U.S. Halting mRNA Vaccine Contracts Posed as Major Setback, WHO Warns
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has made a significant move in the vaccine development landscape, terminating 22 federal contracts for mRNA-based vaccines due to concerns about their effectiveness against upper respiratory infections, including COVID-19 and flu.
This decision, announced by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., reflects a strategic shift towards funding vaccine platforms that offer broader and safer protection, especially as viruses continue to mutate. The move follows increased regulatory scrutiny and a pivot away from mRNA platforms towards vaccine technologies perceived as more resilient to viral mutation.
Key reasons for this decision include the perceived ineffectiveness of mRNA vaccines to sufficiently protect against upper respiratory infections, a focus on vaccine platforms that remain effective even as viruses mutate, concerns over safety and efficacy, and the need for trials to demonstrate clear clinical outcomes rather than surrogate markers.
The termination of contracts under the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), which leads medical countermeasures for pandemics and emerging diseases, will not only affect projects related to COVID-19 but also extend to other vaccine development projects.
The decision affects 22 projects worth nearly $500 million in total. Notable cancellations include a contract awarded to Moderna for the late-stage development of its bird flu vaccine for humans. The US health department is also cancelling contracts and pre-award solicitations for vaccine development projects that do not meet its current criteria, including proposals from Pfizer, Sanofi Pasteur, CSL Seqirus, Gritstone, and others.
However, Joachim Hombach, executive secretary for the WHO's strategic advisory group of experts on immunisation, has called for work on the development of mRNA vaccines to continue around the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) considers this decision a significant blow, with potential implications for the future of vaccine development and the fight against emerging and pandemic threats.
The HHS will continue some final-stage mRNA vaccine contracts but will not initiate new mRNA vaccine development projects, de-scoping several existing contracts. mRNA vaccines, which deliver genetic instructions into the host’s cells to produce a harmless decoy of the pathogen and train the immune system, are particularly useful in developing vaccines against emerging and pandemic threats because these platforms can be rapidly adapted.
Despite the controversy surrounding the decision, Kennedy did not offer scientific evidence to support the claim that the vaccines "fail to protect effectively against upper respiratory infections like COVID and flu." Unlike traditional vaccines, mRNA vaccines do not use weakened or inactivated forms of the target virus or bacteria.
This decision, made during the Trump administration, follows a comprehensive review of mRNA-related investments initiated during the COVID-19 public health emergency. It's important to note that shortly after his inauguration, Trump signed an executive order directing the United States to withdraw from the WHO.
This news marks a significant shift in the vaccine development landscape, with potential implications for the future of healthcare and public health. As the HHS continues to review and invest in promising vaccine technologies, the world will be watching closely to see how this decision unfolds.
[1] The Wall Street Journal [2] The New York Times [3] The Washington Post [4] Bloomberg
- The HHS's decision to terminate 22 federal contracts for mRNA-based vaccines due to concerns about their effectiveness against upper respiratory infections may impact the future of healthcare and public health, as regulatory scrutiny shifts towards vaccine platforms offering broader and safer protection.
- The cancellation of contracts for vaccine development projects, including a notable one awarded to Moderna for the bird flu vaccine, would push the US health department to focus on technologies that remain effective even as viruses mutate, potentially affecting the war against emerging and pandemic health-and-wellness threats.
- As the world grapples with the consequences of the HHS's decision to discontinue mRNA vaccine development projects, science and medical-conditions experts call for continued work on the development of mRNA vaccines to ensure a strong defense in the face of global health crises.
