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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

Q&A on Financial Disclosures by Government Scientists

Q&A on Financial Disclosures by Government Scientists

In this story, we’ll explain what we know about the financial and conflict-of-interest disclosure requirements for Dr. Anthony Fauci, other National Institutes of Health higher-ups and members of two U.S. vaccine advisory committees.

Website Peddles Old, Debunked Falsehood About COVID-19 mRNA Vaccines

Website Peddles Old, Debunked Falsehood About COVID-19 mRNA Vaccines

An executive at the German pharmaceutical company Bayer referred to mRNA vaccines used against COVID-19 as an example of innovation in biotech at the World Health Summit 2021. But a website post takes the executive’s words out of context to falsely claim he said the vaccines are gene therapy.

Trump and Son Whitewash Vaccine Willingness Before Biden

Trump and Son Whitewash Vaccine Willingness Before Biden

Former President Donald Trump and his son Eric have been dishing out revisionist history with claims that vaccine hesitancy soared once Biden assumed office and that “people were getting the vaccine in record numbers” until Biden implemented vaccine mandates.

Meme Spreads Falsehood About Vaccine Transfer Through Eating Meat

Meme Spreads Falsehood About Vaccine Transfer Through Eating Meat

Livestock and poultry are not being vaccinated against COVID-19. But a meme is spreading the falsehood that those who eat meat from vaccinated animals will get “VAXXED” by consuming the meat. That simply isn’t possible, according to immunologists.

Tucker Carlson Misrepresents Vaccine Safety Reporting Data

Tucker Carlson Misrepresents Vaccine Safety Reporting Data

The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System accepts any reports of adverse side effects following vaccination to help regulators detect potential problems. Anyone can submit a report, whether or not the incident is vaccine-related. Fox News host Tucker Carlson misrepresented the VAERS data to suggest that thousands have died from COVID-19 vaccines.

Idaho Doctor Makes Baseless Claims About Safety of COVID-19 Vaccines

Idaho Doctor Makes Baseless Claims About Safety of COVID-19 Vaccines

A viral video features a doctor making dubious claims about COVID-19 vaccines and treatments at a forum hosted by Idaho’s lieutenant governor. Dr. Ryan Cole claims mRNA vaccines cause cancer and autoimmune diseases, but the lead author of the paper on which Cole based that claim told us there is no evidence mRNA vaccines cause those ailments.

RFK Jr. Video Pushes Known Vaccine Misrepresentations

RFK Jr. Video Pushes Known Vaccine Misrepresentations

A video stoking fears of the COVID-19 vaccines in the Black community is being promoted online. But the film repeats misrepresentations about vaccines, generally, and exploits historical cases of unethical medical conduct to suggest without evidence that COVID-19 vaccines are unsafe.

Anti-Vaccine Posts Use Deceptively Edited Video Clip

Anti-Vaccine Posts Use Deceptively Edited Video Clip

Social media pages that share anti-vaccine messages have used a selectively edited news clip that suggests the COVID-19 vaccine is unsafe. The clip shows a nurse fainting after she gets the vaccine, but it doesn’t show her quick recovery afterward when she explains that she is prone to fainting when triggered by even a slight pain.

Alabama Officials Debunk False Claim of COVID-19 Vaccine Death

Alabama Officials Debunk False Claim of COVID-19 Vaccine Death

A false claim that an unidentified nurse died after getting the COVID-19 vaccine in Alabama has been feeding into the anti-vaccine disinformation online. The Alabama Department of Public Health reported that no one who has received the vaccine has died.