A chart showing deaths reported to VAERS by vaccine type is circulating in English and Spanish on social media. Vaccine opponents claim that the chart proves COVID-19 vaccines have caused more deaths than all other vaccines combined. Risk level: High Recommendation: VAERS data is frequently misused and misinterpreted to discourage...
Several Spanish-language social media accounts are falsely claiming that measles never existed and insinuating that the vaccine against the virus is unwarranted. Additionally, two of the posters attached a video of a man falsely claiming that a German court ruled that the virus never existed. Risk level: Medium Recommendation: These...
The Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic held a multi-part hearing on “Assessing America’s Vaccine Safety Systems.” The subcommittee includes several physicians along with a congressperson known for promoting COVID-19 conspiracy theories. Online vaccine opponents are misrepresenting federal health officials’ testimony about VAERS reports to falsely claim that COVID-19...
Several popular posts in English and Spanish are falsely blaming COVID-19 vaccines for an increase in blood clots. One English post claims that 70 percent of embalmers in a survey said they’re finding abnormal clots that they had never seen before COVID-19 vaccines. And a Spanish post claims that...
Anti-vaccine rhetoric circulated online during the Super Bowl as vaccine opponents expressed outrage over a Pfizer ad about future cancer treatments that aired during the game. Some posts criticized one of the star players for his appearance in a previous Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine ad, while others accused the pharmaceutical giant...
In late January, several vaccine opponents published a review article questioning the safety of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. The paper calls for a ban on mRNA vaccines and promotes the baseless claim that COVID-19 vaccines caused “nearly 14 times more deaths” than lives saved. Many posts emphasize that the paper is...
Popular posts in English and Spanish are circulating false claims about HPV vaccine safety and effectiveness. The posts allege that HPV vaccines don’t prevent cancer and cause autoimmune diseases, miscarriages, birth defects, and young adult deaths. Risk level: Medium Recommendation: Vaccine opponents have been circulating myths about HPV vaccines...
A U.S. senator circulated conspiracy theories about the World Health Organization’s pandemic treaty, including claiming that the WHO chief and U.S. health officials “sabotaged” the pandemic response and promoted dangerous vaccines. Posts in English and Spanish falsely claim the treaty would give the WHO power over individual...
The CDC’s updated recommended immunization schedule is being criticized for the inclusion of RSV and COVID-19 vaccines for children and older and pregnant adults. An anti-vaccine website published an article calling for COVID-19 vaccines to be removed from all immunization schedules, while several popular posts argue that people, particularly...
A former cardiologist who was fired and stripped of his board certification for promoting vaccine disinformation has co-authored two recent papers claiming that COVID-19 vaccines contribute to a large number of myocarditis deaths. One of the papers was published and withdrawn in 2021, relying entirely on VAERS data and highlighting...
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