The Trump administration is preparing to remove COVID-19 vaccines from the U.S. market "within months," according to a close associate of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Shortly after the update, COVID-19 vaccine stocks, including Pfizer Inc.(NYSE:PFE), BioNTech SE (NASDAQ:BNTX), Moderna Inc. (NASDAQ:MRNA), and Novavax Inc. (NASDAQ:NVAX) began trading lower.
Dr. Aseem Malhotra, a British cardiologist and vocal vaccine critic, told a media report that members of President Donald Trump's family support Kennedy's position, despite lacking medical or scientific expertise.
The Daily Beast noted that Malhotra is an adviser to Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Action, a group aligned with Kennedy's public health agenda.
He said Kennedy's circle is baffled that the vaccine remains widely prescribed and is pushing for its suspension pending additional research. Malhotra acknowledged the move could spark widespread fear and legal challenges but claimed a decision is imminent.
Central to Kennedy's stance is a 2022 peer-reviewed paper published in Vaccine, which claimed mRNA vaccines were associated with a 16% higher rate of serious adverse events than placebos in clinical trials. Malhotra has repeatedly cited this study, although public health experts have dismissed it for methodological flaws and for downplaying the vaccines' benefits.
Malhotra's relationship with Kennedy dates back to 2022, when his research and media appearances criticizing mRNA vaccines caught Kennedy's attention.
Malhotra is expected to meet with Trump in September to advocate for the removal of COVID-19 vaccines. The meeting would coincide with discussions with Kennedy and other HHS officials.
Meanwhile, skepticism toward COVID-19 vaccines is gaining influence within federal agencies. Retsef Levi, an MIT professor known for questioning the safety of mRNA shots, has been appointed to lead the COVID-19 immunization task force.
Bloomberg noted that Levi, who does not have a medical degree, co-authored a study earlier this year about people dying after receiving mRNA Covid shots.
In August, a gunman attacked the CDC headquarters in Atlanta. Officials at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation confirmed that the gunman was 30-year-old Patrick Joseph White, who allegedly targeted the agency because of his COVID-19 vaccine beliefs.
A group of former CDC employees blamed Kennedy for vilifying the agency's workforce through "his continuous lies about science and vaccine safety, which have fueled a climate of hostility and mistrust.”
According to a media report, Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for children under five may lose FDA authorization this fall, raising the possibility of supply shortages and prompting Moderna to step in to help fill potential gaps.
In May, Kennedy announced that the COVID-19 vaccine would no longer be among the recommended vaccines for pregnant women and healthy children on the CDC’s immunization schedule.
Price Action: PFE stock is down 2.53% at $25.23, BNTX stock is down 3.31% at $107.21, MRNA stock is down 4.48% at $25.91 and NVAX stock is down 4.27% at $7.51.
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