Moderna Stock Drops as FDA Vaccine Chief Resigns Over RFK Jr. Conflicts

Moderna Stock Drops as FDA Vaccine Chief Resigns Over RFK Jr. Conflicts

Key Takeaways:

✅ Moderna (MRNA) and other vaccine stocks fell Monday after FDA vaccine chief Peter Marks announced his resignation.
✅ Marks, who played a crucial role in COVID-19 vaccine approvals, cited conflicts with Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
✅ Novavax (NVAX), BioNTech (BNTX), and Pfizer (PFE) also declined in intraday trading.

Moderna Stock Declines After FDA Vaccine Chief Resignation

Shares of Moderna (MRNA) tumbled over 8% on Monday, leading losses in the S&P 500, after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) vaccine chief, Peter Marks, announced his resignation. Other vaccine makers, including Novavax (NVAX), BioNTech (BNTX), and Pfizer (PFE), also saw declines during the trading session.

Marks, who led the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, played a pivotal role in the approval of COVID-19 vaccines. On Friday, he confirmed his departure at the end of the week, stating that he was forced to either resign or face termination.

In his resignation letter, obtained by The Wall Street Journal, Marks accused HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. of pushing misinformation and rejecting transparency in vaccine safety discussions.

“I was willing to work to address the Secretary's concerns regarding vaccine safety and transparency. However, it has become clear that truth and transparency are not desired by the Secretary, but rather he wishes subservient confirmation of his misinformation and lies,” Marks wrote.

Both the FDA and HHS declined to comment on the situation.

Market Reaction

Moderna’s 8% intraday drop marked it as the worst-performing stock on the S&P 500, reflecting investor concerns about potential regulatory uncertainty in the vaccine industry.

With ongoing debates about vaccine safety and future FDA leadership, vaccine stocks may remain under pressure in the near term.