RFK Jr. pulls $500 million in funding for vaccine development

RFK Jr. removes entire CDC vaccine panel

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has dismissed all 17 members of the CDC's vaccine advisory panel, vowing to replace them within two weeks. The move has drawn sharp criticism from medical and public health leaders, who warn it could undermine vaccine trust and safety. Dr. Evan Nadler, pediatric surgeon and obesity expert, joins LiveNOW from FOX's Carel Lajara to discuss the implications of Kennedy’s decision.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced it will cancel contracts and withdraw funding for several vaccine development initiatives targeting respiratory viruses, including COVID-19 and the flu.

RFK Jr. pulls millions in funding for vaccine development

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vocal critic of vaccines, revealed in a statement Tuesday that the department will halt $500 million in funding for 22 projects currently in progress that all all using mRNA technology.

The projects are being led by some of the nation’s leading pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer and Moderna to prevent flu, COVID-19 and H5N1 infections. These vaccines are widely credited with helping curb the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks at the Libertarian National Convention on May 24, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Credit: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

What they're saying:

Kennedy said the move reflects a broader shift in strategy, stating that HHS will begin investing in "better solutions." However, he did not specify what alternatives might replace the mRNA-based approach.

What is mRNA?

Dig deeper:

According to Pfizer, mRNA – or messenger RNA – is a molecule that contains the instructions or recipe that directs the cells to make a protein using its natural machinery. To enter cells smoothly, mRNA travels within a protective bubble called a Lipid Nanoparticle. 

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Once inside, our cells read the mRNA as a set of instructions, building proteins that match up with parts of the pathogen called antigens. The immune system sees these foreign antigens as invaders, dispatching defenders called antibodies and T-cells, and training the immune system for potential future attacks. So, if and when the real virus comes along, the body might recognize it, sounding the alarm to help defend against infection and illness.

HHS cancels contract to flight flu viruses

The backstory:

Kennedy made headlines in June after he removed every member of a scientific committee that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on how to use vaccines.

RELATED: RFK Jr.'s newest CDC vaccine panel includes critics of COVID shots, lockdowns

Kennedy's decision to "retire" the 17-member panel was widely decried by doctors' groups and public health organizations, who feared the advisers would be replaced by a group aligned with Kennedy's desire to reassess — and possibly end — longstanding vaccination recommendations.

In May, the Trump administration also canceled $766 million awarded to drugmaker Moderna Inc. to develop a vaccine against potential pandemic influenza viruses, including the H5N1 bird flu.

EARLIER: HHS, led by vaccine skeptic RFK Jr., cancels contract to fight flu viruses

The cancellation came as Moderna announced positive interim results from an early-stage trial of the vaccine that targeted H5 bird flu virus, tested in 300 healthy adults. The funds were awarded through the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, or BARDA, a program focused on medical treatments for potential pandemics.