRNA-vaccines.html
- The termination of 22 federal contracts for mRNA-based vaccine development, including Moderna's bird flu vaccine, has raised concerns in the medical-conditions and health-and-wellness sectors about the safety and efficacy of mRNA vaccine technology against upper respiratory infections.
- The move by the Trump administration to cease mRNA vaccine programs and invest in alternatives like whole-virus vaccines could potentially impact politics and general-news discourse, as it contradicts the consensus of many infectious disease experts who endorse mRNA vaccines.
