FDA blocks publication of studies showing covid and shingles vaccines to be safe

Officials from the US Food and Drug Administration have blocked the publication of several studies of Covid-19 and shingles vaccines conducted by the agency’s own scientists, it has emerged.

Each blocked study showed the safety of widespread use of vaccines for both conditions.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services has confirmed the move, first reported by the New York Times.

FDA scientists conducted the studies, in which they analysed millions of patient records, with the help of a data firm and millions in taxpayer dollars. Two Covid-19 vaccine studies were accepted for publication by medical journals, but in October 2025 the authors were told to withdraw them.

In February 2026 top FDA officials did not sign off two studies of Shingrix, a shingles vaccine. The abstracts required approval for submission to a conference on drug safety.

When questioned by The BMJ the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which oversees the FDA, defended the decision.

“The studies were withdrawn because the authors drew broad conclusions that were not supported by the underlying data,” Emily Hilliard, HHS press secretary, told The BMJ. “The FDA acted to protect the integrity of its scientific process and ensure that any work associated with the agency meets its high standards.”

Critics said the blocks on the studies were another example of antivaccine sentiment from the HHS head, US health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr.

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Source: BMJ, 8 May 2026