Kennedy cancels $500 million in mRNA vaccine contracts
The US government’s emergency preparedness agency, BARDA, has made a shocking announcement that they will no longer fund research on messenger RNA vaccines. Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated that 22 grants supporting the development of mRNA vaccines will be terminated due to claims that these vaccines are ineffective against upper respiratory infections like COVID-19 and the flu. However, studies have refuted Kennedy’s assertion.
Kennedy mentioned that contracts with companies like Arcturus and Amplitude, which are in the final stages of development, will be allowed to continue to preserve taxpayer investment. Nevertheless, future projects involving mRNA vaccines will not receive funding from BARDA.
This decision has sparked outrage among vaccine experts and pandemic preparedness professionals who fear that the US will be left without an adequate supply of vaccines in the event of another public health emergency. Rick Bright, a former director of BARDA who was removed from his position during the Trump administration, criticized the move, calling it a self-inflicted vulnerability that weakens essential countermeasures at a time when global health threats are escalating.
Bright, who now works as a preparedness consultant and has filed for whistleblower status, warned that the decision to halt funding for mRNA vaccines will result in severe consequences, including loss of life, when a rapid vaccine response is crucial.
The implications of this decision are dire, and it is essential for the US government to reconsider its stance on mRNA vaccine research to ensure that the country is adequately prepared for future health crises.
