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Newsweek
19 hours ago
- Health
- Newsweek
Top Scientist Issues Stark mRNA Vaccine Warning to U.S.
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Rick Bright, the former director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) has warned that Department of Health and Human Services' decision to cut funding for mRNA vaccine development could threaten American national security. "BARDA wasn't the only government agency making early investments in mRNA research," Bright wrote in an opinion piece for The New York Times. "The Department of Defense and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency had already recognized mRNA's potential for swift action against emerging biological threats, including those that might be weaponized." It comes after HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the termination of 22 mRNA development investments and the reallocation of roughly $500 million at the beginning of this month. Why it Matters Bright said the mRNA platform had been central to the fast response to COVID-19 and that abandoning the technology would undermine the nation's ability to respond quickly to future biological threats. Multiple scientists and doctors have spoken out against this decision, including infectious diseases expert Dr. Thomas A. Russo, who told Newsweek that mRNA vaccines "will be critical when the next, inevitable infectious diseases crisis rears its ugly head." What To Know On August 5, the HHS confirmed it would cancel $500 million in mRNA vaccine development contracts, impacting research teams and proposals—including those from Emory University, Tiba Biotech, Pfizer, Sanofi Pasteur and others. The projects reportedly targeted respiratory viruses including seasonal influenza, COVID-19, RSV and H5N1 and included work by major industry and academic teams. Secretary Kennedy argued that the data showed mRNA vaccines had not met expectations for preventing upper respiratory infections and that HHS would shift funding toward other vaccine platforms. But Bright praised mRNA technology, saying that the "unprecedented speed" with which a COVID-19 vaccine was developed in 2020 "was possible only because years earlier, the United States had invested" in it. "This decision undercuts one of the most significant medical advances in decades, technology that could protect millions more people from the threats ahead," Bright said. "I know the stakes because I was BARDA's director when the United States made the decision to invest heavily in mRNA," he said. "That investment did not begin with Covid-19. It began in 2016, when we faced the Zika virus outbreak." "We needed a way to design a vaccine in days, not years, to protect pregnant women and their babies from devastating birth defects. Older vaccine approaches were too slow," Bright continued. "The solution was mRNA: a flexible, rapid-response technology that could be reprogrammed for any virus once its genetic sequence was known. That early investment laid the groundwork for the lightning-fast Covid-19 response four years later." Kennedy said in a post on X the time: "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," Kennedy said in a post on X. "We're shifting that funding toward safer, broader vaccine platforms that remain effective even as viruses mutate." Newsweek has contacted the HHS, via online inquiry form, for a response to Bright's comments. File photo of an employee of the Bavarian Red Cross (BRK) preparing the BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine against the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 for vaccination in a vaccination center, taken in Bavaria, Germany, in January 2021. File photo of an employee of the Bavarian Red Cross (BRK) preparing the BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine against the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 for vaccination in a vaccination center, taken in Bavaria, Germany, in January 2021. AP What People Are Saying Former BARDA director Rick Bright said in his NYT op-ed: "Like every technology, mRNA has limitations. Vaccines meant to protect against respiratory infections, whether developed through mRNA or older technologies, are generally better at averting severe disease than preventing infection. It is a scientific challenge we can address with next-generation vaccines. The answer to limitations is improvement, not abandonment. "Political narratives about mRNA have fueled confusion, which leads to mistrust, yet the scientific evidence consistently shows that this technology is safe and effective and holds enormous potential for future vaccines and treatments." Children's Health Defense, an anti-vax nonprofit founded by Kennedy Jr. which focuses on childhood health epidemics, said in a post on X: "CHD applauds this most recent announcement to defund 22 mRNA vaccine projects under BARDA. While we believe that the mRNA shots on the market are unsafe and should be off the market, this is a welcome step in the right direction. The pandemic preparedness industry as it exists today is a threat to human welfare." What Happens Next HHS said it would shift funding toward other vaccine platforms but did not provide detailed timelines or specify which programs would receive redirected support. Scientific organizations, industry groups and public-health leaders said they would assess the impact and consider next steps, while some public-health advocates announced initiatives to defend vaccine science and provide public information.
Yahoo
07-08-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
RFK Jr. pulls funding for mRNA vaccines as scientists pursue breakthrough treatments for HIV, cancer, the flu and more
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced Tuesday that the federal government is canceling nearly $500 million in funding for the development of mRNA vaccines, a revolutionary new technology that was first put into widespread use during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a video explaining the decision posted to social media, Kennedy said that the Department of Health and Human Services has determined that 'mRNA technology poses more risk than benefits' for respiratory viruses like COVID-19. He also claimed that the pandemic showed 'mRNA vaccines don't perform well against viruses that affect the upper respiratory tract.' That statement runs counter to a wide body of research finding that COVID vaccines saved millions — if not tens of millions — of lives over the course of the pandemic. A total of 22 projects funded by a government agency called the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) will be affected by the funding freeze, according to the department. A few projects that are in their final stages will be allowed to continue, but 'no new mRNA-based projects will be initiated.' 'This isn't just about vaccines. It's about whether we'll be ready when the next crisis hits. Cutting mRNA development now puts every American at greater risk,' Rick Bright, who directed BARDA in the early stages of the pandemic before being reassigned by the Trump administration, told NBC News. The decision doesn't mean that research into mRNA vaccines will stop entirely, but it does cut off a major source of funding that helped the vaccines become a reality in the first place. By the time the pandemic had started, the government had already given an estimated $337 million in grants for research into mRNA vaccines. That support over the course of decades put scientists in a position to make COVID vaccines available to the public at a record-shattering pace of less than a year. How do mRNA vaccines work? The 'm' in mRNA stands for messenger. In the most basic terms, it's a piece of genetic code that tells our cells what to do. Scientists have discovered how to harness this process to make vaccine development much faster and less expensive. Traditional vaccines typically use a dead or weakened version of a virus to stimulate an immune response that effectively teaches the body how to combat the real version if it ever encounters it. These types of vaccines can take a long time to develop because they rely on the slow, often complicated process of cultivating and modifying the actual virus into a safe and effective form. Using mRNA is much faster because the crucial ingredients can be created and customized in a lab. It took Moderna just two days to produce its mRNA vaccine for COVID in January 2020, before most people had ever even heard of the virus. The vaccines carry a snippet of mRNA that instructs the body to produce a small portion of a virus, usually a protein on its outer membrane, which is enough to trigger the same type of immune response that is prompted by traditional vaccines. The quicker process also means that existing mRNA vaccines can be modified more rapidly when viruses evolve. Despite Kennedy's claims, mRNA-based COVID vaccines have been found to be just as effective at preventing severe infections and death as vaccines made using other methods. After the vaccines became widely available, unvaccinated people were 11 times more likely to die of COVID than those who were fully vaccinated, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Two researchers who helped achieve early breakthroughs in mRNA vaccines were awarded the Nobel Prize in 2023. Applications beyond COVID The introduction of COVID vaccines didn't just mark a turning point in the deadliest pandemic in modern history. It also provided evidence of mRNA's potential to protect people from a whole range of diseases. Just last week, researchers released promising results from early trials of new mRNA-based vaccines for HIV, a huge breakthrough in a pursuit that has confounded scientists for more than 40 years. There have been tremendous strides made in drugs that protect people from catching the virus or keep them healthy if they do contract it, but the limitations of those treatments still mean that more than 600,000 people are dying every year of AIDS — mostly in the developing world. Experts see a potential vaccine as a key to finally conquering the virus. There is also optimism that mRNA could be an effective tool in combating the seasonal flu. Current flu vaccines vary widely in effectiveness from year to year, and are only about 60% effective at their best, because it can be hard for experts to predict which strain of the virus will be more dominant in any given flu season. Several pharmaceutical companies are developing mRNA flu vaccines that could become a powerful tool for fighting influenza because of how quickly they can be adapted to match the nature of the virus at any given time. That speed could be especially important if a novel flu strain, like bird flu, causes a severe outbreak. There is even some promise that mRNA might one day be used to make a universal flu vaccine that covers all strains. The holy grail for mRNA is cancer. Though vaccines are typically used to prevent disease, there are several vaccines in development that show 'real hope' of being an effective treatment for people with cancer. Those include 'individualized' vaccines that are custom-made for each patient's specific needs. An mRNA vaccine for RSV is already available to certain high-risk adults. Other possible applications include the Zika virus and cytomegalovirus, an infection that is particularly dangerous for babies and people with compromised immune systems. Though experts say the rollback of U.S. government funding is a setback for these projects, some also expressed optimism that mRNA breakthroughs will continue to come even without America's support. 'Will this dent what's going on in the U.S.? Unquestionably,' Kate Bingham, who led the United Kingdom's COVID vaccine task force, told the Guardian. 'Does that mean it's negative for the world? Not necessarily.' Solve the daily Crossword
Forbes
06-08-2025
- Health
- Forbes
RFK Jr. Cancels $500 Million In Funding For mRNA Vaccine Research
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the cancellation of contracts and grants worth nearly $500 million earmarked for the development of mRNA vaccines, the latest in a series of moves by the long-time vaccine critic who had repeatedly cast doubts about the safety and efficacy of such shots despite pushback from scientists. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is seen on stage at the inaugural Great American Farmers Market on the National Mall on Monday. CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images In a statement issued on Tuesday night, the Department of Health and Human Services described the move as a 'coordinated wind-down of its mRNA vaccine development activities under the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA).' The agency claimed the decision was made after carrying out a 'comprehensive review' of mRNA-related investments made during the Covid-19 pandemic. Kennedy said BARDA will scrap 22 mRNA vaccine development investments, claiming that data showed 'these vaccines fail to protect effectively against upper respiratory infections like COVID and flu.' Kennedy also claimed that the HHS will shift this funding towards 'safer, broader vaccine platforms that remain effective even as viruses mutate,' without offering any specifics. The noted vaccine also insisted that the HHS 'supports safe, effective vaccines for every American who wants them.' In a post on X, immunologist and former BARDA Director Rick Bright wrote: 'BARDA invested in mRNA technology precisely because it could deliver safe, scalable vaccines in record time, a capability proven during COVID. By dismantling that platform, we're crippling our front-line defense, just ahead of unknown biological threats.' Chris Meekins, who served as assistant secretary for pandemic preparedness in the HHS during the first Trump administration, also criticized the move, tweeting: 'Ending BARDA's investment in mRNA technology creates a national security vulnerability. These tools serve as a deterrent to prevent other nations from using certain biological agents. The speed of the technology to create new biodefense capabilities is a national security asset.'
Politico
06-08-2025
- Health
- Politico
Kennedy to halt $500 million in vaccine projects
The planned cancellation of contracts includes work with Emory University and Tiba Biotech. Proposals from Pfizer, Sanofi Pasteur, CSL Seqirus, Gritstone and others will also be rejected, according to HHS. Rick Bright, who led HHS's Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, or BARDA, from 2016 to 2020 — and criticized the Trump administration's early Covid response — slammed the decision, calling it a 'huge strategic misstep.' 'This decision signals a dangerous complacency,' Bright said in a text. 'Disinvesting from mRNA strips us of one of the fastest tools we have to contain the next pandemic, natural or deliberate. Pulling back from proven medical countermeasure platforms at a time of escalating global bio‑risks deeply compromises national security.' HHS said the cancellations impact 22 projects worth nearly $500 million — however, some contracts in their final stage will be 'allowed to run their course to preserve prior taxpayer investment.' The federal health department said it is instructing the Global Health Investment Corporation — which helps manage BARDA's technological investments — to cease mRNA-based equity investments. However, HHS said other mRNA technologies 'within the department are not impacted by this announcement.' HHS said future BARDA vaccine investments will focus on technologies such as whole-virus vaccines and other new immunization platforms.
Washington Post
31-03-2025
- General
- Washington Post
Restored 1906 Victorian in Bloomingdale on the market for $1.8 million
Many old houses in Washington have been updated in ways that aren't historically accurate: a Queen Anne gets an open-concept first floor, a Federal is fitted with mid-century fixings, or some walls of a Colonial are removed, and others painted white. It's rare to find a house relatively untouched. But that's what Rick Bright and his husband, Travis Elliott, discovered in this Bloomingdale Victorian, beneath previous renovations that Bright compared to 'whatever they could find off a Home Depot clearance aisle.'
