Today’s COVID-19 Vaccine News - August 25, 2025

Washington, D.C. - In a flurry of developments surrounding the future of COVID-19 vaccination, the Department of Health and Human Services and the White House issued clarifications today amid mounting speculation about policy changes.

A Newsweek report revealed that an associate of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. claimed the COVID-19 vaccine “could be gone within months,” citing internal discussions about withdrawing federal support from mRNA vaccine programs. Those assertions prompted an official White House statement labeling the rumors “unfounded speculation” and reaffirming the administration’s commitment to basing health policy on “gold-standard science and radical transparency.”

Meanwhile, The New York Times disclosed that Secretary Kennedy has appointed a long-time vaccine skeptic to spearhead a federal review of COVID-19 immunization programs. The move marks a significant shift in the oversight of vaccine policy and has drawn both praise from vaccine-critical groups and concern from public-health experts.

As debate intensifies over the next phase of COVID-19 immunization, federal officials underscore that no formal policy changes have been announced. However, observers say today’s announcements foreshadow a more stringent review process for future vaccine approvals and recommendations.