The Trump administration canceled a $600 million contract with Moderna to develop a bird flu vaccine, forfeiting the U.S.'s right to prioritize vaccine doses. This decision, partly influenced by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s skepticism towards mRNA technology, reverses a Biden administration agreement to prepare for a potential pandemic. The cancellation follows an earlier review of the contract by the Department of Health and Human Services and builds on previous government investment in Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine development.

Prepared by Olivia Bennett and reviewed by editorial team.