Vaccine Makers See Hope at BIO Amid RFK Jr. Disruptions
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- Vaccine makers at the BIO international conference in San Diego told STAT they feel more optimistic than they did a year ago, even as they acknowledged facing "an unusual time" in the industry.
- Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime vaccine critic, has driven what executives described as "once-unthinkable disruptions," including the cancellation of major mRNA vaccine contracts.
- Federal vaccine policy under Kennedy has seen the dismantling of universal vaccine recommendations alongside cuts to government research funding, according to executives interviewed at the conference.
- Industry executives warned that Washington could deliver additional disruptions ahead beyond those already implemented by the Kennedy-led Health and Human Services apparatus.
- BIO international conference served as the venue where vaccine makers shared their outlook in on-the-ground interviews with STAT, framing their tempered confidence against the backdrop of federal retrenchment.
Why it matters: Vaccine makers are publicly signaling resilience after the cancellation of major mRNA contracts and the dismantling of universal vaccine recommendations under Kennedy — concrete setbacks executives themselves labeled "once-unthinkable." Their willingness to voice optimism while expecting further federal disruption suggests the industry sees viable commercial paths forward even as Washington pulls back its support for vaccine development.
