Investors dumped shares in vaccine makers and pharmaceutical groups on Friday, as concerns grew over Donald Trump’s nomination of vaccine sceptic Robert F Kennedy Jr as the top US health official. GSK and Sanofi, the world’s two biggest vaccine makers by sales, both fell more than 3.5 per cent, while the nomination also hit the pharmaceutical sector more broadly, with a basket of European healthcare stocks down more than 2.5 per cent.
” The prospect of Kennedy enacting his controversial views affected stocks across the pharmaceutical sector but vaccine biotech companies were among the hardest hit on Thursday evening and Friday. Michael Yee, an analyst at Jefferies, said Kennedy’s nomination added to an already “dim” outlook for vaccine makers because of declining sales growth. “RFK Jr has . . . been outspoken about downsizing FDA, so there is concern on agency resources, commentary on and also vaccines,” said Yee.