FDA vaccine studies censored by Trump admin after finding benefits of shots
Ars Technica • • general
Key Points:
- Despite Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy's promise of "radical transparency," agencies under his control have suppressed scientific research conflicting with his anti-vaccine stance.
- The FDA blocked publication of studies demonstrating the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 and shingles vaccines, while the CDC scrapped a study showing COVID-19 vaccines significantly reduce emergency care and hospitalization risks.
- FDA officials directed agency scientists to withdraw two COVID-19 vaccine studies accepted by medical journals and prevented submission of two abstracts on the shingles vaccine Shingrix to a drug safety conference.
- HHS stated the COVID studies were withdrawn due to broad conclusions unsupported by data, and the shingles efficacy study was outside FDA's purview; no explanation was given for withholding the shingles safety study.
- The suppressed research generally supported vaccine safety and efficacy, contradicting the agencies' actions under current leadership.
