FDA claims Covid vaccine caused kids’ deaths. Experts are skeptical

The Food and Drug Administration’s top vaccine regulator recently sent an email to staff, claiming that the Covid-19 vaccine caused at least 10 deaths in children and called for changes to the way the agency regulates vaccines. 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 heightened following the reported deaths.

Prasad’s email, obtained by STAT and shared online by other news organizations, stated, “For the first time, the US FDA will acknowledge that COVID-19 vaccines have killed American children.” He expressed concern over the deaths of children aged 7 to 16 as a result of the Covid vaccines and emphasized the need for more definitive data for vaccines administered during pregnancy.

However, experts have expressed skepticism about the claims made in the memo, citing the lack of detailed data to support the assertions. Some experts questioned the accuracy of the information presented in the memo and called for more transparency in the data analysis process.

The memo did not provide information on the FDA’s next steps or plans to release more detailed information on the deaths. Prasad mentioned the need for reform in the regulation of annual influenza vaccines and raised concerns about the administration of multiple shots at once, which could disrupt the childhood vaccine schedule.

Critics of the memo, including public health experts and former FDA officials, raised concerns about the lack of transparency in attributing deaths to the Covid vaccine. They emphasized the importance of thorough scientific analysis and data presentation to support such claims.

Prasad’s memo also sparked debate among vaccine experts about the risk-benefit profile of Covid vaccines for children and the need for booster shots. Some experts questioned the methodology used to attribute deaths to the vaccine and called for more rigorous scientific analysis.

Overall, the memo has raised questions about the FDA’s approach to vaccine regulation and the need for greater transparency in data analysis and decision-making processes. As discussions continue within the agency, experts emphasize the importance of evidence-based decision-making and open dialogue to address public health concerns effectively.