By Josh Nathan-Kazis

The Food and Drug Administration will only stick to its existing process for updating Covid-19 shots for older adults and those at a high risk of severe illness, the agency's head wrote in a medical journal article on Tuesday.

In order to get new Covid-19 shots approved for younger, healthy adults, drugmakers will need to run new randomized clinical trials, FDA commissioner Dr. Marty Makary wrote.

Though the stance would impose new limits on FDA approvals, it's a softer approach than Trump officials had seemed poised to take. Moderna shares were up 9.4% to $28.85 in midday trading.

This is breaking news. Please check back for more analysis soon.

Write to Josh Nathan-Kazis at josh.nathan-kazis@barrons.com

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May 20, 2025 11:55 ET (15:55 GMT)

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