Former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams has issued a grave warning following Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s decision to cancel over $500 million in federal vaccine development projects.
Adams, who served under President Donald Trump during his first term and was a prominent member of the White House COVID-19 task force, criticized Kennedy’s move as “dangerous” and potentially deadly.
“I’ve tried to be objective & non-alarmist in response to current HHS actions – but quite frankly this move is going to cost lives,” Adams wrote in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
His sharp rebuke comes in response to Kennedy’s abrupt termination of contracts supporting the development of 22 mRNA-based vaccines. The cancelled projects were in collaboration with leading pharmaceutical companies and aimed at addressing high-risk viruses, including COVID-19, H1N1 influenza, and the H5N1 bird flu.
Many public health experts have expressed alarm, arguing that the cancellation could cripple the nation’s preparedness for future pandemics. Critics say halting mRNA research undercuts years of scientific progress and risks losing life-saving breakthroughs.
Kennedy, a well-known vaccine skeptic, defended the controversial move. He claimed that mRNA vaccines “fail to protect effectively against upper respiratory infections like COVID and flu.” He added that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) “reviewed the science, listened to the experts, and acted,” although he did not release specific scientific data to support the claim.
Adams, however, strongly rejected Kennedy’s reasoning and emphasized the broader utility of mRNA technology. “mRNA technology has uses that go far beyond vaccines… and the vaccine they helped develop in record time is credited with saving millions,” Adams wrote.
This is not the first time Adams has distanced himself from views within his political sphere, especially regarding public health. In June, he voiced “deep concern” when Kennedy dismissed all 17 members of a CDC advisory panel that had provided guidance on vaccine policy.
Adams also previously pushed back against President Trump’s 2021 claim that the CDC had exaggerated COVID-19 death tolls. Speaking to CNN at the time, Adams said, “I have no reason to doubt those numbers.”
With Kennedy’s decision drawing both national and international attention, many public health officials and scientists are urging the administration to reconsider. Adams’ latest warning underscores what many see as a politically driven move that could have long-term consequences for global health preparedness.