Shares of Moderna, Inc. (NASDAQ:MRNA), along with other vaccine stocks, are trading lower Monday following reports indicating Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research Center Director Vinay Prasad plans to tighten how vaccines win federal approval, claiming links to child deaths.
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What To Know: A memo obtained by NBC News said Prasad told FDA staff that an internal review found at least 10 child deaths "after and because of receiving" the Covid vaccine, citing reports in the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System between 2021 and 2024. The memo did not include ages, medical histories or documentation and has not been published in a peer-reviewed journal.
Experts pushed back on Prasad's claims, noting that VAERS submissions are unverified and can contain inaccurate or incomplete information. Several people said the memo misused the database and described its conclusions as irresponsible. Former FDA vaccine chief Peter Marks said the agency appears to be reclassifying older reports and called the memo "a troubling mixture of misrepresentation and lies."
The memo used ideological language criticizing past agency decisions and vaccine requirements, arguing that regulation "may have harmed more children than we saved," and instructed staff who disagree with its conclusions to resign. Prasad also proposed changes to how vaccines are evaluated, including reassessing annual flu shots and requiring pneumonia vaccine makers to show reductions in pneumonia outside of antibody titers.
The memo surfaced ahead of next week's CDC vaccine advisory committee meeting, where officials will discuss the childhood vaccine schedule. Extensive research cited in the NBC News report has found that Covid vaccines are safe for children and protect against severe illness, with large studies showing lower risks of infection and hospitalization among vaccinated kids.
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MRNA Price Action: At the time of writing, Moderna stock is trading 5.93% lower at $24.44, according to data from Benzinga Pro.
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