HHS cancels $500 million in grants for mRNA vaccines

Health and Human Services Department Director Robert F. Kennedy Jr. canceled $500 million in funding for mRNA vaccines and said he would phase out their development ─ a decision public health and security experts deemed dangerous, particularly given the H5N1 avian flu threat. Brett Giroir, MD, former HHS Assistant Secretary for Health under the first Trump Administration, said mRNA vaccines are “our best rapid response platform, and there is no substitute for it.” The move could slow U.S. medical innovation, including new treatments for cancer. Separately, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is no longer allowing medical and professional organizations to assist the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices in evaluating evidence and providing feedback on vaccine recommendations, saying the groups are biased. (HHS news release, 8/5/25)