Top ARPA-H Official Resigns Over HHS Decision to Cancel mRNA Vaccine Contracts

In a significant shake-up at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Alastair Thomson, chief data officer at the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), has announced his resignation in protest of a recent decision to cancel $500 million worth of contracts focused on mRNA vaccine technology. The move highlights growing tensions within the agency and raises questions about the future of mRNA research in the United States.

Controversial Contract Cancellations

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently made the decision to terminate 22 contracts related to the development of new mRNA vaccines targeting infectious diseases such as influenza and COVID-19. The contracts, valued at approximately $500 million, were to be disbursed by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA).

Kennedy cited unspecified safety concerns and a desire to prioritize other technologies, including "whole-virus vaccines," which he claimed have "stronger safety records and transparent clinical and manufacturing data practices." This decision has been met with widespread criticism from the scientific community.

ARPA-H Official's Resignation

Alastair Thomson, a veteran federal employee with over two decades of experience, announced his resignation in a now-deleted LinkedIn post. Thomson, who joined ARPA-H in April 2023, did not mince words in his critique of the decision:

"This is the single most stupid thing they could be doing," Thomson wrote. "mRNA vaccines are demonstrably the most effective and safest vaccines ever produced by humanity. They saved millions of lives during the pandemic, and continue to do so today."

Thomson's departure is scheduled for August 22, 2025, marking another high-profile exit from ARPA-H following the dismissal of Director Renee Wegrzyn, Ph.D., in February of the same year.

Industry and Scientific Backlash

The decision to cancel the BARDA contracts has drawn sharp criticism from various quarters. Jonathan Kagan, a distinguished scientist at Corner Therapeutics and professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, argued in an opinion piece that the antagonism towards mRNA technology is "killing our best shot at a cure for cancer."

NIH director Jay Bhattacharya offered a different perspective, suggesting that public distrust of mRNA technology might be a factor. However, this explanation does not align with Kennedy's stated reasons for the cancellations, which focused on alleged safety and manufacturing issues.

As the pharmaceutical industry grapples with these developments, the future of mRNA research and its potential applications in vaccine development and cancer treatment hang in the balance. The resignation of key officials and the reallocation of significant funding may have far-reaching consequences for biomedical innovation in the United States.