On Friday, shares of Pfizer and Moderna dropped by 3.9% and 7.4%, respectively, following news that officials plan to associate the deaths of 25 children with a joint COVID vaccine.
Health officials from the Trump administration intend to present this information during next week’s meeting of the CDC’s advisory panel, which will evaluate recommendations for a new COVID vaccine, as reported by the Washington Post.
The reported deaths seem to have been compiled from data submitted to the government’s adverse event reporting system associated with vaccines.
VAERS, the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, collects unverified reports of vaccine side effects. These reports can come from various sources—patients, doctors, pharmacists, or even individuals sharing information on social media.
It’s important to note that the system doesn’t actually confirm whether the vaccinations caused any deaths.
A person with knowledge of the situation mentioned to the Washington Post that although FDA and CDC staff routinely analyze VAERS data, their findings are shared publicly through an established process, and until then, any assumptions should be seen as speculation.
Requests for comments from Moderna and Pfizer went unanswered.
The upcoming Vaccine Advisory Committee meeting is crucial, as it will help decide if insurance companies need to cover vaccines and whether pharmacies can distribute them.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who faced criticism from senators on both sides during a recent hearing involving vaccines, had replaced all members of the vaccine panel earlier this year with his own selections.
The planned presentations reportedly aim to interview some families, but the specifics about the information being used remain unclear.
Back in May, Kennedy directed health officials to stop recommending vaccinations for healthy children, suggesting that only individuals at high risk for COVID or those over 65 should receive them.
Additionally, the health agency terminated nearly $500 million intended for research on mRNA vaccines.
Later, the CDC advised parents to consult their doctors before deciding to vaccinate their children.
In late August, several senior officials from the CDC resigned, claiming that Kennedy disregarded safety concerns linked to established research and politicized vaccination processes.
The American Academy of Pediatrics advocates for the annual COVID vaccine for children aged 6 to 23 months, as well as older children, emphasizing that the vaccine is both safe and effective in preventing serious health issues.
