A look at how mRNA vaccines work as RFK Jr. cancels government

A look at how mRNA vaccines work as RFK Jr. cancels government-funded research Health Aug 6, 2025 2:41 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — So-called mRNA vaccines saved millions of lives during the COVID-19 pandemic — and now scientists are using that Nobel Prize-winning technology to try to develop vaccines and treatments against a long list of diseases including cancer and cystic fibrosis.

But this week, U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime vaccine critic, canceled $500 million in government-funded research projects to create new mRNA vaccines against respiratory illnesses that might trigger another health emergency.

That dismays infectious disease experts who note that mRNA allows faster production of shots than older vaccine-production methods, buying precious time if anot