Podcast Summary: "RFK Jr. Is Putting American Lives At Risk"
What A Day – Hosted by Jane Coston, Crooked Media
Release Date: August 8, 2025

Introduction

In this episode of What A Day, host Jane Coston delves into the controversial decisions made by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.) regarding mRNA vaccine funding. The discussion navigates through the implications of canceling significant grants and contracts for mRNA vaccine development, examining the potential risks to public health and scientific innovation in the United States.

RFK Jr.'s Decision to Cancel mRNA Vaccine Funding

Jane Coston opens the episode by highlighting RFK Jr.'s recent announcement:

Jane Coston [01:00]: "Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says no more of that [mRNA vaccines]. On Tuesday, he announced the cancellation of half a billion dollars in grants and contracts to help develop more of these kinds of vaccines, and he says that's good."

Jane references a video posted by RFK Jr. explaining his decision to halt mRNA vaccine funding. This move has sparked significant backlash from the scientific community and public health experts.

Expert Insight: Dr. Fiona Havers' Perspective

Enter Dr. Fiona Havers, an infectious disease expert from the Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center and former Senior Advisor on Vaccine Policy for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Dr. Havers provides a critical viewpoint on RFK Jr.'s decision:

Dr. Fiona Havers [01:22]: "Most of these shots are for flu or Covid, but as the pandemic showed us, mRNA vaccines don't perform well against viruses that infect the upper respiratory tract."
"MRNA only codes for a small part of the viral proteins, usually a single antigen mutation, and the vaccine becomes ineffective." [01:28]

Jane Coston challenges Dr. Havers' assertions, emphasizing the life-saving impact of mRNA vaccines:

Jane Coston [01:43]: "This is not true. I cannot say this enough. This is a lie caged in just enough technical medical jargon to make Kennedy sound reasonable."

Coston cites an epidemiologist from the University of Michigan:

Jane Coston [01:43]: "I don't think I've seen a more dangerous decision in public health in my 50 years in the business."

Even Jerome Adams, former Surgeon General under Trump, voices concern:

Jane Coston [01:43]: "I've tried to be objective and non-alarmist in response to current HHS actions, but quite frankly, this move is going to cost lives."

The Potential of mRNA Technology

Jane underscores the broader applications of mRNA technology beyond COVID-19:

Jane Coston [02:47]: "mRNA technology has a ton of potential uses, from averting bird flu to preventing HIV and tuberculosis."

She references Larry Ellison, CEO of Oracle, who envisions mRNA's role in cancer vaccines:

Jane Coston [02:47]: "Larry Ellison talked about how mRNA technology even has the potential to be part of a cancer vaccine once we."

Dr. Havers adds:

Dr. Fiona Havers [02:47]: "Gene Sequence that cancer, tumor. You can then vaccinate the person, design a vaccine for every individual person to vaccinate them against that cancer." [02:55]

Trump's Inconsistent Messaging on mRNA Vaccines

The conversation shifts to President Donald Trump's stance on mRNA vaccines. Jane highlights Trump's conflicting statements:

Jane Coston [03:00]: "MRNA vaccines were critical to preventing millions of deaths from COVID-19. Fast tracking their development in 2020 was legitimately one of the few great things Trump did in his first term."

When questioned about the new policy, Trump's response reveals ambiguity:

Donald Trump [03:25]: "We're gonna look at that, we're talking about it, and they're doing a very good job." [03:26]
"Operation Warp Speed was... considered one of the most incredible things ever done in this country." [03:28]

Jane points out the lack of commitment:

Jane Coston [03:57]: "He went with neither."

In-Depth Discussion with Dr. Fiona Havers

Jane Coston re-engages with Dr. Havers to dissect the ramifications of RFK Jr.'s decisions:

Jane Coston [04:35]: "I think it's going to make us a lot less prepared if there's another pandemic."

Katie Miller (presumably Dr. Havers under a pseudonym or an additional guest) elaborates on the critical role of federal funding:

Katie Miller [06:55]: "Federal money developed a lot of the technology that happened... There's a ton of research going on with mRNA to use for a lot of different other purposes... Other countries are going to step in to fill the void if the US yanks funding." [07:37]

She warns of the loss of scientific leadership:

Katie Miller [07:40]: "They're just coming after vaccines in general. How do you push back? I think people need to make a lot more noise with their representatives..." [11:15]

Impact on Vaccine Recommendations and Public Health

The episode discusses recent actions by the HHS under RFK Jr., including the exclusion of reputable organizations from CDC vaccine working groups:

Jane Coston [09:09]: "Government officials also told groups... that they would be kicked out of the CDC's vaccine working groups."

Katie Miller responds:

Katie Miller [09:38]: "It's making them much less transparent, much less evidence based. And I'm really concerned that the group that is now in charge of making decisions... are going to come up with some pretty bad recommendations."

Addressing the Crisis: Paths to Resistance

Jane probes into potential solutions:

Jane Coston [10:42]: "How do we fight back against this?"

Katie Miller suggests increased advocacy:

Katie Miller [11:15]: "People need to make a lot more noise with their representatives... talking to older adults... sounding the alarm about... the real cost to human lives."

She emphasizes the challenge without leadership change:

Katie Miller [11:15]: "Without him being replaced as HHS secretary, I think it's going to be really hard to push back."

Additional News Highlights

While the primary focus remains on RFK Jr.'s vaccine policies, the episode also touches on other significant news:

1. Trump's Imposition of New Tariffs:

   • Jane Coston [16:03]: Details the new import taxes affecting US trading partners like Brazil, India, South Korea, Vietnam, and Japan.
   • Impact on consumers and businesses, with estimates of $2,400 in annual costs per US household.

2. US Air Force Policy on Transgender Service Members:

   • Jane Coston [16:12]: Reports the denial of early retirement benefits to trans service members with 15-18 years of service.
   • References the Supreme Court's 2023 ruling and subsequent policy changes.

3. Trump's Call for a New Census:

   • Jane Coston [18:00]: Discusses Trump's proposal to exclude undocumented individuals from the census.
   • Implications for House seat allocations and potential political motivations.

4. Education Policy Shifts:

   • Jane Coston [19:45]: Covers Trump's memorandum requiring colleges to prove non-consideration of race in admissions.
   • Contextualizes with the 2023 Supreme Court ruling against affirmative action.

Conclusion

The episode culminates with Jane reiterating the gravity of RFK Jr.'s decisions and their broader impact on public health and scientific advancement in the US. The discussions underscore the tension between political maneuvers and evidence-based health policies, emphasizing the urgent need for advocacy and informed public discourse to safeguard America's health infrastructure.

Notable Quotes:

• Jane Coston [01:43]: "This is not true. I cannot say this enough. This is a lie caged in just enough technical medical jargon to make Kennedy sound reasonable."

• Katie Miller [11:15]: "They've been very politically savvy in terms of the amount of damage they've done to all of the processes that were put in place to have science based vaccine policy, which is terrifying and depressing."

• Donald Trump [03:26]: "Operation Warp Speed was... considered one of the most incredible things ever done in this country."

This comprehensive summary encapsulates the critical discussions and insights from the "What A Day" episode, providing listeners with a clear understanding of the contentious decisions surrounding mRNA vaccine funding and their far-reaching consequences.