Following a recent directive by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority terminated multiple grants supporting mRNA vaccine development citing safety and effectiveness issues. NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya attributed the retreat in federally funded mRNA vaccine research to pervasive public distrust of the platform, prompting a scaling back of investments. This shift has attracted scrutiny and raises questions about impacts on mRNA therapeutic development broadly, contrasting with support for mRNA in non-vaccine disease areas like cancer.