As part of the president’s Make America Healthy Again campaign, the Trump administration has canceled a massive $766 million mRNA bird flu vaccine contract due to safety concerns.
The move signals a major policy shift towards safer, more transparent vaccine technologies after years of questionable practices under the Biden administration.
This decision has ruffled feathers among the left and those who profited from rushed vaccine development during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) officially terminated Moderna’s multi-million-dollar contract for developing an mRNA vaccine against H5N1 bird flu and other potential pandemic influenza strains.
Initially awarded in two installments in July 2024 and January 2025, the funding was canceled after a thorough review by the Trump administration, which cited serious concerns about mRNA technology’s safety profile.
HHS Communications Director Andrew Nixon made it clear why the administration pulled the plug.
“After a rigorous review, we concluded that continued investment in Moderna’s H5N1 mRNA vaccine was not scientifically or ethically justifiable,” he said.
Nixon further explained the administration’s position, highlighting the new transparency-focused approach to vaccine development.
He added:
“This is not simply about efficacy—it’s about safety, integrity, and trust. The reality is that mRNA technology remains under-tested, and we are not going to spend taxpayer dollars repeating the mistakes of the last administration, which concealed legitimate safety concerns from the public.”
The decision represents a significant policy reversal from the previous administration, which rushed experimental vaccines to market.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime advocate for vaccine safety and transparency, has expressed skepticism about mRNA vaccines.
In response, Moderna announced it would seek “alternative paths” for its vaccine program.
The company released positive interim results from a small study involving just 300 healthy adults, claiming a “robust immune response” despite the funding termination.
The H5N1 bird flu has already spread to multiple dairy herds and poultry farms across America, with around 70 human cases reported so far.
While the virus has not shown signs of easy human-to-human transmission yet, health officials remain vigilant about potential mutations that could make it more dangerous.
“This decision puts the lives and health of the American people at risk,” claimed Dr. Ashish Jha, a frequent critic of the administration’s health policies.
Other critics, like Jennifer Nuzzo from Brown University’s Pandemic Center and Michael Osterholm, warned about limited flu vaccine manufacturers and potential shortages during a pandemic.
The HHS plans to redirect vaccine funding toward platforms with better-established safety profiles and transparent data practices.
This shift aims to restore public trust in vaccine programs after years of questionable practices and data concealment.
The $766 million that would have gone to Moderna included $176 million awarded in July 2024 and $590 million in January 2025.
The larger portion was intended to support a late-stage clinical trial, which will now not proceed under government funding.
