RFK Jr. Pauses $240M COVID Vaccine Project Initiated Under Biden

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has placed a 90-day pause on a $240 million contract signed under the Biden-Harris administration to develop an oral COVID-19 vaccine.

“Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has paused a multimillion-dollar contract from the Biden administration to create a new COVID-19 vaccine.

Kennedy issued a 90-day stop-work order on Friday related to the HHS contract with American biotech… pic.twitter.com/TV4Vaj9asN

— Chief Nerd (@TheChiefNerd) February 26, 2025

Elon Musk Called This Financial News ‘Terrifying’

The contract, awarded to biotech company Vaxart Inc., was set to fund clinical trials involving 10,000 participants scheduled to begin on Monday.

Kennedy and his team will now review the initial study before determining whether to terminate the contract or allow the project to continue.

In a statement to Fox News, Kennedy cited four years of failed oversight by the Biden-Harris administration as the reason for reviewing vaccine production agreements, including the Vaxart contract.

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“While it is crucial that the Department [of] Health and Human Services (HHS) support pandemic preparedness, four years of the Biden-Harris administration’s failed oversight have made it necessary to review agreements for vaccine production, including Vaxart’s,” Kennedy stated.

He also emphasized the importance of ensuring safety and fiscal responsibility in vaccine development, saying, “I look forward to working with Vaxart and medical experts to ensure this work produces safe, effective, and fiscal-minded vaccine technology.”

The oral COVID-19 vaccine was part of the Biden-Harris administration’s $4.7 billion Project NextGen initiative, launched in 2023 to streamline the development of new vaccines.

The Vaxart vaccine received funding through the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), a division within the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response under HHS.

BARDA initially allocated $460 million to Vaxart’s vaccine development, with $240 million already authorized for early studies.

A recent contract modification would have allowed the company to bill BARDA for an additional $230 million to fund clinical trials.

However, the stop-work order issued by Kennedy now prevents Vaxart from invoicing BARDA for additional funds until further notice.

Vaxart may still bill HHS for expenses related to medical monitoring of individuals who participated in the initial round of trials, according to Fox Digital.

Kennedy, who has long been an advocate for medical transparency, has run the Children’s Health Defense organization, which seeks to hold public health agencies accountable.

The organization opposes mandatory vaccinations and promotes health freedom and bodily autonomy.

During his 2024 presidential campaign, Kennedy pledged to prosecute officials who engaged in criminal wrongdoing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It is dawning on mainstream figures like Anthony Fauci that their Covid policies were a public health disaster,” Kennedy said at the time.

“Lots of us are angry about the mandates, the lockdowns, the censorship, the insanity. But we need to avoid the toxic quagmire of retribution and blame and focus on ensuring this never happens again.”

He further promised to remove officials who betrayed public trust and, if laws were broken, pursue legal action through the Department of Justice.

“Just to be clear, I will prosecute any official who engaged in criminal wrongdoing during the pandemic,” Kennedy said.

“As President, I will direct my attorney general to investigate and prosecute every person who knowingly defrauded or deceived the American public about the safety and efficacy of medical products.”

Not retribution, but justice! As President, I will direct my attorney general to investigate and prosecute every person who knowingly defrauded or deceived the American public about the safety and efficacy of medical products and I will obtain justice and compensation for every…

— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) April 27, 2023

With Kennedy’s 90-day pause in place, the future of Vaxart’s oral COVID-19 vaccine remains uncertain.

The decision will ultimately depend on the findings of the review, which will assess the safety, efficacy, and necessity of continuing the project.

As Kennedy pushes forward with his accountability agenda, the halt on this contract signals a broader effort to re-evaluate the previous administration’s handling of vaccine production and oversight.

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