A Better Flu Vaccine Is Possible, if RFK Jr. and Team Trump Stay Out of the Way
Source: Ian Prasad Philbrick. "Flu season: The Trump FDA approved Moderna's new mFlusiva vaccine. Let's hope RFK Jr. stays out of the way.." August 6, 2026. slate.com
The Gist
A new flu vaccine using mRNA technology just got FDA approval and could work much better than old-style flu shots because it can be updated faster to match circulating strains. But the author worries that RFK Jr.'s handpicked vaccine advisory panel might limit who's recommended to get it, which could kill the vaccine commercially even though it's approved—so the real test is whether the administration lets this promising shot actually reach people.
Conclusion
The FDA's approval of Moderna's mRNA-based flu vaccine mFlusiva is a promising public health development, but its real-world benefit depends on whether Kennedy and vaccine-skeptical Trump administration officials allow it to be properly recommended and distributed, rather than undermining it through CDC panel decisions or political interference.
Premises
- mFlusiva uses mRNA technology, allowing much faster strain updates than the traditional 70-year-old egg-based manufacturing process, which requires guessing the dominant strain six months in advance
- Moderna's clinical trial showed mFlusiva is more protective against flu than existing vaccines, addressing a disease that kills tens of thousands of Americans annually
- Despite FDA approval, a CDC advisory panel—now staffed by Kennedy appointees who have promoted vaccine misinformation and limited access to other vaccines—could restrict mFlusiva's recommended use to a narrow population
- Restricting the recommended population could undermine the vaccine's financial viability, effectively discouraging Moderna from bringing it to market even without an outright ban
- Kennedy has a track record of opposing mRNA vaccines specifically, including making false claims about their efficacy to justify defunding mRNA research
- The administration initially blocked FDA review of mFlusiva and only reversed course after pushback from experts and Moderna, suggesting resistance was the default posture
- The administration's signals on vaccine policy are mixed—some pro-vaccine moves (confirming a non-Kennedy-aligned CDC director, releasing international vaccine funding) coexist with continued vaccine-skeptical actions (appealing a court block on Kennedy's childhood vaccine overhaul, encouraging autism-vaccine conspiracy research)
Assumptions
- Broader access to and higher uptake of an mRNA flu vaccine would meaningfully reduce flu deaths and illness
- The CDC advisory panel's recommendations significantly influence insurance coverage, provider recommendations, and overall vaccine uptake
- Kennedy's personal views and appointees will substantially shape the panel's eventual guidance on mFlusiva
- Increased side effects (fatigue, headache) reported in trials are an acceptable tradeoff given rarity of serious complications and improved efficacy
- The administration's mixed signals reflect genuine internal tension/political calculation rather than a coherent, deliberate vaccine policy strategy