"Trump Administration Prepares Controversial Report Linking COVID Vaccine to Child Deaths"

Scientific Community: "Unreliable Data" Sparks Strong Opposition
Public Health Experts: "Policy Distortion... Trust Will Collapse"

The Trump administration in the United States is raising concerns within the scientific community as it attempts to present claims linking the COVID-19 vaccine to child deaths at an official meeting.

On September 12 (local time), the Washington Post (WP), citing multiple anonymous sources, reported that health officials from the Trump administration are preparing to make a presentation at a meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), linking the COVID-19 vaccine to the deaths of 25 children.

The Trump administration in the United States is attempting to raise claims linking the COVID-19 vaccine to child deaths at an official meeting, raising concerns within the scientific community. (This photo is provided to aid understanding of the article and is unrelated to its content.) Pixabay

The data reportedly to be cited by the officials comes from the U.S. Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). This system is designed to allow anyone to freely report adverse events, and has been criticized for its limitations in scientific verification and determining causality. In fact, the CDC has officially stated that this data is not suitable for determining the cause of death.

Notably, at a meeting in June this year, the CDC revealed that among the 25 children who died after being hospitalized with COVID-19, none of the 16 who were eligible for vaccination had completed their vaccination schedule.

The Trump administration's efforts to link the COVID-19 vaccine to child deaths are being led by Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert Kennedy Jr. and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Director Marty Makary. Both individuals are known as outspoken "vaccine skeptics," and Secretary Kennedy in particular has a history of making unfounded claims that vaccines cause autism.

This year, Secretary Kennedy dismissed all existing ACIP members and reconstituted the committee with individuals critical of vaccine policy. Recently, he also replaced the CDC director, continuing to overhaul the entire vaccine policy team.

Director Makary also stated in a recent interview that "an investigation is underway based on reports of child deaths following vaccination," and that autopsy records and interviews with bereaved families are being reviewed.

However, the scientific community has responded immediately with opposition. Dr. Harleen Marwah, a pediatrician at the Mass General Brigham hospital network, stated, "Data analysis has found no new safety concerns related to the COVID-19 vaccine."

Vaccine manufacturer Moderna also issued a statement: "To date, more than 1 billion doses have been administered worldwide, but no serious adverse effects have been reported in children or pregnant women anywhere," emphasizing that "the benefits of the vaccine clearly outweigh the risks."

In this situation, the decision of the ACIP could have a significant impact on future U.S. vaccination policy. According to sources, the committee is considering a plan to recommend the vaccine only for the elderly, while leaving the decision to vaccinate up to personal choice for younger people and those without underlying health conditions.

This represents a significant retreat from the previous policy, which recommended vaccination for a broad range of age groups, including children.

Noel Brewer, a former ACIP member who was dismissed by the Trump administration, strongly criticized the move, stating, "The government is now systematically spreading misinformation about vaccines," and called it "a serious step backward that undermines public trust."