Shares of major COVID-19 vaccine makers fell sharply on Friday after reports emerged that Trump administration health officials may link coronavirus vaccines to the death of 25 children.
Pfizer‘s stock declined by more than 3%, Moderna dropped over 7%, and BioNTech saw the steepest fall, tumbling more than 11% during midday trading.
According to The Washington Post, the administration is also weighing new restrictions on which segments of the US population should be eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccines.
How is the death of 25 children linked to Covid-19 vaccines ?
Trump administration health officials are reportedly preparing to link COVID-19 vaccines to the deaths of 25 children as part of a broader review of vaccine policies.
These officials are also contemplating new limitations on which Americans should be eligible for the shots.
The findings are said to be based on unverified reports submitted to the federal Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), which tracks potential vaccine side effects, though these reports have not been substantiated.
In response to these claims, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) emphasised that both the FDA and the CDC routinely analyse VAERS data but stressed that until the safety data is made public, any conclusions should be considered “pure speculation”.
What are the claims of Trump administration?.
The Trump administration is expected to present the child death claim to an expert advisory panel for the CDC next week, as part of ongoing discussions on future COVID-19 vaccine recommendations.
However, Moderna stated that regulators in more than 90 countries have not identified any new safety concerns for children or pregnant women related to its COVID-19 vaccine.
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary recently discussed the issue in an interview with CNN, claiming that the VAERS database to support claims of child deaths potentially linked to the vaccine.
He stated that an investigation was underway, with a report expected in the coming weeks.
The policy changes have stirred controversy, particularly within the medical community. US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has rolled back COVID-19 vaccine recommendations, eliminating routine vaccination guidance for healthy children, teenagers, and pregnant women.
The eligibility for the shots has now been limited to older adults and individuals with underlying health conditions.
This shift in policy has sparked strong opposition from organisations like the American Academy of Paediatrics, which continues to recommend COVID-19 vaccination for children and pregnant women.
Despite the backlash, President Trump has supported Kennedy’s stance, even in the face of public health concerns and political pressure.
Kennedy has also implemented significant changes within the CDC, removing the agency’s leadership and replacing the vaccine advisory panel with new members of his choosing. This newly constituted panel is scheduled to meet on September 18 and 19.