A lengthy video posted on TikTok that makes a host of unfounded claims about COVID-19 vaccines all of which have been repeatedly debunked originated with InfoWars, a website renowned for sowing conspiracy theories.
The viral video claims that COVID-19 vaccines "failed miserably" in animal trials and are "a type of gene therapy that several top scientists warn will kill you." It includes hashtags like #truthcomesout and #firefauci.
The video appeared on Facebook, where it was flagged as part of Facebooks efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.)
COVID-19 vaccines did not fail in animal trials or result in the death of the animals tested. The vaccines are not a form of gene therapy, which modifies a persons genes to replace or fix mutations that lead to diseases. The scientists cited in the video have spread misinformation about the vaccines.
The footage is an excerpt from a longer video posted online Oct. 13 called "Kill Shot," by Greg Reese, an editor and producer for the website InfoWars, which has spread other vaccine misinformation. Most recently, InfoWars was in the news because its founder and host, Alex Jones, was found liable for defamation against the families of victims from the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, which Jones has portrayed as a hoax.
In the TikTok video, a narrator says that 22 months into the COVID-19 pandemic, "We have all the information needed to paint a clear picture of whats going on." The narrator then recites a laundry list of false claims about Dr. Anthony Fauci, PCR tests, the ingredients of vaccines and more.
The narrator says, "The COVID vaccines are not vaccines but rather highly controversial mRNA tech that failed miserably on its animal trials, a type of gene therapy that several top scientists warn will kill you," a statement that contains multiple falsehoods.
First, COVID-19 vaccines did not fail animal trials. Fact checkers have debunked this claim, noting that the two vaccines most widely used in the U.S. Pfizer and Moderna produced desirable outcomes in animal testing. Results from Modernas animal testing were published in the New England Journal of Medicine after monkeys had a robust immune response to the vaccine.
Animals also did not die during the vaccine trials. Full Fact reported that had any animals died, human trials that were running concurrently would have been halted, which they were not.
Next, COVID-19 vaccines are not a type of gene therapy; PolitiFact and others have reported that the claim is false. Gene therapy is a process of modifying genes to replace or fix mutations that lead to diseases, according to PolitiFact.
Thats different from mRNA vaccines, which send instructions to the bodys cells to make a piece of spike protein, which is also found on the surface of the virus that causes COVID-19, so that the immune system can respond to it.
Finally, the videos narrator says "several top scientists warn" that the COVID-19 vaccines "will kill you," and names Dr. Ryan Cole and Dr. Nathan Thompson. Cole, who is licensed to practice medicine in several states and is under investigation by the Washington Medical Commission, falsely claimed in the spring that mRNA vaccines cause cancer and autoimmune diseases. He was rebuked by the author of the medical paper he cited as evidence for the claim.
The other doctor identified, Thompson, has claimed that COVID-19 vaccines weaken the immune system, which PolitiFact rated False.
Our ruling
A TikTok video posted on Facebook says COVID-19 vaccines "failed miserably" in animal trials and are "a type of gene therapy that several top scientists warn will kill you." The video originated on InfoWars, known for spreading conspiracy theories.
The vaccines did not fail in animal trials or result in the death of the animals tested.
COVID-19 vaccines are not a type of gene therapy, which involves modifying genes to replace or fix mutations that lead to diseases. The mRNA vaccines do not change a persons genetic makeup and never enter the part of the cell that hosts DNA.
The scientists cited in the video have spread misinformation about the vaccines.
We rate this claim False.
See the rest here:
A video that originated on InfoWars is filled with falsehoods about COVID-19 vaccines - PolitiFact
- BENITEC BIOPHARMA INC. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (form 10-Q) - Marketscreener.com - February 13th, 2023 [February 13th, 2023]
- CENTOGENE to Participate in Upcoming Conferences in February in the Lead Up to Rare Disease Day - Marketscreener.com - February 7th, 2023 [February 7th, 2023]
- Gene | Definition, Structure, Expression, & Facts | Britannica - January 27th, 2023 [January 27th, 2023]
- New gene therapy delivers treatment directly to brain - January 27th, 2023 [January 27th, 2023]
- Indian Pharma Congress: Gene-cell therapy, preventive medicine future of health care, says expert - Economic Times - January 25th, 2023 [January 25th, 2023]
- A blood test that identifies people at higher risk of miscarriage? Thats the goal of this award-winning Rutgers med student. - The Philadelphia... - January 19th, 2023 [January 19th, 2023]
- Gene Therapy: Genes As Medicine | Pfizer - January 6th, 2023 [January 6th, 2023]
- How Genomics will ensure a risk-free and beneficial treatment for good health and well-being - The Financial Express - December 28th, 2022 [December 28th, 2022]
- Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy Designation | FDA - December 18th, 2022 [December 18th, 2022]
- 3576 - Gene ResultCXCL8 C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 8 [ (human)] - November 23rd, 2022 [November 23rd, 2022]
- Study identifies new gene that drives colon cancer - EurekAlert - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- Updated Stroke Gene Panels: Rapid evolution of knowledge on monogenic causes of stroke | European Journal of Human Genetics - Nature.com - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- The challenges of translating CRISPR to the clinic - Labiotech.eu - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- Editas Medicine Presents Preclinical Data on EDIT-103 for Rhodopsin-associated Autosomal Dominant Retinitis Pigmentosa at the European Society of Gene... - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- 'We have to find a way': FDA seeks solutions to aid bespoke gene therapy - BioPharma Dive - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- Mathematical model could bring us closer to effective stem cell therapies - Michigan Medicine - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- Approval, Commercialization Highlighted at Cell & Gene Meeting on the Mesa - Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- CANbridge-UMass Chan Medical School Gene Therapy Research in Oral Presentation at the European Society of Gene and Cell Therapy (ESGCT) 29th Annual... - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- Depression Treatment: How Genetic Testing Can Help Find the Right Medication - Dunya News - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- The Risk-Reward Proposition for CGT Clinical Trials - Applied Clinical Trials Online - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- Precision Medicine Could Get Even More Precise With Allarity Therapeutics Next-Generation Diagnostics - Benzinga - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- Decibel Therapeutics Receives FDA Clearance of IND Application for DB-OTO, a Gene Therapy Product Candidate Designed to Provide Hearing to Individuals... - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- Time for your medicine: unlocking the power of our body clocks - The Guardian - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- Replay establishes distinguished Scientific Advisory Board of genomic medicine and cell therapy experts - Yahoo Finance - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- Scientists Reappraise the Role of Zombie Cells That Anti-aging Medicine Has Sought to Eliminate - Neuroscience News - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- Forge Biologics Announces Updated Positive Clinical Data in RESKUE, a Novel Phase 1/2 Gene Therapy Trial for Patients with Krabbe Disease - Business... - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- Gene Expression Signatures Are Analyzed for Biomarkers of Response in HCC - Targeted Oncology - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- NHS England World-first national genetic testing service to deliver rapid life-saving checks for babies and kids - NHS England - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- The proteinprotein relationship that could mend a broken heart - RegMedNet - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- Study finds microprotein correlated to Alzheimers risk - Daily Trojan Online - October 11th, 2022 [October 11th, 2022]
- Passage Bio Announces Appointment of William Chou, M.D. as Chief Executive Officer - Yahoo Finance - October 11th, 2022 [October 11th, 2022]
- Gene Therapy Rapidly Improves Night Vision in Adults with Congenital Blindness - Newswise - October 11th, 2022 [October 11th, 2022]
- Scientists Discover Protein Partners that Could Heal Heart Muscle | Newsroom - UNC Health and UNC School of Medicine - October 11th, 2022 [October 11th, 2022]
- The Pros and Cons of Lentiviral and Adeno-Associated Viral Vectors - The Medicine Maker - October 11th, 2022 [October 11th, 2022]
- Insights & Outcomes: Foreign DNA, quantum potholes and relapsing fever - Yale News - October 11th, 2022 [October 11th, 2022]
- Expediting IND applications with drug master files - BioPharma Dive - October 11th, 2022 [October 11th, 2022]
- UNC School of Medicine Awarded $3 Million to Lead Study to Reduce PTSD Frequency, Severity | Newsroom - UNC Health and UNC School of Medicine - October 11th, 2022 [October 11th, 2022]
- Lineage to Present at Alliance for Regenerative Medicine 2022 Cell & Gene Meeting on the Mesa - businesswire.com - October 8th, 2022 [October 8th, 2022]
- The Next Crispr Gene Editing IPO Could Be Near - Henry Herald - October 8th, 2022 [October 8th, 2022]
- 10-year CRISPR anniversary: How gene editing revolutionized medicine, and what lies ahead - Genetic Literacy Project - October 8th, 2022 [October 8th, 2022]
- Blood from a baby at birth can be gene sequenced to prevent diseases - USA TODAY - October 8th, 2022 [October 8th, 2022]
- What doctors wish patients knew about breast-cancer prevention - American Medical Association - October 8th, 2022 [October 8th, 2022]
- Growth in Cell and Gene Therapy Market - Pharmaceutical Technology Magazine - October 8th, 2022 [October 8th, 2022]
- Gene Editing Service Market 2022 : Top Players to Reflect Impressive Growth Rate till 2029: Caribou Biosciences, CRISPR Therapeutics, Merck KGaA,... - October 8th, 2022 [October 8th, 2022]
- Tip Sheet: $78 million to support new precision oncology institute, update on experimental gene therapy for herpes and the launch of Fred Hutch's new... - October 8th, 2022 [October 8th, 2022]
- Cell and Gene Therapy: Rewriting the Future of Medicine - Technology Networks - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- Growth in Cell and Gene Therapy Market - BioPharm International - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- CRISPR Therapeutics Announces FDA Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT) Designation Granted to CTX130 for the Treatment of Cutaneous T-Cell... - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- BioMarin Resubmits Biologics License Application (BLA) for Valoctocogene Roxaparvovec AAV Gene Therapy for Severe Hemophilia A to the FDA - PR... - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- Fighting Breast and Ovarian Cancer With a Lupus Antibody - Yale School of Medicine - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- This gene therapy company is testing new tech to 'switch off' diabetes and obesity with a pill - Euronews - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- Tenaya Therapeutics to Participate in Inaugural Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Medical Societys 2022 Scientific Sessions - Yahoo Finance - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- Risk of Alzheimer's dementia may be predicted with help of new tool Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis - Washington University... - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- Tiny Sea Creature's Genes Shed Light on Evolution of Immunity - UPMC - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- Who will get the call from Stockholm? It's time for STAT's 2022 Nobel Prize predictions - STAT - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- Excision BioTherapeutics Awarded California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) Grant to Support Ongoing Phase 1/2 Trial Evaluating EBT-101 as... - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- NeuroVoices: Emma Ciafaloni, MD, on the Vast Expansion of Innovative Approaches to Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy - Neurology Live - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- COVID mRNA Jabs and Testing Kicked Off This Industry of Drug Development: Here's What You Need to Know - The Epoch Times - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- Kidney resident macrophages have distinct subpopulations and occupy distinct microenvironments - University of Alabama at Birmingham - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- Nobel Prize for medicine: the full list of winners - The National - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- The surprising link between circadian disruption and cancer may have to do with temperature - EurekAlert - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- The global live cell imaging market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.44% during 2022-2027 - Yahoo Finance - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- Chroma Medicine Announces Formation of Scientific Advisory Board of Global Experts in Gene Editing and Cell and Gene Therapy - PR Newswire - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Ring Therapeutics Announces Issuance of U.S. Patent for its Anellovector Compositions - Yahoo Finance - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Cholesterol gene mutation: Why would a healthy 27-year-old have severe heart problems? - 69News WFMZ-TV - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Gene Therapy for Severe Hemophilia B Could Be More Cost Effective Than Current Treatments - Managed Healthcare Executive - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- AVROBIO Receives Rare Pediatric Disease Designation from U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for First Gene Therapy in Development for Cystinosis... - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- The Biggest CGT Breakthroughs Through the Eyes of Our 2022 Power List - The Medicine Maker - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Leading Virus Researcher to Chair UVA's Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer Biology - UVA Health Newsroom - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Work remains on Tay-Sachs and other Ashkenazi genetic disorders J. - The Jewish News of Northern California - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Study Shows Genetic Link to Moving to the Beat of Music - Newswise - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Viewpoint: In the post Roe v Wade world, what changes should a biology textbook writer make to address the medical repercussions of Dobbs? - Genetic... - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Alnylam Receives Approval in Europe for AMVUTTRA (vutrisiran) for the Treatment of Hereditary Transthyretin-mediated (hATTR) Amyloidosis in Adult... - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- CSL flexes gene therapy muscle with latest drug - Sydney Morning Herald - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- The MIT Press releases new book on the science of the heart from cardiac expert Dr. Sian Harding - EurekAlert - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Global Pharmaceutical Contract Manufacturing Market is projected to reach a market value of US$329.7 Billion in 2032: Visiongain Reports Ltd - Yahoo... - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Alzheon Reports Industry-Leading Biomarker, Brain Preservation and Clinical Effects Following 12 Months of Treatment in Phase 2 Trial of Oral ALZ-801... - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Do You Have Lung Cancer With An EGFR Mutation? If So, The Drug Tagrisso Might Be Right For You Based On New Results From A 'Practice Changing' Trial -... - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Getting rid of unwanted transformed cells: Possible new directions in cancer therapy - EurekAlert - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Sven Kili on reconvening with the ISCT - The Medicine Maker - September 14th, 2022 [September 14th, 2022]