The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is set to share new data next week. This data links the Covid vaccine to 25 deaths in children. Officials will present it at a big vaccine advisory meeting. Many people will watch closely. The news comes from sources who talked to NBC News. The Washington Post first reported it. This could change how parents think about shots for kids. Let’s break it down in simple steps. We will look at the meeting, the data, and what experts say.
1. The Upcoming Vaccine Advisory Meeting
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has an important group called the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP. This team meets to review vaccines and give advice. Their next meeting is on Thursday and Friday. They will talk about several shots, including the updated Covid vaccines for this fall.
The FDA wants to bring up data from a system called VAERS. This stands for Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System. It is a public database run by the FDA and CDC. Anyone can report problems they think come from a vaccine. Doctors, parents, or patients can send in info. The goal is to spot issues for more study.
Sources say the FDA will claim this data shows a link to 25 child deaths. But not everyone agrees. Two sources think the agency is using VAERS wrong. The reports are not checked for truth. They are just tips to look into. The meeting could lead to big changes in vaccine rules.
2. What Experts Say About the Data
Vaccine expert Dorit Reiss teaches at the University of California Law in San Francisco. She says VAERS reports alone can’t prove a vaccine caused a death. You need big studies to compare kids who got the shot and those who did not. A single report is not enough.
The VAERS website warns about this. It says reports might have wrong, missing, or one-sided info. So, scientists must be careful. Andrew Nixon works for the Department of Health and Human Services. He said in a statement that the FDA and CDC always check VAERS and share findings through ACIP.
Last week, FDA boss Marty Makary spoke to CNN. He said they are looking at reports of healthy kids dying from the Covid shot. A report is coming soon. He called it an intense check. The Washington Post says Dr. Tracy Beth Høeg will present the findings. She is a sports doctor who questioned kid shots during the pandemic.
A former FDA worker spoke off the record. They said past checks of death reports found nothing. “We looked through all the autopsy reports and didn’t find anything,” they texted. This shows a split in views.
3. Past Research on Covid Vaccines in Kids
Many studies say Covid shots are safe for children. They also help keep kids out of the hospital and alive. A 2023 study in JAMA Pediatrics looked at 17 papers. It covered over 10 million kids ages 5 to 11 who got Pfizer or Moderna shots. The vaccines cut infection and hospital risks compared to unvaccinated kids.
In 2024, a Nature Communications study checked young kids. It found no big rise in bad events from Pfizer or Moderna. But teen boys had a small uptick in myocarditis after the first two doses. This is heart swelling, but it’s rare.
At a May FDA meeting, Pfizer shared real-world data. It included tens of thousands of kids from 6 months old. The shot was safe and lowered hospital and death risks. Pfizer noted over a dozen studies on 60 million people worldwide after approval.
Pfizer and Moderna did not comment right away. Anti-vaccine groups often use VAERS to say shots are bad. But experts say you can’t draw firm conclusions from it alone.
4. Changes Under New Leadership
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is a long-time vaccine skeptic. Last week, at a Senate hearing, he talked about VAERS. He said Covid vaccine reports outnumber all other vaccines in history. Over summer, he removed all ACIP members and picked new ones. Some are known vaccine critics.
The American Academy of Pediatrics called it a big shift from protecting kids. One new member, Retsef Levi, leads the Covid group. He is a MIT professor, not a doctor. He claims shots cause serious harm and death.
ACIP advice can affect who gets shots. Kennedy already limited this fall’s vaccines. Last month, he said FDA approved them for people 65 and older or with health issues. This confused some patients and stores. Many couldn’t get shots.
In a Wall Street Journal piece, Makary said this matches other countries. France suggests shots for over 80s, UK for over 75s. He wrote that FDA only approves if benefits beat risks. He questioned a seventh shot for a healthy 12-year-old girl who had Covid.
5. Why This Meeting Matters
This ACIP meeting could shape vaccine access. If they link shots to deaths, rules might tighten for kids. Parents may worry more. But studies show benefits for most. The debate mixes science and politics under new leaders.
Kennedy’s moves have sparked concern. Groups like the Academy of Pediatrics fear less protection for children. On the other side, skeptics push for more checks. The FDA’s VAERS use adds fuel. Experts urge full studies, not just reports.
For families, it’s tough. Covid still causes illness in kids. Shots help, but rare risks exist. Talk to doctors for personal advice.
6. Looking Ahead
The meeting is soon. Watch for updates on what ACIP decides. More data might come out. Pfizer and others could respond. This story shows the push-pull of vaccine policy.
In the end, safety is key. Big studies guide us best. As fall nears, stay informed. Health choices matter for everyone.
