Moderna Faces Suspension For Offering Children £1,500 and Teddy Bears to Take Part in Covid Vaccine Trials
Moderna could face suspension from Britain’s pharmaceutical trade body following a string of breaches of the regulatory code. The Telegraph has more.
The Covid vaccine maker is due to be audited by the Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority (PMCPA) over “unacceptable” practices that brought discredit upon the industry.
If found to be lacking adequate compliance systems, Moderna could ultimately be suspended or expelled from the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (APBI).
It follows several code breaches, including representatives of the company offering children £1,500 and teddy bears to take part in Covid vaccine trials.
In a fresh ruling, which is expected to be published in the coming days, the company was also found to have misled regulators about when it first became aware of the financial incentives to children.
Moderna claimed it had taken action as soon as it was notified about the cash offer by the Health Research Agency in January 2024, but it has now emerged that senior executives were informed in August 2023 by the campaign group UsForThem, yet failed to take action.
Under the Medicines for Human Use (Clinical Trials) regulations, it is prohibited for incentives or financial inducements to be given to children or their parents.
The PMCPA ruled the company had shown a lack of transparency that was “completely unacceptable” and brought discredit upon the industry.
