By — Amanda Seitz, Associated Press Amanda Seitz, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/rfk-jr-pulls-funding-for-vaccines-being-developed-to-fight-respiratory-viruses Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter RFK Jr. pulls funding for vaccines being developed to fight respiratory viruses Health Aug 5, 2025 6:54 PM EDT WASHINGTON (AP) — The Department of Health and Human Services will cancel contracts and pull funding for some vaccines that are being developed to fight respiratory viruses like COVID-19 and the flu. READ MORE: The powerful technology behind the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health secretary and a longtime vaccine critic, announced in a statement Tuesday that $500 million worth of vaccine development projects, all using mRNA technology, will be halted. The projects — 22 of them — are being led by some of the nation’s leading pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer and Moderna to prevent flu, COVID-19 and H5N1 infections. Grow your mind Subscribe to our Science Newsletter to explore the wide worlds of science, health and technology. Enter your email address Subscribe Form error message goes here. Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm. The mRNA vaccines are credited with slowing the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. READ MORE: Ousted vaccine panel members say rigorous science is being abandoned under RFK Jr. Kennedy said in the Tuesday statement that he wants the health department to move away from mRNA vaccines, calling on the department to start “investing in better solutions.” He provided no details on what those technologies might be. We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now By — Amanda Seitz, Associated Press Amanda Seitz, Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Department of Health and Human Services will cancel contracts and pull funding for some vaccines that are being developed to fight respiratory viruses like COVID-19 and the flu. READ MORE: The powerful technology behind the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health secretary and a longtime vaccine critic, announced in a statement Tuesday that $500 million worth of vaccine development projects, all using mRNA technology, will be halted. The projects — 22 of them — are being led by some of the nation’s leading pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer and Moderna to prevent flu, COVID-19 and H5N1 infections. Grow your mind Subscribe to our Science Newsletter to explore the wide worlds of science, health and technology. Enter your email address Subscribe Form error message goes here. Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm. The mRNA vaccines are credited with slowing the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. READ MORE: Ousted vaccine panel members say rigorous science is being abandoned under RFK Jr. Kennedy said in the Tuesday statement that he wants the health department to move away from mRNA vaccines, calling on the department to start “investing in better solutions.” He provided no details on what those technologies might be. We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now