Search Results for covid-19

Pfizer documents misrepresented to spread the false claim that the Pfizer mRNA COVID-19 vaccine contains graphene oxide

COVID-19 vaccines were rigorously tested in clinical trials before they were permitted to be used in the general public. The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine doesn’t contain graphene oxide nor is graphene listed on any credible ingredient lists of any COVID-19 vaccine provided by public health authorities and regulators. However, some have misrepresented a Pfizer document to claim otherwise. In fact, the document describes a microscopy study that was part of the structural characterization of the vaccine spike protein, in which scientists used graphene oxide as a support material for sample processing and visualization.

The commercially available Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA COVID-19 vaccine is safe and was tested on more than 250 people, contrary to claim by statistician Christine Cotton

Manufacturers of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines improved their manufacturing process over time in order to meet increased demand. While clinical trials were mostly conducted with vaccines produced using their initial process, the vaccine resulting from an updated process was also clinically tested. Under the request of the European Medicines Agency, the manufacturers conducted the necessary studies to show that the quality of the vaccine resulting from both manufacturing processes were comparable.

Claim that a mouse study shows COVID-19 vaccine causes “turbo cancer” distorts study findings

To date, more than 270 million people in the U.S. have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Incidental cases of illnesses, including cancer, occurred even before COVID-19 vaccines existed. Therefore, in order to determine if vaccination raises the risk of illness, it isn’t enough to simply point to cases occurring after vaccination as evidence. One must compare the incidence of the illness following vaccination with the baseline incidence. There’s no evidence indicating that COVID-19 vaccines raise the risk of developing cancer or that they worsen cancer.

Claim by Steve Kirsch that the Amish don’t experience autism, cancer, or high COVID-19 mortality because they don’t vaccinate is baseless

Decades of epidemiological and clinical studies show that vaccines don’t cause autism and effectively reduce the risk of potentially disabling or lethal childhood illnesses like measles and polio. The Amish are a Christian group of about 350,000 people, most of whom live in the U.S.. Although they avoid the use of modern technology, they do vaccinate their children to a certain degree. Members of the Amish can and do develop various medical conditions such as autism, diabetes and cancer, just like the general population.

Analysis of adverse event variation between Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine batches doesn’t indicate safety problems, contrary to claim by John Campbell

Even before COVID-19 vaccines existed, there was already a baseline rate of illness and death occurring in the general population. The occurrence of an adverse event after vaccination in itself doesn’t necessarily mean the vaccine caused the event. To determine whether vaccination alters the risk of such events, researchers need to compare the baseline rate and the rate in vaccinated people. Multiple scientific studies have shown that serious side effects following COVID-19 vaccination are rare and the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks.

CDC data didn’t show COVID-19 vaccines increase risk of hospitalization, contrary to claim by The Epoch Times

COVID-19 bivalent vaccines were developed to provide protection against the original form of SARS-CoV-2 as well as the Omicron variant. The U.S. Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention data showed that the bivalent booster had a limited and waning effectiveness against hospitalization due to infection by the dominant Omicron variant lineage called XBB. However, they are effective at protecting from severe forms of the disease in the case of infection by other Omicron lineages such as BQ.1 or BA.4/5.

Claim that COVID-19 mRNA vaccines contain DNA contaminants based on study of vials of “unknown provenance”; no evidence COVID-19 mRNA vaccines can alter DNA in people

To date, claims that COVID-19 mRNA vaccines can alter DNA in people lack a biologically plausible mechanism to explain how this would happen. A certain proportion of polio vaccine administered between the 1950s and 1960s were contaminated with the virus SV40, which can cause tumors in animals. However, epidemiological studies since then haven’t detected a higher risk of cancer in people who received the polio vaccine at that time period.

There is no evidence that COVID-19 vaccinations cause infertility or pregnancy complications

There is no evidence that COVID-19 vaccines cause infertility or pregnancy complications. On the other hand, pregnant women are at a higher risk of stillbirth, need for ventilation, and death if they develop COVID-19. Multiple studies have shown that getting vaccinated reduces the risk of severe disease and pregnancy complications, and that the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks. Hence, public health authorities such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend COVID-19 vaccination in women who are or wish to be pregnant.