The Department of Health and Human Services will cancel contracts and pull funding for some vaccines for viruses including COVID-19 and the flu that use mRNA technology.

Washington

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has announced a reduction of more than $500 million in funding for vaccine research and development. The majority of these cuts target vaccines that use mRNA technology, particularly those for COVID-19 and influenza. Kennedy Jr. claims the move is based on scientific concerns about mRNA vaccine safety and effectiveness, especially regarding heart issues in young men. However, most medical professionals dispute these claims, emphasizing the importance of mRNA technology in combating future pandemics. The funding cuts are expected to impact pharmaceutical companies and could lead to lower vaccination rates, especially as insurance coverage for mRNA vaccines may be affected. The announcement follows recent reports of declining kindergarten vaccination rates due to increased exemptions.

RFK Jr. pulls vaccine funding

Some big health news here this morning, the Department of Health and Human Services cutting now half a billion dollars in funding for vaccines. R.F.K. Jr. says he's following the science. Others say he's playing politics. Fox's Lucas Tomlinson has more from Washington. mRNA technology poses more risks than benefits. HHS Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. announcing another big shift to America's healthcare policy. More than $500 million in funding for vaccine research and development has been pulled. Most of the cuts are for vaccines that protect against COVID and the flu. R.F.K. says the government is moving away from the mRNA technology used to create those shots. Right now we're developing a universal vaccine at NIH, which is a vaccine that addresses the entire phylum of viruses. Kennedy says mRNA vaccines have been linked to heart issues in young men and aren't effective against diseases like COVID. But most doctors say those claims aren't true, and future pandemics will be harder to stop without the help of mRNA. We are just inundated with bad information, candidly, completely false, and then people spread it thinking it's true and becomes misinformation. The funding cuts put the biggest pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer and Moderna in a tough spot. They could keep developing mRNA vaccines on their own, but if HHS doesn't recommend them, they likely won't be covered by insurance. And experts say that could drive down vaccination rates even further. We may need to look to different physician groups to get those recommendations. It's all very unfortunate, but that's kind of the reality that we're in right now. The announcement comes less than a week after a new report shows kindergarten vaccination rates are declining because of a rise in exemptions. In Washington, Lucas Tomlinson, Fox 9.

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