Oct 28 (Reuters) - A senior biosecurity adviser at the

Department of Health and Human Services, who has made several

critical statements regarding mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, was fired

over the weekend, an agency official told Reuters.

Steven Hatfill, who served as a senior adviser at the

agency's Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response,

was fired on Saturday.

The agency cited false claims of being the chief medical

officer at ASPR and lack of effective cooperation with

government agencies and department leadership as reasons for the

ouster, according to Bloomberg News, which had reported the

development earlier in the day.

"He (Hatfill) was senior advisor, not chief medical advisor

or chief medical officer," the HHS official said, but did not

immediately clarify whether this was related to his dismissal.

Hatfill could not be immediately reached for comment.

ASPR leads the nation's medical and public health

preparedness for and response to disasters and public health

emergencies.

The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority,

a research unit of ASPR which helps companies develop medical

supplies to address public health threats, had said in August it

would wind down mRNA vaccine development activities.

The decision included the cancellation of a contract

awarded to Moderna ( MRNA ) for the late-stage development of

its bird flu vaccine for humans.

Hatfill appeared on a show hosted by right-wing podcaster

Steve Bannon days after the BARDA announcement and claimed mRNA

vaccines caused "biochemical havoc" in cells.