The Food and Drug Administration’s top vaccine regulator recently sent an email to staff claiming that the Covid-19 vaccine has caused at least 10 deaths in children, sparking concerns and calls for changes in vaccine regulation. Vinay Prasad, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), stated in the memo that new regulatory requirements for vaccines would be implemented in light of these deaths.
The memo, obtained by STAT, raised eyebrows among experts due to the lack of detailed data supporting the claim. Critics found the assertion of Covid-19 vaccine-related deaths in children to be “extraordinary” and questioned the need for more evidence to substantiate such a serious allegation.
Prasad mentioned in the email that the FDA would be looking into more definitive data for vaccines administered during pregnancy and considering reforms to the regulation of annual influenza vaccines. He also suggested a potential review of the timing and administration of multiple vaccines in children, which could impact the childhood vaccine schedule.
However, experts expressed skepticism about the lack of transparency in the memo and the need for more concrete evidence to support the claim of Covid-19 vaccine-related deaths in children. Some experts called for an independent review of the data by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to verify the link between the vaccine and the reported deaths.
The memo also raised concerns about the potential impact on public health and vaccination efforts, with some FDA staff members feeling misled by the email’s contents. There were calls for more transparency and detailed analysis before making such serious claims public.
Overall, the memo’s claims were met with skepticism and calls for more evidence to support the assertion of Covid-19 vaccine-related deaths in children. The debate around vaccine safety and regulation continues, emphasizing the need for thorough research and transparent communication in public health matters.
