Vaccine Stocks Drop After FDA Memo Links COVID Shots To Child Deaths

 Vaccine stocks slumped Monday after an explosive memo from FDA vaccine chief Vinay Prasad surfaced late Friday, signaling the agency is preparing to roll out tough restrictions on new vaccines for children. Prasad described a "profound revelation" linking Covid shots to at least ten deaths in children. 

By late morning, Vaccine makers dropped on the memo: Moderna -6%, BioNTech -4.3%, Novavax -4%, Vaxcyte -6.6%.

"This is a profound revelation," Prasad wrote in the memo. "For the first time, the US FDA will acknowledge that COVID-19 vaccines have killed American children."

He added, "It is horrifying to consider that the US vaccine regulation, including our actions, may have harmed more children than we saved. This requires humility and introspection."

Wall Street analysts weighed in on the memo, and all agreed it introduces a new regulatory overhang for vaccine stocks.

Here's what the research desks told clients:

William Blair, Myles R. Minter (rates the MRNA market perform)

• "Our interpretation of the memo is that CBER will focus its efforts on the younger 12- to 24-year-old male population for newly approved Covid-19 vaccines where the myocarditis risk is highest"

• If new regulatory restrictions were to be implemented in the higher myocarditis risk population, analysts see further headwinds toward Moderna's declining Covid-19 franchise "alongside further negative sentiment that this memo and subsequent actions may generate"

• Analyst says Pfizer, BioNTech, Novavax and Sanofi could also be impacted

• "The memo also indicates several upcoming reforms to the CBER vaccine regulatory pathway, most notably the "demand" for pre- market randomized trials assessing clinical endpoints, not just immunogenicity, for most new vaccine products"

Mizuho, Salim Syed (rates PCVX outperform)

• Says the memo notes "pneumonia vaccine makers will have to show their products reduce pneumonia (at least in the post- market setting), and not merely generate antibody titers"

• However, "what investors are missing here is this is already in-line with the current standard" and poses no material change to Vaxcyte

Cantor, Carter Gould (rates PCVX overweight)

• Says not surprised to see selloff in PCVX shares "on the back of the return of perceived regulatory risk after a period of relative calm, particularly with key data weighted to late 2026"

• However, analyst  says there wasn't much in the actual memo language on pneumococcal vaccines (PCVs) that's concerning

• Reminds investors that "this all needs to continue to be viewed in the context of the likely timelines for VAX-31 adult and infants efforts against the backdrop of the time remaining in the current administration's term"

• "We appreciate that there's plenty within the memo that's controversial or worrisome regarding Covid-19 vaccine policy, but the actual language on PCVs shows little evolution vs. prior guidance"

Leerink Partners, Mani Foroohar (rates MRNA underperform)

• Says the memo's inflammatory tone highlights how agency policy/communications continue to contribute to vaccine skepticism and US vaccination rate decline

• "We view this as a continued negative for mRNA vaccine manufacturers in our coverage– especially as it relates to Moderna's recently updated short-to-mid-term revenue guidance"

The memo comes months after the Trump administration signaled it would link Covid shots to children's deaths. Remember, anyone who questioned the vaccines in the early days of the pandemic was demonized by Democrats and "trust the science" regime, which unleashed big-tech and state-sponsored censorship cartel against anyone asking questions.

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/vaccine-stocks-drop-after-fda-memo-links-covid-shots-childrens-deaths

'Retail Workers Currently Earning 51.6% Less Than Needed To Afford Rent: Report'

 by Naveen Athrappully via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

An American retail worker earns 51.6 percent less than the amount required to afford a typical rental apartment, real estate brokerage Redfin said in a statement released on Nov. 26.

“The typical retail worker in America earns $34,436 per year,” the company said.

“A renter would need to earn $71,172 to afford the typical apartment, which costs $1,779 per month.”

This signifies a shortfall of $36,736 needed to afford an apartment, even though overall affordability has improved slightly in recent years.

In Cleveland, a typical retail worker earns 32.9 percent less than needed to afford a residence, the smallest shortfall among 40 metropolitan areas analyzed by the brokerage. This was followed by St. Louis, San Antonio, Kansas City, and Milwaukee. These places have some of the lowest rents in the country.

In contrast, the shortfall was highest in New York, where a retail worker earned 71 percent less. This was followed by Boston, San Jose, Miami, and San Diego. These locations rank among the most expensive rental locations.

Besides the rent struggle, the U.S. retail sector is also seeing large layoffs.

Retailers have announced 88,664 job cuts through October this year, a 145 percent jump compared to the same period last year, according to a Nov. 6 report by outplacement company Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

Incomes and Rent Growth

“As the cost of living has increased, so have the sacrifices renters must make to afford a place to live,” Redfin Chief Economist Daryl Fairweather said.

However, “the good news is rents are no longer rising as fast as they were during the pandemic, so rental affordability has actually improved slightly in recent years,” Fairweather added.

The average rent in a primary city residence grew by almost 3.4 percent between September 2024 and 2025, according to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.

A Nov. 19 report from real estate marketplace Zillow noted that U.S. incomes grew faster than asking rents this year amid a general slowdown in rent growth.

“Affordability is improving most significantly in markets where rents have fallen from year-ago levels, including Austin (where the typical asking rent is down 3.1 percent annually), Denver (-2.1 percent), San Antonio (-0.8 percent), and Phoenix (-0.7 percent),” the report said.

“Though incomes have understandably outpaced rents in markets where rent growth has turned negative, affordability improvements have even reached metros where rent growth remains strong.”

A monthly rental budget of $2,000 will net different types of properties based on the region, according to a Nov. 10 report from online rental marketplace Apartments.

“Renters in smaller cities like Memphis, Buffalo, and Indianapolis can afford three-bedroom apartments within a $2,000 budget, while in big cities like Boston, Los Angeles, and Seattle, that same budget often only covers a studio,” it said.

Meanwhile, there have been proposals to freeze the amount that can be charged on rental properties.

Zohran Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist who won the New York City mayoral race this month, proposed a rent freeze during his campaign. Washington state, Oregon, and California have already implemented statewide rent control.

Supporters of rent-freeze policies argue that such measures are required to ease the burden on American families. However, critics warn that pursuing these policies could deter investment in the rental market, further exacerbating the issue in the long run.

A survey of The Epoch Times readers conducted on Oct. 29 found that most opposed rent-freeze measures and advocated pursuing market solutions.

Nearly 40 percent suggested that builders cut costs to reduce the housing shortage, which could then bring down rents.

https://www.zerohedge.com/personal-finance/retail-workers-currently-earning-516-percent-less-needed-afford-rent-report

Brutal new side effect of chronic cannabis use as ER visits surge

 For some chronic cannabis users, a case of the munchies is the least of their problems.

Over the past decade, ERs have seen a surge in regular tokers showing up with sudden, stomach-churning attacks that leave them doubled over in pain.

The worst part? Many sufferers experience these episodes three or four times a year, often leaving both patients and providers scratching their heads.

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Chronic cannabis users are increasingly facing a temporarily debilitating health concern.Seventyfour – stock.adobe.com

What is CHS?

The culprit is cannabis hyperemesis syndrome (CHS), a gut-wrenching disorder that triggers relentless nausea, abdominal pain and severe vomiting that can strike four or five times an hour, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Symptoms usually appear within 24 hours of cannabis use and can last for days. The episodes are so brutal that ER staff have coined a term for them: “scromiting” — a chilling mashup of screaming and vomiting.

Tough to treat

Despite its growing prevalence, many doctors are still unfamiliar with the syndrome, which was only recently defined, making it hard to distinguish from medical issues like food poisoning or the stomach flu.

“A person often will have multiple [emergency department] visits until it is correctly recognized, costing thousands of dollars each time,” Dr. Beatriz Carlini, a research associate professor at the University of Washington (UW) School of Medicine who studies adverse health effects of cannabis use, said in a statement.

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Cannabis hyperemesis syndrome patients often present with the combination of screaming and loud vomiting, which has led to the term “scromiting.”Monkey Business – stock.adobe.com

But even after a diagnosis, CHS can be difficult to treat.

There are currently no FDA-approved therapies, and standard anti-nausea medications often don’t work, according to Dr. Chris Buresh, an emergency medicine specialist with UW Medicine and Seattle Children’s Hospital.

That sometimes forces clinicians to try second- and third-line options, including Haldol, a medication more commonly used for psychotic episodes.

Some patients find limited relief by rubbing capsaicin cream on their stomachs, which creates a warming sensation that can temporarily ease discomfort.

Hot baths and showers also often help curb symptoms, with many patients driven to bathe for hours each day to soothe their pain.

“That’s something that can clinch the diagnosis for me, when someone says they’re better with a hot shower,” Buresh said. “Patients describe going through all the hot water in their house.”

Recovery challenges

Even after symptoms subside, long-term recovery can be tricky.

Because the syndrome strikes intermittently, some cannabis users assume a recent episode was unrelated and continue using — only to become severely ill again, according to UW.

For those who accept the diagnosis and try to quit, addiction often makes abstinence a major challenge, prolonging the cycle of illness. Carlini said.

Stopping cannabis use is currently the only way to fully cure the condition.

From teens to long-time users

Scientists don’t know the exact cause of CHS, but the leading theory is that long-term overstimulation of receptors in the endocannabinoid system may disrupt the body’s natural control of nausea and vomiting, per the Cleveland Clinic.

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CHS can be tough to spot, often blending in with far more common gastrointestinal illnesses.Mdv Edwards – stock.adobe.com

Why it affects some cannabis users but not others remains a mystery.

“We don’t know if it’s related to the greater general availability of cannabis or the higher THC potency of some products or something else,” Buresh said.

“It seems like there’s a threshold when people can become vulnerable to this condition, and that threshold is different for everyone,” he added. “Even using in small amounts can make these people start throwing up.”

A study published earlier this year by researchers at George Washington University surveyed 1,052 people with CHS in an effort to better understand risk factors.

They found that starting cannabis use earlier in life was linked to a higher likelihood of future ER visits for hyperemesis symptoms. Daily use and prolonged consumption were also common, with 44% reporting regular use for more than five years before the syndrome appeared.

But CHS isn’t just an adult problem. Research shows that emergency department visits among adolescents in the US have jumped more than 10-fold from 2016 to 2023.

Notably, while overall rates were higher in states with legal recreational cannabis, the fastest year-over-year increases in the number of adolescent CHS cases at hospitals occurred in states where casual cannabis use is still illegal.

Gaining attention

On Oct. 1, the World Health Organization formally recognized cannabis hyperemesis syndrome, adding an official diagnosis code to its manual. The CDC has also incorporated the new code into US diagnostic systems.

Experts say the update offers several benefits, including giving researchers a clearer picture of how often CHS occurs. Having the code appear in a patient’s medical record also helps providers spot repeat episodes during future visits.

“A new code for cannabis hyperemesis syndrome will supply important hard evidence on cannabis-adverse events, which physicians tell us is a growing problem,” Carlini said.

https://nypost.com/2025/11/29/health/new-health-concern-linked-to-chronic-cannabis-use/

Fresh, alarming warnings about Ozempic-like drugs

 Popular drugs like Zepbound and Wegovy that promise a slimmer profile can trigger much more than weight loss.

These medications can spur a slew of potential side effects, like nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, headaches and changes to the skin.

One possible consequence is especially dire for the 10 million Americans using GLP-1s.

The Australian government has issued two new safety warnings regarding the use of GLP-1 drugs.millaf – stock.adobe.com

Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), which regulates medicines and medical devices, has issued new safety warnings regarding mental health and birth control for those taking GLP-1 medications.

After a World Health Organization study raised alarm bells that several weight loss drug users reported suicidal behavior and thoughts of suicide, the TGA further investigated the claims.

As recently as September, the TGA database featured 72 reports of suicidal ideation, six reports of suicide related to depression and four attempted suicides from those on GLP-1s.

While there wasn’t enough evidence to directly link the drugs to these events, the TGA advises that doctors should “monitor patients for the emergence or worsening of depression, suicidal thoughts or behaviors and/or any unusual changes in mood or behavior.”

The agency also issued a separate warning that Mounjaro could potentially reduce the effectiveness of oral contraception.

This follows the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency warning from earlier this year that tirzepatide, sold as Mounjaro and Zepbound, may reduce the effectiveness of oral contraceptives.

Weight-loss drugs could increase the risk of suicide and make oral birth control less effective for some users.StockPhotoPro – stock.adobe.com

While the WHO study saw reports of suicidal thoughts were slightly higher for semaglutide in particular, the warning applies for all GLP-1s, including Saxenda, Trulicity and Mounjaro. Semaglutide is sold as Ozempic or Wegovy.

Previous research had found “reassuring” results that weight loss and diabetes drugs don’t directly increase the risks of depression or suicide.

The US Food and Drug Administration investigated reports of suicidal thoughts or behavior by GLP-1 users in 2024, finding no evidence that these medicines cause either.

But some suggest that a particular group of users may be more susceptible to these risks than others.

“At the moment, [patients who may be more vulnerable to a worsening of their mental health] seems to be people who might already have a past or current history of depression or anxiety or on a antidepressant type medication,” Terri-Lynne South, the chair of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners’ specific interest group for obesity management, told The Guardian.

She added that bariatric surgery and significant weight loss can be a “real triggering event from a mental health point of view.”

Regarding birth control, there’s no evidence that GLP-1s affect non-oral birth control like IUDs, implants, patches or rings, according to the UK’s Faculty of Reproductive Healthcare.

Since these drugs slow digestion, everything ingested is affected — including oral contraceptive pills.

“[The drug] delays the food and everything else that you eat actually coming through the digestive system,” South explained, “therefore having an impact on the absorption of the oral contraceptive pill and possibly the effectiveness of the oral contraceptive pill.”

If you’re on tirzepatide and trying not to get pregnant, experts recommend using a backup method like condoms for four weeks after starting the medication and with each dose increase.

And those who are already pregnant shouldn’t use weight loss drugs, as there’s not enough data to confirm whether they’re safe during pregnancy.

Some human studies suggest there’s no harm in first-trimester use, but testing in animals has shown the drugs could increase the risk of miscarriage and birth defects.

The two new warnings issued by the TGA were part of its normal post-market investigation and all medications were properly updated.

https://nypost.com/2025/12/01/health/fresh-alarming-warnings-about-ozempic-like-drugs/