Skeptics misuse studies to discredit vaccines
Several studies circulating online this week are fueling false claims about the effectiveness and safety of flu and COVID-19 vaccines.
Several studies circulating online this week are fueling false claims about the effectiveness and safety of flu and COVID-19 vaccines.
This week, vaccine opponents misrepresented three studies to claim that COVID-19 and flu vaccines are ineffective or unsafe. A non-peer-reviewed Cleveland Clinic study is being used to claim that flu shots increase vulnerability to the flu. Meanwhile, vaccine opponents are circulating a meta-analysis they claim “proves” COVID-19 vaccines cause heart attacks and strokes, contradicting the study’s authors. Finally, a U.S. senator who has repeatedly promoted anti-vaccine claims accused the CDC of covering up data on COVID-19 vaccine safety during pregnancy, a claim that was disproven four years ago.
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What’s trending in vaccine conversation:
A preprint Cleveland Clinic study found that health care workers who received the 2024-2025 trivalent flu vaccine were more likely to test positive for the flu than unvaccinated health care workers. Vaccine opponents shared the study, claiming it proves the flu vaccine is ineffective and harmful. The study has not yet been peer reviewed (vetted by other experts). A popular social media post proclaimed, “Get the shot get the disease!” Other posts called for flu vaccines to be pulled from the market, declaring them a “failure.”
A March analysis that reviewed data from 15 studies found an increase in cardiovascular risks following COVID-19 vaccination. The authors noted that “the odds of experiencing myocardial infarction [heart attack], stroke, and arrhythmia did not exhibit significant elevation due to the administration of COVID-19 vaccines.” Additionally, the researchers concluded that the “findings support the overall safety of the COVID-19 vaccine concerning cardiovascular complications.” Misleading posts about the study are circulating in multiple languages across several social media platforms. Vaccine opponents are claiming that the study “proves” that COVID-19 vaccines are dangerous and should be withdrawn from the market. Several posts claim without evidence that COVID-19 vaccines are causing a rise in heart attacks and strokes.
A U.S. senator who has repeatedly promoted false claims and conspiracy theories about COVID-19 vaccines alleged, without evidence, that a CDC official hid data about COVID-19 vaccine safety during pregnancy. According to articles and social media posts sharing the claim, the now-deleted data shows an 82 percent miscarriage rate. Responses to the claim accused the CDC of misleading the public about COVID-19 vaccine safety. The false claim that 82 percent of pregnancies end in miscarriage after COVID-19 vaccination has been circulating online for nearly four years, originating from a gross misrepresentation of a preliminary study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Read the fact checks:
- Health: Does the Flu Shot Raise Infection Risk? Here’s What a New Study Actually Found
- UnityPoint Health: Can COVID-19 or COVID-19 Vaccines Cause Heart Damage?
- CDC: COVID-19 Vaccination for Women Who Are Pregnant or Breastfeeding
Recommendations brought to you by the health communication experts behind Infodemiology.com.
Recommendations for public health professionals
Each week the Infodemiology.com team will provide messaging recommendations in response to some of the trending narratives outlined above. These helpful tips can be used when creating content, updating web pages and FAQs, and to inform strategy for messaging about vaccines.
Flu vaccine uptake has been declining since the COVID-19 pandemic, especially among older adults who are at the highest risk from the flu. One of the leading reasons for flu vaccine hesitancy is the belief that it isn’t effective. Debunking messaging may explain that vaccination is the best protection against the flu, reducing the risk of infection, severe illness, complications, hospitalization, and death. Additionally, communicators may wish to emphasize that no study has found that flu vaccines increase the risk of catching the flu.
The false narrative that COVID-19 vaccines are unsafe is often bolstered by misrepresenting legitimate studies. Consider countering this narrative by highlighting the more than four years of research showing that COVID-19 vaccines are safe and reduce the risk of COVID-19-related heart attack or stroke. Messaging may also emphasize that COVID-19 is associated with an elevated risk of heart attack and stroke for up to three years after infection.
Concern about vaccine safety during pregnancy is widespread and a major cause of hesitancy. Vaccine opponents exploit these fears to discourage pregnant people from getting vaccinated. Debunking messaging may emphasize that the claim that 80 percent of pregnancies following COVID-19 vaccination ended in miscarriage is false and based on manipulation of preliminary data in a 2021 study. The study, and subsequent ones, find no difference in miscarriage rate between vaccinated and unvaccinated women. Research has consistently shown COVID-19 vaccines to be safe during pregnancy, with no increase in negative pregnancy outcomes.
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