FDA's ridiculous claims about COVID vaccines hurt KY kids

View OpEd: https://www.courier-journal.com/story/opinion/contributors/2025/12/31/fda-covid-vaccine-cdc-trump-kentucky-kids/87945421007/

References:

1. Traffic Safety Facts 2022 Data: Children. United States. Department of Transportation. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. National Center for Statistics and Analysis. Jun. 6, 2024. https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/78161

2. POP1 Child population: Number of children (in millions) ages 0–17 in the United States by age, 1950–2022 and projected 2023–2050. Childstats. Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics. https://www.childstats.gov/AMERICASCHILDREN/tables/pop1.asp

3. Vinay Prasad MD MPH CBER Director, CMSO US FDA. Letter. Source: Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/documents/3042d15c-676b-48ac-8148-1a2204ef420e.pdf

4. Kavanagh KT. Rand Paul COVID vaccine theories aren't helping to bridge public health divide. Courier Journal. Oct. 15, 2025. https://www.courier-journal.com/story/opinion/contributors/2025/10/15/covid-vaccine-health-rand-paul-trump-biden/86570079007/

5. Faust J. FDA vax chief jumped the gun on claims of kid deaths from COVID shots. Med Page Today. Dec. 12, 2025. https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/fda-vax-chief-jumped-the-gun-on-claims-of-kid-deaths-from-covid-shots/ar-AA1Sf6hY

6. COVID-19 Immunization. Childstats. Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics. https://web.archive.org/web/20230714195824/https:/www.childstats.gov/americaschildren/covid.asp

7. Protecting infants and children from COVID-19-associated hospitalization. CDC NCIRD https://www.cdc.gov/ncird/whats-new/protecting-infants-and-children-from-covid-19-associated-hospitalization.html

8. Dykstra HK, Pilkey D, Tautges J, Schnitzer PG, Collier A, Kinsman SB. Characteristics of Children Ages 1-17 Who Died of COVID-19 in 2020-2022 in the United States. Pediatrics. 2024 Nov 1;154(Suppl 3):e2024067043K. doi: 10.1542/peds.2024-067043K. PMID: 39484882. https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/154/Supplement%203/e2024067043K/199735/Characteristics-of-Children-Ages-1-17-Who-Died-of?autologincheck=redirected

9. Irving SA, Rowley EA, Chickery S, et al. Effectiveness of 2024–2025 COVID-19 Vaccines in Children in the United States — VISION, August 29, 2024–September 2, 2025. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2025;74:607–614. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7440a1

10. AAP analyzes pediatric COVID-19 hospitalizations from 2020-’24. AAP News Jul. 1, 2024. https://publications.aap.org/aapnews/news/29182/AAP-analyzes-pediatric-COVID-19-hospitalizations

11. Watanabe A, Kani R, Iwagami M, Takagi H, Yasuhara J, Kuno T. Assessment of Efficacy and Safety of mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines in Children Aged 5 to 11 Years: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA Pediatr. 2023 Apr 1;177(4):384-394. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2022.6243. PMID: 36689319; PMCID: PMC9871947. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2800743

12. Ford ND, Vahratian A, Pratt CQ, Yousaf AR, Gregory CO, Saydah S. Long COVID Prevalence and Associated Activity Limitation in US Children. JAMA Pediatr. 2025 Apr 1;179(4):471-473. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2024.6206. PMID: 39899316; PMCID: PMC11791766. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2829880

13. Wu Q, Zhang B, Tong J, et al. Real-world effectiveness and causal mediation study of BNT162b2 on long COVID risks in children and adolescents. EClinicalMedicine. 2024 Dec 6;79:102962. doi: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2024.102962. PMID: 39720603; PMCID: PMC11667630. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(24)00541-8/fulltext

14. Watanabe A, Kani R, Iwagami M, et al. Assessment of Efficacy and Safety of mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines in Children Aged 5 to 11 Years: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA Pediatr. 2023 Apr 1;177(4):384-394. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2022.6243. PMID: 36689319; PMCID: PMC9871947. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2800743

15. Kavanagh KT. CDC Hepatitis B vaccine recommendations ain't broke, so they don't need a 'fix'. Courier Journal.
Oct. 22, 2025. https://www.courier-journal.com/story/opinion/contributors/2025/10/22/cdc-hepatitis-b-hbv-vaccine-kentucky-healthcare/86670970007/

16. Kentucky Measles Case Data. Kentucky Cabinet For Health and Family Services. https://www.chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dph/dehp/idb/Pages/measles.aspx

17. Neal C. 3rd Kentucky infant dies from whooping cough. What we know. Courier Journal. Nov. 25, 2025. https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2025/11/25/3rd-kentucky-infant-dies-from-whooping-cough-more-cases-expected/87463068007/