&Quot;Vaccines&Quot;

Did German scientists uncover evidence that Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine batches in the European Union included placebos? No, that's not true: Germany's federal institute for vaccines and biomedicines and Pfizer said all batches are tested and certified. They do not include placebos. The claim appeared in a post (archived here) on Instagram by holistichealthandmore on January 20, 2024, under the title…

Does the vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella cause measles? No, that's not true: The claim on social media ignored basic principles of how these vaccines work. It failed to distinguish between potentially deadly strains of the virus and its weakened version, used in the shots to help healthy populations build immunity against this disease. The claim appeared in a…

Is meningitis proven to occur frequently after the administration of seven U.S. vaccines? No, that's not true: According to the Institute of Vaccine Safety at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, most vaccines from the list on an Instagram post are not known to be linked to meningitis. Varicella and measles vaccines "very rarely" cause this condition. An image shared…

Does a meeting about "Disease X" at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, prove the existence of some sinister plan to start a pandemic intentionally? No, that's not true: The panel discussion to be led by the World Health Organization's director general can be viewed online. The planned agenda is a discussion of preparedness for the next pandemic, not…

Did COVID-19 vaccines kill 17 million people around the world during the pandemic? No, that's not true: Infectious disease experts told Lead Stories that the surge in deaths correlates with surges in coronavirus infections, not vaccination campaigns. The overwhelming majority of adverse events reported after vaccination are mild and temporary, and the benefits of vaccination in preventing severe illness and…

Does the childhood vaccine Vaxelis contain "toxic" levels of formaldehyde and aluminum? No, that's not true: While the six-in-one vaccine does contain trace amounts of formaldehyde, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists formaldehyde as a "residual inactivating ingredient" that is used to kill viruses or inactivate toxins during the manufacturing process. Aluminum salts are also used in Vaxelis…

Did the World Health Organization order President Joe Biden to arrest Americans who share "non-mainstream content online"? No, that's not true: Lead Stories found no evidence the organization ever said this. A spokesperson for the WHO denied this claim. The article making the claim links to a story about a plan to develop an approach to curbing misinformation, but it…

Does New Zealand health data prove that 20 percent of vaccinated citizens died after COVID-19 vaccination? No, that's not true: The agency wrote, "We assure people there is no evidence whatsoever that vaccination is responsible for excess mortality in New Zealand and that they can continue to have confidence in vaccines." Two experts that Lead Stories spoke with independently confirmed…

Did the Australian government recommend vaccinating patients for COVID-19 without consent, while the patient was under sedation? No, that's not true: There is no official support for such a claim. The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation, part of the nation's Department of Health, stated the opposite in an advice document dated April 6, 2022: "Sedation should not be used…

Did Italy start an investigation against the former health minister Roberto Speranza, who held this job during the pandemic, for "murder" in connection with administering COVID-19 vaccines? No, that's not true: No such decision has been made as of December 14, 2023. Articles on the Internet exaggerated the meaning of the complaint the Office of Public Prosecutor had already recommended…