The Trump administration has terminated nearly $1 billion in funding from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to Moderna for the development of mRNA-based bird flu vaccines, citing safety concerns and insufficient oversight. This decision follows prior awards granted during the Biden administration, which included $590 million to accelerate production of such vaccines. HHS officials emphasized that mRNA technology remains under-tested, and the decision aims to prevent repeating past mistakes linked to safety transparency issues.
Under the Biden administration, HHS awarded Moderna $590 million to speed up the production of mRNA-based vaccines, following an earlier $176 million award for mRNA vaccine technology. The HHS communications director, Andrew Nixon, stated that after a rigorous review, the agency concluded that continued investment in Moderna’s H5N1 mRNA vaccine was not scientifically or ethically justifiable. The concern centers on safety, integrity, and trust, with the agency highlighting that mRNA technology has not yet been fully tested.
The termination of funding reflects a broader shift in federal vaccine priorities following HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s announcement to remove COVID-19 vaccines from the list of recommended vaccines for children and pregnant women. This comes amid a Senate report revealing that the Biden administration had withheld critical safety data about mRNA vaccines and delayed warnings about the risks of myocarditis, a type of heart inflammation, following vaccination.
Moderna responded to the funding cut with a press release acknowledging the move but expressing confidence in the safety and efficacy of its mRNA technology. The company emphasized the robust immune response and safety profile observed in its Phase 1/2 study for the bird flu vaccine, underscoring the critical role of mRNA technology in addressing emerging health threats.