The Trump administration is decreasing funding for the development of mRNA (messenger RNA) vaccines, which were crucial in the response to COVID-19. Why it matters: mRNA vaccines are a public health tool to mitigating future pandemic-like situations,

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said this week that he's pulling the plug on nearly $500 million in funding for the development of mRNA vaccines. Here's how they work. Vaccines using mRNA technology weren’t immune to the latest round of federal research cuts.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. revealed his agency will be cutting funding to mRNA development, calling the vaccine technology "ineffective" and claiming it poses more risks than benefits.