RFK Jr addresses the nation. Credit: X@SecKennedy
US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr has scrapped over $500 million (€432 million) in federal vaccine funding, announcing a pivot towards developing a so-called “universal vaccine” designed to mimic natural immunity.
In a statement on August 6, 2025, Kennedy confirmed that the US Department of Health and Human Services will cancel 22 vaccine development projects (all using mRNA technology) in favour of “safer, broader vaccine strategies.” The move, affecting major players like Pfizer and Moderna, has sparked fierce backlash from public health experts across the US.
Kennedy claimed the goal is a new, all-in-one jab that could offer protection not just against COVID-19 but also influenza and future pandemics.
Kennedy touts universal, all-in-one jab that ‘mimics natural immunity’
Speaking from Anchorage, Alaska, hours after the announcement, Kennedy declared, “It could be effective – we believe it’s going to be effective – against not only coronaviruses, but also flu.”
The health department described the cancelled mRNA contracts as part of a “shift in vaccine development priorities.” Kennedy, a long-time vaccine critic, said mRNA platforms are flawed and unstable when viruses mutate.
“We reviewed the science, listened to the experts, and acted. BARDA is terminating 22 mRNA vaccine development investments because the data show these vaccines fail to protect effectively against upper respiratory infections like COVID and flu. We’re shifting that funding toward safer, broader vaccine platforms that remain effective even as viruses mutate,” he said in a video posted on X.
Reactions from the medical community were swift and damning.
“I don’t think I’ve seen a more dangerous decision in public health in my 50 years in the business,” said infectious disease expert Mike Osterholm of the University of Minnesota, cited by Sky News.
Dr Paul Offit of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia also slammed the decision, “It’s certainly saved millions of lives,” he said, referring to mRNA vaccines used during the COVID-19 pandemic.
What is mRNA?
mRNA (messenger RNA) vaccines do not use the actual virus to trigger immunity. Instead, they deliver a genetic blueprint that instructs the body to create a harmless viral protein, prompting an immune response.
This approach allows for quicker production of vaccines, according to the UK Health Security Agency. Moderna previously claimed mRNA could accelerate flu vaccine development.
Despite Kennedy’s criticism, the Department of Health clarified that “other uses of mRNA technology within the department are not impacted by this announcement,” including research into cancer therapies and other diseases.
This is the latest in a series of controversial decisions by Kennedy since taking office:
As experts warn of rising vaccine hesitancy and reduced pandemic preparedness, the bigger question looms: will a universal jab really deliver?
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