By Alex Hogan and Anil Oza

Aug. 13, 2025

Alex Hogan

[email protected]

Alex Hogan is STAT’s senior multimedia producer and host of STATus Report, STAT’s weekly video series. You can follow him on Bluesky.

Anil Oza

[email protected]

Anil Oza is a general assignment reporter at STAT focused on the NIH and health equity. You can reach him on Signal at aniloza.16.

Last week, health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the cancellation of $500 million in contracts to help develop RNA vaccines. Kennedy explained his reasoning for the cuts in a video posted to X.

The video is only 2½ minutes long, but in that time the health secretary made a number of claims that have been disputed by vaccinologists and other medical experts. 

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  1. Alex Hogan

    Senior Multimedia Producer

    Alex Hogan is STAT’s senior multimedia producer and host of STATus Report, STAT’s weekly video series. You can follow him on Bluesky.

  2. Anil Oza

    General Assignment Reporter

    Anil Oza is a general assignment reporter at STAT focused on the NIH and health equity. You can reach him on Signal at aniloza.16.