WASHINGTON, D.C. — Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has announced the cancellation of approximately $500 million in federal contracts tied to mRNA vaccine development, citing what he calls potential health risks associated with the technology.
The move affects 22 contracts nationwide, including one with Atlanta’s Emory University. “We’re prioritizing the development of safer, broader vaccine strategies,” Kennedy said in the announcement.
However, leading medical experts strongly disagree with the decision. Dr. William Schaffner of Vanderbilt University emphasized the safety and effectiveness of mRNA technology, especially its successful use during the COVID-19 pandemic. “It’s been used to create the COVID vaccine that has been used so successfully in the millions upon millions of doses around the world,” he said.
Dr. Schaffner also noted that mRNA platforms are being expanded to develop vaccines for a wider range of diseases, calling it a critical tool in modern public health.
WSB’s Austin Eller contributed to this story