On Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration’s approved mFlusiva, the first mRNA seasonal influenza vaccine ever licensed in this country. On Aug. 5, 2025, the Department of Health and Human Services killed 22 mRNA vaccine development projects worth roughly $500 million and ordered a halt to federal investment in the platform. The mRNA vaccine now known as mFlusiva outperformed a licensed standard-dose flu shot by 26.6%, and the benefit held in patients over 65. Kennedy’s claim that the data showed mRNA fails against influenza was made 36 days after the data showed the opposite. Related Story STAT Plus: FDA advisory panel endorses Moderna mRNA flu vaccine that was subject of controversyThere is a straightforward fix.