FDA blocked studies finding Covid and shingles vaccines safe, HHS official says

The US Food and Drug Administration has blocked the publication of several studies that found Covid-19 and shingles vaccines to be safe, according to a spokesperson from the Department of Health and Human Services. Agency scientists conducted the studies by analyzing millions of patient records and found that serious side-effects from the vaccines were rare, the spokesperson confirmed. The studies – funded by taxpayer money and costing several million dollars – included research examining the safety of Covid-19 vaccines in 2023 and 2024. Andrew Nixon, an HHS spokesperson, confirmed the withdrawals in a statement, saying: “The studies were withdrawn because the authors drew broad conclusions that were not supported by the underlying data. The FDA acted to protect the integrity of its scientific process and ensure that any work associated with the agency meets its high standards.” One of the Covid-19 studies examined vaccine safety in people over 65 by reviewing the medical records of 7.5 million Medicare beneficiaries, the New York Times first reported. Researchers focused on the period 21 days after vaccination and the subsequent 20 days, comparing rates of health issues immediately following vaccination. They assessed 14 potential outcomes, including heart attacks, strokes and Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare autoimmune disorder, the Times said. …