Rafael Henrique | LIGHTROCKET | Getty images
The actions of the main vaccine manufacturers fell on Monday after a key health official of the United States resigned in protest the opinions of the Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. about immunization.
The departure of Peter Marks, the main vaccine regulator of the Food and Drug Administration, has generated new fears about whether the Trump administration will approve and quickly promote critical shots. In their position, the brands supervised the introduction of COVID-19 vaccines and rules for the use of emerging treatments such as cell and gene therapies.
Actions of Modern and Novávax Both closed more than 8% of the lowest Monday. Meanwhile, the SPDR S&P BIOTECH ETF It slid almost 4%.
Some Wall Street analysts said that Marks's departure could undermine the FDA's mission to ensure that safe and effective treatments reach patients in the US. UU. They could exert further pressure on a biotechnology sector in difficulties.
“Taking a step back, we see this game as a significant negative for the Biofarma and Biotechnology sectors, such as the independence of FDA rooted in solid scientific rigor is essential for efficient functioning,” wrote the BMO capitalist analysts Markets in a note on Monday.
Peter Marks, director of the Biological Evaluation and Research Center in the United States Food and Medicines Administration (FDA), speaks during an audience of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions of the Senate in Washington, DC, USA, UU., Tuesday, May 11, 2021.
Greg Nash | Bloomberg | Getty images
In his renunciation letter obtained by CNBC on Friday, Marks criticized the “erroneous information and is” Kennedy about immunization. He said that a growing measles outbreak that began in Texas occurred as a result of “undermining confidence in well -established vaccines.”
“As you know, I was willing to work to address the secretary's concerns regarding the safety and transparency of vaccines when listening to the public and implementing a variety of different public meetings and commitments to the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine,” Marks wrote. “However, it has become clear that truth and transparency do not want the secretary, but wishes the subordinate confirmation of his misinformation and lies.”
The Department of Health and Human Services did not immediately respond to a request for comments.
Kennedy, an outstanding skeptic of the vaccine, has already taken measures that public health experts say that routine immunizations in the United States could deter, has minimized the importance of measles, papers and the rubella vaccine and promoted not proven treatments to counteract measles outbreak. The centers for disease control and prevention are also carrying out a study on long and discredited links between vaccines and autism, led by a researcher with a history of propagation of erroneous information about the shooting.
Readink Partners analysts wrote in a Monday note that the effect of Marks's resignation to biotechnology and pharmaceutical actions will depend partly on who replaces it in the FDA and if the Republicans in the White House and Congress will begin to lose patience with their focus. Other analysts also emphasized that Marks is just an agency official and pointed out that the new FDA commissioner Marty Makary has a proven support history of support.
“Although many believe that the resignation of brands is a very bad omen for the health and innovation industry in general, it can be a bit premature to throw a shadow too dark in the entire Pharma and Biotech,” wrote the values of Mizuho Jared Holz values.
– Angelica Peebles and Annika Kim Constantino of CNBC contributed to this report
