RFK Jr. Winds Down Funding of mRNA Vaccine Research

The policy might be reasonable, but the reasoning expressed is absurd

On August 5, 2025, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, announced that he was winding down mRNA vaccine development under the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority. This decision amounted to the cancellation of $500 million in funding. Given RFK Jr.’s reputation and the present state of political discourse, this decision was going to be derided in some corners. However, there could have been a sensible reason to make this decision. If that were the case, the secretary’s announcement would have sounded something like this:

The Federal Government of the United States has helped fund mRNA vaccine development. This successful effort saved at the very least 4 million human lives during the COVID pandemic. It is now time for the private sector to take the lead in mRNA research. The $500 million in funding that I am discontinuing today pales in comparison to the nearly $3 billion the federal government has already invested in this technology.

As you well know, I have concerns about the safety of vaccines in general and the mRNA vaccine in particular. I will discuss with FDA leadership the research we expect the pharmaceutical industry to conduct for us to feel comfortable in continuing to approve these drugs.

This is not what he said. This is what he actually said.

The decision to end funding could have been reasonable. The announcement of the decision could have been made in a way that garnered support from centrists and even grudging support from Republicans and Democrats. Instead, the rationale offered for the decision revealed the worst truths about the secretary.