Moderna risks suspension over unethical recruitment practices for COVID vaccine trials

In the United Kingdom, pharmaceutical company Moderna is undergoing scrutiny by the Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority (PMCPA) for serious breaches of industry regulations. The violations primarily revolve around recruitment practices involving children in COVID-19 vaccine trials. Reports indicate that Moderna offered children financial incentives and toys, such as teddy bears, to encourage their participation, a practice criticized for lacking ethical transparency. Such actions have led to a potential audit that could result in either a suspension or expulsion from the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI). The PMCPA has deemed these recruitment strategies as unacceptable, significantly impacting the reputation of the pharmaceutical industry. The issues surrounding Moderna extend beyond recruitment practices. The company has also faced penalties due to inaccurate claims and misleading promotional activities regarding its COVID-19 vaccine. A recent fine of nearly £44,000 ($56,000) was imposed after the PMCPA found that Moderna had not disclosed conflicts of interest in promotional articles. One of the company's senior employees even co-authored articles that promoted the vaccine without revealing their affiliation with Moderna, resulting in further damages to the company's integrity. An investigation into Moderna's practices found that the company had not acted promptly despite being alerted by the concerned group UsForThem regarding the inappropriate cash offers in summer 2023. This belated response has raised questions about the company's governance and adherence to regulations. The PMCPA expressed that Moderna’s lack of transparency