U.S. scraps $700M+ bird flu vaccine deal with Moderna: A victory for safety and health freedom?

By willowt // 2025-05-30

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The Trump administration has terminated a $700 million Moderna contract to develop an mRNA bird flu vaccine, citing scientific and ethical concerns.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. opposed mRNA vaccines, calling their safety into question.
Federal officials plan trials for a "universal" influenza vaccine blending viral strains, while Moderna seeks alternatives using unproven self-amplifying mRNA (sa-mRNA) technology.
The cancellation follows warnings about government "pandemic orchestration," including past gain-of-function experiments on bird flu.
Critics worry the shift reflects corporate-government bias.

The Biden administration’s controversial $176 million 2024 award to Moderna to develop an mRNA−based bird flu vaccine has now been overturned in a landmark decision. Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) terminated a $699 million Moderna contract to create an mRNA-based bird flu vaccine, citing “scientific and ethical justifications” for its cancellation—a move widely endorsed by advocates of health freedom and natural wellness. This critical step away from risky mRNA technology aligns with growing skepticism over the safety and necessity of mRNA vaccines, particularly amid evidence of more effective, affordable alternatives in both conventional and natural health spheres. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a staunch critic of mRNA vaccines, hailed the decision, calling the technology “unproven and potentially dangerous” and questioning its rushed deployment during the pandemic. “The public deserves solutions rooted in science that prioritizes human safety, not corporate profits,” Kennedy emphasized.

Corporate-biased pandemic politics?

The contract cancellation follows years of scrutiny over the mRNA platform’s risks, including alarming reports of adverse events linked to its use during the pandemic. Advocates argue that the Biden administration’s original $176 million deal, later expanded to $700 million, prioritized pharmaceutical interests over public health. Moderna itself admitted relying on this bird flu vaccine—and experimental flu-COVID combo shots—to offset plummeting demand for its pandemic-era mRNA vaccines, which generated $20 billion in revenue. “This is about profits, not people,” said Whitney Webb of Natural News. “Big Pharma and government have spent billions to push unproven mRNA tech while ignoring age-old, cost-effective measures like vitamin D, zinc and immune-boosting lifestyle changes that prevent flu far more safely.”

The “universal” vaccine gambit

Parallel to the contract cancellation, federal agencies are now exploring a “universal” flu vaccine blending multiple viral strains. However, critics note that the HHS is also nudging Moderna toward even more experimental “sa-mRNA” (self-amplifying mRNA) technology—a process that allows viral genetic material to replicate inside human cells. Such untested methods, Arcturus Therapeutics’ ARCT-2304 among them, lack long-term safety data but are fast-tracked by regulators like the FDA. “This is a dangerous pivot,” warned Kennedy. “Sa-mRNA is the next unproven step into the dark, with unknown risks to human cells and genetic systems. Natural health solutions are safer, cheaper and work far better without needing taxpayer-funded science experiments.”

Past “gain-of-function” controversies

The avian flu tightrope tightens amid revelations that USDA labs conducted gain-of-function experiments on H5N1 bird flu viruses between 2022-2023, simultaneously developing mRNA countermeasures. “This looks less like preparedness and more like orchestration,” said Natural News. “Why engineer threats while preparing ‘solutions’ that benefit pharma?” As H5N1 spreads globally—infected human cases in the U.S. have risen to 70, with one fatality—health freedom advocates insist that panic-driven mRNA solutions are unnecessary. “The flu kills thousands annually, but holistic health, not mRNA, saves lives. Vitamin D optimization alone has been shown to slash influenza risk by 40–50%,” noted natural health researcher Mike Adams, founder of RealNaturalNews.com.

Back to basics: Health freedom and transparency

The HHS cancellation signals a rare recognition that corporate-pharma power must not dictate public health policy. Despite Moderna’s insistence that mRNA’s “safety profile” is “robust,” its ongoing trials and partnerships globally highlight unresolved risks. The true solution lies in addressing root factors like chronic disease, immune health and environmental exposures—areas where natural health approaches shine. As the Biden administration debates its next steps, the onus remains on informed citizens. “Trust the body’s innate wisdom, not shots that endanger it,” urged Kennedy. “Real health freedom means questioning what’s pushed on you and choosing proven methods that honor your right to live and thrive without corporate medicine.”

Sources for this article include:

Substack.com NYTimes.com Reuters.com