The United States recently took a dangerous step backward in fighting diseases and preparing for future pandemics. The Department of Health and Human Services shut down 22 federally funded mRNA vaccine programs, which represent $500 million in important medical research.
This move threatens one of the most powerful technologies in modern medicine.
Even more concerning, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., along with the director of the National Institutes of Health, made several false claims about mRNA technology. These statements could slow American innovation, weaken our ability to compete globally, and make it harder to protect Americans from biological threats.
mRNA vaccines are game-changing
mRNA is a groundbreaking tool in science, similar to how the internet changed communication. Unlike traditional vaccines, which can take years to develop and produce, mRNA vaccines allow scientists to create targeted solutions in days and make them in weeks.
This speed helps train the immune system to fight threats—from COVID to cancer—giving America a key tool against pandemics, bioweapons, and deadly diseases that could affect families.
China knows how powerful this is, which is why it’s investing billions into advanced biotechnology to gain global leadership.
The technology has been studied for almost 20 years, but the big breakthrough came during the COVID-19 pandemic. mRNA vaccines were delivered years ahead of schedule, saving millions of lives. I had the honor of serving on the White House Coronavirus Task Force under President Donald Trump, who made the bold choice to invest in mRNA.
Through that effort, known as Operation Warp Speed, American scientists had the resources to innovate without red tape. We worked to make sure trials were safe and included women and underserved communities.
As President Trump recently said, it “was one of the most incredible things ever done in this country.” Within months, vaccines were approved and distributed nationwide.
Today, HHS is dismantling the same mRNA technology that proved America could deliver lifesaving treatments at warp speed. This decision doesn’t just affect COVID-19 and flu vaccines—it also hurts research on cancer, HIV, malaria, tuberculosis, and other deadly diseases.
Rolling back progress on medical research
In cancer treatment, mRNA vaccines are helping create personalized therapies that target only the patient’s tumor, leaving healthy tissue unharmed. In one trial, combining an mRNA vaccine with immunotherapy cut melanoma recurrence or death nearly in half.
Early pancreatic cancer results show patients responding to mRNA vaccines stayed cancer-free much longer than others. This could eventually allow Americans to get vaccines tailored to their cancer, instead of relying on chemotherapy or bone marrow transplants.
For HIV, early mRNA vaccines produced protective antibodies in 80% of participants, which could turn daily medication into a yearly shot. Malaria and tuberculosis vaccines, like those developed by BioNTech, could save millions of lives in developing countries and boost global stability.
Cutting mRNA funding will slow breakthroughs like these and research into treatments for brain cancer, cystic fibrosis, and genetic disorders. It will also weaken our readiness for the next pandemic or bioterror attack.
President Trump should lead again
Before Secretary Kennedy was confirmed, I temporarily rejoined HHS as an unpaid special government employee to assess how America could respond to a deadly new strain of avian flu.
After reviewing research and consulting with national leaders, I concluded that mRNA technology could respond quickly enough to prevent millions of deaths.
mRNA isn’t a cure-all, but it is essential in our fight against infectious and chronic diseases. We must continue research on mRNA, traditional vaccines, home testing, and antiviral medicines for diseases like COVID, HIV, and Hepatitis C.
The nation that leads in biomedical innovation will shape global health security for decades. President Trump should again bet on American innovation, using mRNA to protect our country and lead the world into a healthier future.
