• The U.S. will end its financial support for Gavi, as announced by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
• Concerns over vaccine safety and public trust in Gavi were cited as reasons for the withdrawal.
• Gavi has helped vaccinate over 1 billion children in poorer nations and aims to raise $9 billion for future efforts.
• Experts express alarm over the potential negative impact on global health, predicting increased vaccine-preventable diseases.
• Other countries and organizations have pledged significant financial support to Gavi despite U.S. withdrawal.

On June 25, 2025, U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that the United States would cease funding to Gavi, a global vaccine alliance that has innoculated over a billion children against deadly diseases in underprivileged countries. In a video statement presented at a fundraising summit in Brussels, Kennedy criticized Gavi for what he termed "questionable" recommendations regarding vaccine safety and for a perceived failure to regain public trust after allegations of ignoring scientific evidence regarding vaccine efficacy, particularly concerning the DTPw vaccine. He stated, "Until that happens, the United States won’t contribute more,” thereby aligning with a wider critique of public health policy decisions made during the pandemic, according to Reuters and Al Jazeera.

Gavi expressed disappointment over the funding cut, emphasizing its commitment to vaccine safety through adherence to World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. Gavi CEO Sania Nishtar stated, "We disagree with many of the things that were narrated in the video," referring to Kennedy’s claims. She reaffirmed that the safety and health of children remain Gavi's top priority, pointing out that the organization has dramatically reduced child mortality in supported countries since its inception, stating that "the DTPw vaccine has been administered to millions of children around the world for decades," according to Dawn and HuffPost.

During the summit, it became clear that the U.S. funding cut could severely impact Gavi's operational capabilities. Gavi was seeking to raise $9 billion for its upcoming five-year plan to immunize 500 million children, and this announcement coincided with heightened reports of increases in vaccine-preventable diseases around the world, driven by misinformation and a reduction in international funding. Global health experts, including public health surgeon Dr. Atul Gawande, warned that halting U.S. support could have "devastating consequences" for vaccination access, thereby urging Washington to reconsider its stance. Support from other nations remained strong, with countries like the UK pledging over $1.7 billion to Gavi's efforts, as noted by Los Angeles Times and CBS News.

Advocacy groups responded critically to the decision, emphasizing that misinformation regarding vaccine safety could exacerbate public health challenges worldwide. Nonprofit organizations, including Public Citizen, responded firmly to Kennedy's claims, asserting that Gavi's methods are consistently informed by “global evidence and reviewed by independent experts.” They warned that such rhetoric fosters distrust in vaccines, which are crucial in combating resurgent diseases like measles and polio in vulnerable populations, according to HuffPost, Los Angeles Times, and CBS News.