The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has recently canceled nearly $600 million in contracts with Moderna aimed at developing vaccines for pandemic flu and bird flu. This includes multiple contracts totaling over $700 million, which were intended to bolster efforts against avian influenza. Despite the significant funding losses, Moderna has reported positive interim data from its investigational H5 avian flu vaccine, showing a 98% success rate in early trials. These developments raise questions about the future of pandemic preparedness initiatives as the Trump administration halts substantial funding for these critical vaccine programs.