Moderna, Pfizer Shares Fall as Trump Officials Plan to Link Child Deaths to COVID Shots

Shares of COVID-19 vaccine makers Pfizer, Moderna, BioNTech, and Novavax dropped significantly after reports emerged that health officials in the Trump administration plan to present data linking COVID-19 vaccines to the deaths of around 25 children at an upcoming Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) meeting. The data reportedly comes from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), a federal database containing unverified reports that does not establish causality. Despite the claims, the CDC and FDA emphasize that VAERS data requires further investigation and that no conclusions should be drawn before official reviews are completed. Moderna and other companies maintain that their vaccines are rigorously monitored and remain safe and effective, with no new safety concerns identified in children or pregnant women. The developments occur amid significant shifts in U.S. vaccine policy under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has replaced vaccine advisory panel members and imposed new eligibility restrictions on COVID-19 vaccines. The upcoming ACIP meeting is expected to influence future vaccine recommendations and coverage decisions.