> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.fdaweb.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Sen. Johnson Seeks FDA Docs on Covid Vaccine Deaths
- URL: https://www.fdaweb.com/sen-johnson-seeks-fda-docs-on-covid-vaccine-deaths/
- Published: 2025-12-17T12:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-14T15:29:25.000Z
- Author: David McFarland
- Tags: Biologics, #legacy-id-D5160404

Sen. **Ron Johnson** (R-WI) is demanding that FDA turn over records related to an internal review that linked Covid-19 vaccinations to the deaths of at least 10 children, escalating a long-running Republican investigation into vaccine safety and federal oversight during the Biden administration. In a 12/15 letter to HHS secretary **Robert F. Kennedy Jr.**, the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations chair cited a reported internal memo from CBER director **Vinay Prasad** ([see earlier story](https://www.fdaweb.com/experts-criticize-new-fda-vaccine-skepticism-memo/)) that he said summarized findings by career staff in the agency’s Office of Biostatistics and Pharmacovigilance.

Johnson asked HHS to produce documents by 1/5/2026 detailing how FDA reached its conclusions, why the agency reviewed only a small subset of reported deaths, and what steps regulators are taking to reassess vaccine risks, including myocarditis in young people. He also renewed demands for records explaining why the Biden administration extended liability protections for Covid-19 vaccine manufacturers in late 2024.

The senator said his request follows years of unsuccessful oversight efforts, including a 1/2025 subpoena to HHS. He accused federal health agencies of downplaying vaccine risks and failing to act on safety signals in real time.

Johnson’s letter also referenced recent public comments by FDA commissioner **Marty Makary**, who has said the agency’s review of pediatric death reports tied to Covid-19 vaccines is ongoing and that prior administrations withheld or failed to disclose certain safety data.

The letter signals that Johnson plans to press the issue further, saying that once HHS produces the requested records, he intends to call relevant officials to testify before the subcommittee.