US Health Department Halts mRNA Vaccine Projects, Citing Alleged Failure To Protect Against COVID-19 And Flu

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced it will wind down its mRNA vaccine development efforts under the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), marking a significant shift in US public health strategy.

The decision follows what officials described as a comprehensive review of investments made during the COVID-19 emergency.

In a formal statement, HHS Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr confirmed that 22 mRNA vaccine projects, valued at nearly $500 million, will be terminated.

In a post on X, Kennedy explained, “We reviewed the science, listened to the experts, and acted. BARDA is terminating 22 mRNA vaccine development investments because the data show these vaccines fail to protect effectively against upper respiratory infections like COVID-19 and flu.”

The termination affects partnerships with major research institutions and pharmaceutical companies, including Emory University, Tiba Biotech, Moderna, Pfizer, and Sanofi Pasteur.

While certain late-stage projects, such as those with Arcturus and Amplitude, will continue to completion to safeguard taxpayer investment, Kennedy clarified that “no new mRNA-based projects will be initiated.”

HHS has also directed its venture arm, the Global Health Investment Corporation (GHIC), to end all equity investments linked to mRNA.

The department is instead reallocating funding to what it describes as “safer, broader vaccine platforms” capable of withstanding viral mutations.

The official statement emphasised that “technologies that were funded during the emergency phase but failed to meet current scientific standards will be phased out in favour of evidence-based, ethically grounded solutions – like whole-virus vaccines and novel platforms.”

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