HHS cancels nearly $500 million in federal funding for mRNA vaccines | 5 Aug 2025 | Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Tuesday announced he had canceled nearly $500 million in federal projects and contracts that went toward mRNA vaccine development. The move is part of the HHS’s larger project to wind down mRNA vaccine activities under the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA). The decision comes after the department reviewed mRNA-related investments initiated during the COVID-19 pandemic, and includes the closure of 22 projects.