WASHINGTON: The US government has terminated 22 federal contracts for mRNA-based vaccines, raising questions about the safety and effectiveness of a technology widely credited with curbing the Covid-19 pandemic. The decision, announced by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., reflects growing skepticism within the administration regarding mRNA vaccines.
“We reviewed the science, listened to the experts, and acted,“ Kennedy said in a statement. The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) is ending investments in mRNA vaccines, citing insufficient protection 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,“ he added.
The move affects Moderna’s mRNA bird flu vaccine, along with programs from Pfizer and Sanofi, totaling nearly $500 million in canceled projects. Some late-stage initiatives were spared to preserve taxpayer investments. “HHS supports safe, effective vaccines for every American who wants them,“ Kennedy emphasized.
Since assuming office, Kennedy has reshaped US health policy, dismissing a panel of vaccine experts and replacing them with his own appointees. The new panel recently banned a vaccine preservative long deemed safe but criticized by anti-vaccine groups. Additionally, Kennedy has ordered a new study revisiting the debunked link between vaccines and autism.
Unlike traditional vaccines that use weakened pathogens, mRNA vaccines deliver genetic instructions to cells, training the immune system to recognize and combat infections. Despite decades of development, mRNA technology gained prominence through Operation Warp Speed, a Trump-era initiative that fast-tracked Covid-19 vaccines. Pioneers Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman won the 2023 Nobel Prize in Medicine for their contributions to mRNA vaccine development.
The decision has sparked debate among scientists, with some questioning the administration’s reliance on contested claims while others see it as a shift toward alternative vaccine approaches. – AFP
