Comment from Melinda Rostal
AnonymousOpposeIndividual
Summary: An epidemiologist argues that COVID-19 vaccines are safe and necessary, specifically refuting claims that they are linked to pediatric deaths. The commenter opposes the petition by highlighting rigorous scientific evidence and surveillance data that show no such link.
The COVID-19 vaccines in question have saved millions of lives and continue to prevent severe disease, hospitalizations, and death. They have been given safely to 10's of billions of people. They are probably the most well-studied vaccines that have been developed. Including a new paper written by FDA scientists that emphasizes the safety of the vaccines that has not been allowed by the FDA leadership to be published despite the fact that it had been accepted for publication following the scientific peer review process (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/05/us/politics/fda-covid-vaccine-studies.html). As an epidemiologist, I firmly believe that annual COVID-19 vaccination with boosters is safe and necessary to continue saving lives. If the FDA skipped some requirements when moving from the EUA to the BLA, then the FDA is responsible for developing a plan with the companies involved to complete the requirements needed for the authorization WHILE still keeping the vaccines available on the market for all populations in the US. COVID vaccines save lives, it is unethical to remove them on the basis of this petition.