Expert warns RFK Jr has just made the most dangerous public health decision he's seen

America's vaccine-sceptic wellness caput has announced $500m (£375.8m) worthy of cuts to their improvement successful the country.

The US wellness section is cancelling contracts and pulling backing for jabs to combat viruses similar COVID-19 and the flu, it was announced connected Tuesday.

Robert F Kennedy Jr, known arsenic RFK Jr, said 22 projects processing mRNA vaccines volition beryllium halted. It is the latest successful a bid of decisions to trim US vaccine programmes.

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The wellness caput has fired the sheet that makes vaccine recommendations, reduced recommendations for COVID-19 shots, and refused to endorse vaccines contempt a worsening measles outbreak.

RFK Jr claims the US volition present prioritise "safer, broader vaccine strategies, similar whole-virus vaccines and caller platforms that don't illness erstwhile viruses mutate".

Responding to the announcement of cuts, Mike Osterholm, a University of Minnesota adept connected infectious diseases and pandemic preparations, said: "I don't deliberation I've seen a much unsafe determination successful nationalist wellness successful my 50 years successful the business."

Dr Paul Offit, a vaccine adept astatine Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, said RFK Jr's determination was short-sighted and that mRNA vaccines "certainly saved millions of lives", including during the pandemic.

MRNA vaccines enactment by delivering a snippet of familial codification into the assemblage that triggers an immune response, alternatively than introducing a existent mentation of the virus.

According to the UK Health Security Agency, the "leading vantage of mRNA vaccines is that they tin beryllium designed and produced much rapidly than accepted vaccines".

Moderna, which was studying a combo mRNA changeable that tin tackle COVID and flu for the US wellness department, antecedently said it believed mRNA could velocity up accumulation of flu jabs compared with accepted vaccines.

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Scientists are besides exploring however mRNA could beryllium utilized successful crab immunotherapies and successful different illnesses.

At the White House earlier this year, billionaire tech entrepreneur Larry Ellison praised mRNA for its imaginable to dainty cancer.

RFK Jr touts 'effective' alternative

The wellness section said the abandoned mRNA projects awesome a "shift successful vaccine improvement priorities."

"Let maine beryllium perfectly clear, HHS supports safe, effectual vaccines for each American who wants them," Mr Kennedy said successful a statement.

Later, helium said enactment is underway connected an alternate - a "universal vaccine" that mimics "natural immunity".

"It could beryllium effectual - we judge it's going to beryllium effectual - against not lone coronaviruses, but besides flu," helium said.