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Welcome to The Logoff: In a blow to US pandemic preparedness, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced on Tuesday evening that he was slashing $500 million in federal mRNA vaccine contracts.

What is HHS cutting? Twenty-two mRNA vaccine projects, intended to combat respiratory viruses like bird flu, are set to be wound down following the announcement.

What is mRNA? mRNA, or messenger RNA, is the reason the US had safe, effective Covid-19 vaccines available as early as it did. A promising but still unproven technology prior to the pandemic, mRNA allowed pharmaceutical companies to develop effective vac

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