The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has ceased nearly $500 million in funding for mRNA vaccine development through the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority. This decision has sparked considerable concern from the scientific and national security communities. Experts warn that this move significantly reduces preparedness against future pandemics and bioterrorism threats, given the rapid development capabilities of mRNA technologies as demonstrated during the Covid-19 pandemic. The policy shift has elicited criticism for diverging from established evidence on mRNA vaccine safety and efficacy and threatens to reshape both public and private biotech investment landscapes.