Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., slammed the actions of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. after the department canceled half a billion dollars in federal contracts for mRNA vaccine development, Mediaite reported.
"It is unfortunate that the Secretary just canceled a half a billion worth of work, wasting the money which is already invested. He has also conceded to China an important technology needed to combat cancer and infectious disease," Cassidy, who is a physician, posted on X.
"President [Donald] Trump wants to Make America Healthy Again and Make America Great Again. This works against both of President Trump's goals."
HHS announced this week it will end funding and contracts for 22 mRNA vaccine projects targeting COVID-19, flu, and H5N1. Kennedy said that $500 million in projects led by companies like Pfizer and Moderna will be halted.
"We reviewed the science, listened to the experts, and acted," Kennedy said in a statement. "BARDA [Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority] is terminating 22 mRNA vaccine development investments because the data show these vaccines fail to protect effectively against upper respiratory infections like COVID and flu. We're shifting that funding toward safer, broader vaccine platforms that remain effective even as viruses mutate."
In February, Cassidy proved to be a critical vote in confirming Kennedy, delivered a speech in his support of Kennedy, and called out his position on vaccines.
"I practiced medicine for 30 years in a public hospital for the uninsured, caring for those who otherwise would not have been able to afford the access to the care that I provided," Cassidy said.
"After seeing patients die from vaccine preventable diseases, I dedicated much of my time to vaccine research and immunization programs, personally witnessing the safety monitoring and the effectiveness of immunization. But simply, vaccines save lives."
James Morley III ✉
James Morley III is a writer with more than two decades of experience in entertainment, travel, technology, and science and nature.
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