The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced that it will stop developing mRNA-based vaccines as part of its biomedical research division. The department, led by vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr., justified the decision by citing the “ineffectiveness” of the funding, though it has not made the supporting data publicly available.

As the department announced Tuesday (local time), a total of 22 projects worth nearly $500 million are affected by this cost-cutting measure. The decision follows a comprehensive review of mRNA-related investments launched during the COVID-19 pandemic. U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated that the department is discontinuing these programs because data showed that mRNA vaccines do not effectively protect against upper respiratory infections such as COVID-19 and influenza.

However, Kennedy did not provide any scientific evidence to support his statement. According to him, the redirected funds will now be invested in “broader and safer vaccine platforms.” Not the First Vaccine Project to Be Canceled The contract with Moderna for the late-stage development of a bird flu vaccine for humans has already been terminated. According to the department, several bids are being rejected or canceled before the final awarding of contracts—including proposals from Pfizer, Sanofi Pasteur, CSL Seqirus, Gritstone, and others. German biotech company BioNTech is also active in this field.

The Biomedical Research Division of HHS assists companies in developing medical tools to address public health threats and had allocated billions of dollars toward the development of COVID-19 vaccines during the pandemic.