Scientists in the UK have voiced strong support for mRNA vaccine technology after Robert F Kennedy Jr’s health department cancelled $500m (£376m) in US federal funding for such vaccines. The move, which ends 22 contracts including one with Moderna for a bird flu vaccine, has been condemned as potentially harmful to global health.
Kennedy, a long-standing vaccine sceptic, claimed the funding would be redirected to “safer, broader vaccine platforms”. However, UK experts have dismissed his assertions that mRNA vaccines are ineffective against upper respiratory infections or cause viruses to mutate faster. “There is no scientific evidence that this is the case,” said Professor Robin Shattock of Imperial College London.
The technology, which saved millions of lives during the Covid-19 pandemic, holds promise for cancer and rapid pandemic response. Professor Andrew Pollard of the Oxford Vaccine Group noted mRNA vaccines can be produced in six weeks, compared to five to six months for traditional egg-based methods. Dame Kate Bingham, former head of the UK vaccine taskforce, suggested hardcore anti-vaxxers simply do not understand the science.
Despite pervasive misinformation, the safety record of mRNA vaccines is supported by extensive clinical trials and real-world data. Common side effects like sore arms and fever are mild and typical of many vaccines. Pollard added that claims of inadequate testing are “ridiculous”.
