Trump health officials plan to link coronavirus vaccines to the deaths of 25 children, according to the Washington Post, citing four people familiar with confidential discussions. The pediatric deaths are expected to be included in a presentation next week to the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), which is weighing new recommendations that determine access to coronavirus shots.
The findings appear to stem from reports filed to the federal Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, which accepts submissions from patients, doctors, and pharmacists. CDC staff had already presented data in June showing at least 25 child deaths tied to covid-related hospitalizations since July 2023, though the agency said that figure was likely undercounted.
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary confirmed last week that officials are investigating reports of possible vaccine-related child deaths, reviewing autopsy results and interviewing families. The review could take months, and the analysis being prepared for ACIP is not yet final. An HHS spokesperson said FDA and CDC routinely evaluate vaccine safety data and share findings publicly through the advisory committee process, emphasizing that any recommendations will be based on “gold standard science.”
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime critic of coronavirus vaccines, previously directed officials to stop recommending the shots for healthy children, later telling parents to consult doctors.
Next week’s ACIP meeting is considered critical because its recommendations shape insurance coverage, pharmacy access, and physician willingness to administer the shots. Kennedy, who earlier this year replaced the panel’s membership with his own appointees—many of them vocal critics of covid vaccines—is weighing adding more such members. Officials involved in the safety review, including FDA deputy Tracy Beth Hoeg, have interviewed families and examined reports, though the full scope of data remains unclear.
