Pharma Stocks Sink After FDA Vaccine Regulator Is Forced Out
Peter Marks, the FDA’s leading vaccine official, was forced to resign effective April 5 amid a government overhaul led by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. This move has led to a significant drop in pharma stocks, including those of Moderna and Pfizer.
Published on April 1, 2025
FDA’s top vaccine official, Peter Marks, was forced to resign with his departure effective April 5. The decision, reportedly made under pressure with an ultimatum to either resign or be fired, comes amid a broader overhaul of federal health agencies led by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Known for his vaccine skepticism, Kennedy’s restructuring efforts have unsettled investors.
Shares of major U.S. drugmakers including Moderna and Pfizer, as well as companies focused on gene therapies and vaccines like Novavax, Taysha Gene Therapies, Solid Biosciences, and Sarepta Therapeutics, experienced significant stock declines. The move, reported in early April 2025, has amplified longstanding concerns within the biotech sector as the market reacts to the evolving leadership and policy directions at the FDA.