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Washington, D.C., May 30, 2025 — The US government has abruptly cancelled a $590 million contract with Moderna to develop a human vaccine for bird flu, citing concerns about the safety and scientific justification of continued investment in mRNA technology.
The contract, originally signed in January under former President Joe Biden, would have given the US early access to Moderna’s H5N1 bird flu vaccine doses in the event of a pandemic. However, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced Thursday that it was terminating the agreement after a “rigorous review.”
“After a rigorous review, we concluded that continued investment in Moderna’s H5N1 mRNA vaccine was not scientifically or ethically justifiable,” said Andrew Nixon, an HHS spokesperson.
The decision aligns with the views of current Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has been openly skeptical of mRNA vaccines and has previously faced criticism for suggesting that bird flu should be allowed to spread naturally among poultry to identify resistant birds.
A separate HHS statement emphasized:
“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.”
Impact on Vaccine Development
Moderna had received the $590 million grant earlier this year to support late-stage development of its bird flu vaccine and to expand research into five additional pandemic influenza subtypes. This followed a previous $176 million investment from HHS in 2023.
Despite the setback, Moderna reported promising interim results from a mid-stage trial involving about 300 healthy adults. The vaccine reportedly produced “a rapid, potent and durable immune response.”
Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel expressed disappointment over the funding termination but remained optimistic:
“While the termination of funding from HHS adds uncertainty, we are pleased by the robust immune response and safety profile … and we will explore alternative paths forward for the program. These clinical data in pandemic influenza underscore the critical role mRNA technology has played as a countermeasure to emerging health threats.”
The company is now expected to seek alternative avenues for late-stage development and manufacturing of the vaccine.
Public Health Concerns
The government’s decision has sparked concern among public health experts, who warn that the US may be discarding one of its most effective tools for rapidly combating an avian influenza outbreak. Some experts have called the skepticism toward mRNA vaccines “beyond absurd,” especially given the success of mRNA technology in the fight against Covid-19.
The H5N1 avian flu strain has been circulating globally for years, infecting wild birds, domestic poultry, and even mammals such as bears and sea lions. In 2024 alone, around 70 human infections were reported in the US, mostly among farm workers.
While the US Strategic National Stockpile contains bird flu vaccines produced with older methods, mRNA vaccines offer a newer approach. Unlike traditional vaccines that use weakened or inactivated viruses, mRNA vaccines use messenger RNA to instruct cells to produce a harmless piece of the virus, prompting the immune system to generate protective antibodies. The mRNA itself is broken down by the body shortly after use and cannot cause infection.
mRNA technology was successfully deployed in Covid-19 vaccines developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, which were shown to be safe and effective in large-scale trials.
Disclaimer
This article is based on information reported by Business Standard as of May 30, 2025. The situation regarding the development and regulation of mRNA vaccines is rapidly evolving. Readers are advised to consult official government and health authority sources for the most up-to-date information. The views of quoted individuals do not necessarily represent the consensus of the broader scientific or medical community.
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