Health leaders fear ending mRNA vaccine research ‘risks lives’

Healthcare leaders have hammered Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for the cancellation of nearly two dozen vaccine development projects.

Kennedy announced this week that he’s terminating nearly $500 million in mRNA vaccine development investments. In a video announcing the move, Kennedy said the mRNA technology “poses more risks and benefits” in treating upper respiratory viruses, including COVID.

“As the pandemic showed us, mRNA vaccines don't perform well against viruses that infect the upper respiratory tract,” Kennedy said. He added that the government is “prioritizing the development of safer, broader vaccine strategies.”

Infectious disease experts and healthcare leaders have widely panned Kennedy’s assessment of the safety and effectiveness of mRNA vaccines. They also have expressed growing alarm at other changes in federal vaccine policies since Kennedy, a longtime critic of vaccine safety, took over the Health & Human Services Department.

Jerome Adams, MD, who served as surgeon general under President Trump during his first administration, said mRNA research saved millions of lives during the Covid pandemic. In a series of posts on X, Adams said eliminating funding of mRNA “isn’t just bad policy - it’s dangerous.”

“The data is clear: mRNA vaccines have a strong safety record. We shouldn't ignore concerns, yet risks of COVID far outweigh rare side effects,” Adams wrote on X. He added, “Calling them ‘inherently dangerous’ ignores science & risks lives.”

Scientists have been studying mRNA vaccines for decades, and the research has been financed by the National Institutes of Health and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Adams said.

The former surgeon general said on X that he’s tried to be measured in his comments on HHS policy, but after Kennedy’s announcement to end the mRNA contracts, Adams said, “Quite frankly this move is going to cost lives.”

‘Halting promising research’

Tom Frieden, MD, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, also raised fears that shutting down studies of mRNA vaccines could reverse progress in saving lives.

“mRNA vaccines have already saved millions of lives from Covid and they have the potential to save millions more from other diseases,” Frieden said on X. “Suspending research on this modern medical miracle will mean more suffering and more preventable death.”

Tina Tan, MD, president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, issued a statement saying that it’s prudent to invest in different types of vaccine research “ but those efforts should not replace ongoing, promising research.”

“Significant data demonstrate that mRNA vaccines are safe and highly effective at preventing severe disease, hospitalization and death due to COVID-19. mRNA technology also shows potential against other respiratory pathogens like influenza and is worthy of further study,” Tan said.

“Halting promising research that is already underway wastes taxpayer dollars and prohibits the scientific progress that Americans depend upon to keep us healthy during routine respiratory virus season and future outbreaks and pandemics.”

Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican and a physician who cast a critical vote in Kennedy’s confirmation as health secretary, criticized the cancellation of the contracts as a bad choice in terms of public health policy and using taxpayer dollars.

“It is unfortunate that the Secretary just canceled a half a billion worth of work, wasting the money which is already invested,” Cassidy said on X. “He has also conceded to China an important technology needed to combat cancer and infectious disease. President Trump wants to Make America Healthy Again and Make America Great Again. This works against both of President Trump’s goals.”

‘It is baseless’

Kennedy said the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) is terminating 22 contracts, including work with AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Sanofi Pasteur, Moderna and the University of Texas Medical Branch, and Emory University.

Michael Osterholm, who runs the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, told NPR that terminating the mRNA research “may be the most dangerous public health judgment that I've seen in my 50 years in this business.”

"It is baseless, and we will pay a tremendous price in terms of illnesses and deaths,” Osterholm added.

Under Kennedy’s direction, the health department has made other changes in vaccine policy that have worried many healthcare leaders.

Last week, the American Medical Association and several other organizations said they were alarmed when they were notified they will no longer be working with a federal vaccine advisory panel to make recommendations on vaccines.

Several weeks ago, Kennedy fired all 17 members of the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Critics said the relatively unknown group offered important guidance on vaccines, and they also expressed concern about some of the new members installed by Kennedy.

Healthcare leaders panned the health department for changing recommendations on Covid vaccines, saying it is no longer advising pregnant women and healthy children to get the coronavirus vaccine. Critics say they’re worried about greater health risks to mothers and babies.

The health department recently announced that new vaccines will be tested by comparing results against a placebo, and critics say that will delay the development of vaccines.

In making his announcement on ending the mRNA studies, Kennedy said he was taking the step to provide Americans with safer vaccines.

“Let me be absolutely clear: HHS supports safe, effective vaccines for every American who wants them,” Kennedy said. “That’s why we’re moving beyond the limitations of mRNA and investing in better solutions.”

Dr. Peter Hotez, co-director of the Center for Vaccine Development at Texas Children's Hospital, told KHOU-TV that mRNA vaccines have proven to be safe. He pointed to estimates that mRNA vaccines may have saved 3.2 million lives during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I'm very concerned that he's decided to kind of take that technology off the table when we know it's proven to be effective and highly safe,” Hotez said.