Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently announced that his department would be canceling $500 million worth of research into mRNA vaccines across 22 projects. The decision has been met with criticism from experts, who claim it will disproportionately impact communities of color and low-income populations.
The canceled research includes projects aimed at developing vaccines for cancers and HIV, diseases that have significant racial and socioeconomic disparities. Experts warn that abandoning research into more durable and variant-proof vaccines could lead to reduced access to life-saving treatments.
Kennedy’s cancellation of mRNA vaccine research marks an escalation of his anti-vaccine agenda. The decision comes as millions of people are set to lose health insurance in 2026 due to the Trump administration’s budget bill, which will significantly cut Medicaid, the country’s largest insurer.
Experts point out that mRNA vaccines have saved millions of lives and averted billions of dollars in medical costs during the COVID-19 pandemic. The technology has also won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2023.
The move has raised concerns about the impact on global research and the development of vaccines targeted to new variants. Experts warn that delays and roadblocks in research will cost lives, particularly for marginalized populations.
Kennedy’s announcement could face legal challenges, with some experts calling for his removal from office. The cancellation of mRNA vaccine contracts raises questions about the administration’s strategy of “chipping away at vaccine access” and sowing public doubt.
As the world continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic and its long-term impacts, the decision to cancel mRNA vaccine research highlights the importance of investing in life-saving treatments and technologies.
Source: https://prismreports.org/2025/08/21/mrna-vaccine-rfk-jr-cancer-hiv