Trump administration to launch new vaccine research centre

The Trump administration announced a new research center on Thursday to investigate rare adverse effects of vaccines. Robert Kennedy Jr, the health secretary, stressed the importance of listening to patients and families who report vaccine injuries. The center aims to build an evidence-based health system and use findings to enhance vaccine safety, thereby restoring trust in public health institutions.

Kennedy, despite lacking formal medical training, has faced criticism from the World Health Organization and other medical experts for his efforts to reform child vaccinations in the U.S. While vaccines can cause mild side effects like fever or injection site pain, serious adverse effects are extremely rare. The WHO reports that vaccines prevent up to five million deaths annually from diseases such as diphtheria, tetanus, influenza, and measles.

Epidemiologist Michael Osterholm emphasized that the need to study vaccine safety is clear, as systems already exist for monitoring adverse events. The announcement comes amid budget cuts to the federal health department and a surge in measles cases in the U.S., particularly in unvaccinated communities, where mistrust of health officials has grown. Pennsylvania, for instance, has reported five measles-related deaths in 2026 alone.