Pharmaceutical giant Moderna has been caught offering children cash rewards for taking part in medical trials to test experimental Covid mRNA “booster” shots.
The company representatives were found to be using WhatsApp messages to minors in the UK.
The UK Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority (PMCPA) launched an investigation into the vaccine makers over complaints that Moderna was offering money to children between the ages of 12 and 18.
The WhatsApp messages offered children £1,500 ($1,962) each in return for being injected with experimental Covid mRNA “vaccines.”
The PMCPA ruled that the offer amounted to “inappropriate financial inducement.”
The agency found Moderna had brought “discredit upon the pharmaceutical industry” with the scheme.
The offer was made by a pediatrician from an unnamed UK taxpayer-funded National Health Service (NHS) trust.
Minors aged between 12 and 18 years old were offered cash to enroll in the NextCove trial.
The clinical trial was examining the efficacy of Moderna’s Covid mRNA “booster” jab.
The inducement was made even though a research ethics committee had warned about the “large amount of money” that Moderna was offering participants.
The committee had already raised concerns that Moderna was offering large sums of cash to kids that were “much higher than would be considered a reasonable reimbursement.”
Moderna later claimed it had amended the offer to just £185 ($242).
However, despite the alleged change, at least one trial center was found to be still offering the original large sum.
Under the UK’s “Medicines for Human Use (Clinical Trials) Regulations,” it is prohibited for incentives or financial inducements to be given to children or their parents.
In a statement, the PMCPA ruled:
“The panel noted that the financial incentive offered within the unapproved WhatsApp message was never paid but considered that it might have encouraged participants to apply to take part.
“The panel considered that the unique circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the particular circumstances of this trial, which involved the recruitment of children, meant that Moderna should have been especially cautious.
“On balance, the panel considered that this brought discredit upon and reduced confidence in the pharmaceutical industry.”
Moderna must provide a written undertaking that the practice will “cease forthwith” and pay for administrative costs.
The pharmaceutical company was also ordered to pay a £14,000 ($18,310) fine.
However, critics said that the sanction was too small to be effective.
Esther McVey MP, formerly of the APPG on COVID-19 vaccine damage said:
“A charge of £14,000 to a company that enjoyed a total revenue of $6.8 billion in 2023 is hardly likely to make them think twice before breaking the rules again.”
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