Vaccine stocks fall as Senate panel advances RFK Jr.'s nomination for HHS secretary

Core Viewpoint - The nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services has led to a decline in shares of vaccine companies due to concerns over his anti-vaccine stance [1][2][4]. Group 1: Market Reaction - Shares of Moderna fell approximately 2%, BioNTech's shares dropped nearly 2%, Novavax's shares decreased by more than 2%, and GSK's stock saw a slight decline [2]. - Pfizer's stock fell over 1% despite reporting fourth-quarter results that exceeded expectations, with shares initially experiencing larger declines before recovering slightly [2]. Group 2: Kennedy's Background and Concerns - Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is known for his vaccine skepticism and has made false claims linking vaccines to autism, despite extensive studies disproving this association [3]. - He is the founder of Children's Health Defense, a prominent anti-vaccine organization in the U.S., and has recently stepped down from leadership roles within the organization [3]. - If confirmed, Kennedy would oversee federal health agencies responsible for regulating vaccines and drugs, raising concerns among health policy experts about the potential spread of anti-vaccine rhetoric [4]. Group 3: Industry Response - Pfizer's CEO Albert Bourla stated that Kennedy's anti-vaccine rhetoric contradicts the beliefs of the company, regulators, and the broader medical and scientific community [5].