Vaccine Shares Down Following Report of Plans to Link Covid Shot With Child Deaths

By Katherine Hamilton

Shares of vaccine companies fell after a report that federal officials plan to link Covid-19 vaccines with child deaths.

Pfizer shares declined 3% to $24.12, Novavax shares fell 4% to $7.92, Moderna shares were down 7% to $23.56 and BioNTech shares slid 9% to $95.33 and

The Washington Post reported Friday that federal health officials plan to link the vaccines to the deaths of 25 children during a presentation next week to advisors to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The report comes after the Food and Drug Administration imposed new restrictions on who is eligible for the Covid-19 vaccine, which has weighed on shares in recent weeks.

In late August, the FDA said it would approve the next round of Covid-19 vaccines but limit it to people who are at risk for serious complications because they are 65 or older or have other health problems. The shots have previously been available to anyone who is six years or older.

Earlier this week, The Wall Street Journal reported that health officials under Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. were compiling examples of harmful effects from Covid-19 shots on pregnant women.

Write to Katherine Hamilton at katherine.hamilton@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

September 12, 2025 13:34 ET (17:34 GMT)