Vaccine Data Deficits: Oct. 13, 2022

On October 7, Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph A. Ladapo announced that he recommends males aged 18-39 not receive the Covid-19 mRNA vaccine, citing concern of increased risk of cardiac-related death.
This recommendation is based on a study of Florida residents that suggested, “mRNA vaccination may be driving the increased risk in males, especially among males aged 18 – 39” but ultimately concluded that “risk for both all-cause and cardiac-related deaths was substantially higher 28 days following COVID-19 infection.”
The study was not published in a journal, does not list its authors, and is not peer reviewed.
The Palm Beach Post reports the study has “drawn rebuke from doctors who point out his recommendation lacks evidence.”

Vaccine skeptics have made many misleading claims about Covid-19 vaccines, cardiac-related death, myocarditis, and pericarditis previously.
Dr. Ladapo’s position and credentials give him credibility that can be cited by vaccine skeptics using his recommendation to further discourage vaccination.

Do mRNA vaccines affect heart health? Are there specific concerns men and boys should be aware of?
What are the risks of cardiac problems after an infection with Covid-19 versus vaccination?

Vaccine skeptics omitted key context in social media posts regarding a JAMA Pediatrics study on Covid-19 vaccines and breastfeeding.
The study discussion emphasized that “the sporadic presence and trace quantities of COVID-19 vaccine mRNA detected in EBM suggest that breastfeeding after COVID-19 mRNA vaccination is safe, particularly beyond 48 hours after vaccination.”
The discussion later noted that “caution is warranted about breastfeeding children younger than 6 months in the first 48 hours after maternal vaccination until more safety studies are conducted.”
Several posts – including one from JAMA Pediatrics – emphasized that “caution is warranted” in the first 48 hours, but neglected to note the study explicitly states that breastfeeding after Covid-19 vaccination is safe.

Vaccine skeptics have shared misleading claims about the safety of taking the Covid-19 vaccine during pregnancy and its impacts on fertility previously.
The JAMA Pediatrics study is easy to misconstrue, and provides a credible source for anti-vaccine activists to cite as “proof” of their misleading claims regarding vaccine safety.

A recent piece in The Atlantic told the story of Dr. Michael Goldman, whose lymphoma worsened after receiving a Covid-19 booster shot in 2021 (note: this was not the bivalent booster).
Dr. Goldman believes he may be the “rare unfortunate exception” regarding the safety of vaccines for cancer patients.

Some anti-vaccine activists, like Dr. Ryan Cole, promote the false claim that vaccines cause cancer.
This story – well-reported and in a mainstream outlet – can be used to give credence to false claims.

How does vaccination impact the immune system of a healthy person? Of a person with cancer?
Should people with certain types of cancer avoid or delay vaccination?

STAT covered a study that “suggests there may be a link between aluminum used in vaccines that are given to young children in the first two years of life and the risk of developing asthma before age 5.”
STAT reports the study is preliminary and that the authors “urge caution” in the interpretation of results.
Note: This claim is not specific to Covid-19 vaccination, but rather some routine childhood vaccines.

Gives new life to long-standing claims by anti-vaccine activists that aluminum is a dangerous ingredient.

Lorraine Broertjes of the Brown University Information Futures Lab and Isabella Navia of ATI contributed reporting to this briefing.