mRNA research shifts with HHS funding

HHS is cutting hundreds of millions in mRNA vaccine funding while still backing research into mRNA therapies for cancer and genetic conditions, a stance that aligns with RFK Jr and reflects political tensions.

RFK Jr backs mRNA research beyond vaccines amid HHS funding purge

The US Department of Health and Human Services announced the cancellation of 22 contracts and investments totaling nearly $500 million as part of a wind-down of mRNA vaccine work. The moves also swept up some projects that were not tied to mRNA or vaccines, even as the administration signaled support for mRNA therapies for cancer and genetic disorders.

RFK Jr has long criticized mRNA vaccines. In May he said HHS would no longer recommend mRNA Covid vaccines for healthy children or pregnant women and canceled a $590 million Moderna contract for a bird flu vaccine based on the same technology. In a video, he argued that mRNA technology poses more risk than benefits for these respiratory viruses, a claim that clashes with prevailing scientific evidence. Meanwhile, experts note the policy split shows how politics and science intersect in funding decisions, and that BARDA remains involved in broader countermeasure efforts even as vaccine-focused projects are trimmed.

The split between vaccine-focused work and other uses of mRNA exposes a larger tension in health policy, where scientific consensus and political calculations must coexist. Public trust may be tested by conflicting signals about mRNA’s safety and potential, even as researchers press ahead with therapeutic applications. This moment could reshape funding priorities and push researchers to pursue alternatives or diversify support beyond government grants.

Highlights

Policy and science will need time to align as the next phase of mRNA research unfolds.