Trump Administration pulls funding for mRNA research
(CBS, KYMA/KECY) - The Trump Administration is pulling half a billion dollars from research into mRNA vaccines that helped slow the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a video on social media, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. criticized mRNA vaccines, saying the technology is too risky.
The decision effectively cancels projects being led by major pharmaceutical companies, including Pfizer and Moderna.
Doctors and infectious disease experts say the mRNA technology used in vaccines is safe.
"The advantage of MRNA is it's much faster to make than a protein vaccine. It is much more efficient and so when you're in the middle of an emergency like a COVID pandemic, you want the fastest things possible, something you don't have to wait years to develop," said Dr. Celine Gounder, CBS News medical contributor.
On Tuesday, Secretary Kennedy said a "universal vaccine" that mimics "natural immunity" is the Trump Administration's focus. He said such a vaccine could be effective against coronaviruses and the flu.
