President Donald Trump’s Health and Human Services Department is pulling the plug on $500 million worth of mRNA vaccine projects — a bold shift that doubles down on skepticism toward Big Pharma’s favored technology.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced Tuesday that 22 taxpayer-funded projects, including those with Pfizer and Moderna, will be scrapped in favor of “safer, broader vaccine strategies” like whole-virus vaccines. “We’re not going to keep pouring billions into tech that collapses when a virus mutates,” Kennedy said, making it clear the administration wants vaccines that mimic natural immunity and aren’t dependent on foreign supply chains.
What a HUGE step for making America healthy again!
Critics in the public health establishment — many of whom pushed lockdowns and mandates — are in meltdown mode. University of Minnesota’s Mike Osterholm called the move “dangerous,” while Dr. Paul Offit warned that future pandemics will be “harder to stop” without mRNA. These same experts hailed mRNA during the first Trump term for its rapid development during COVID, but they overlook one thing: speed without reliability is a costly gamble.
Trump’s America First agenda has always been about securing medical independence and cutting waste. By pivoting away from an overhyped platform, HHS is betting on vaccine strategies that could work against multiple viruses — not just the next trendy variant. Kennedy says the administration’s “universal vaccine” project aims to protect against both coronaviruses and flu, with trials already in the works.
Bottom line: This is a seismic shake-up in U.S. vaccine policy — one that keeps taxpayer dollars in check, prioritizes safety, and puts American innovation over Big Pharma hype.