CLAIMVaccine hesitancy and anti-vaccine claims are surging across the world, even as we get closer to having a COVID-19 vaccine ready. This has also affected one of the prime vaccine candidates we have right now, Pfizer, which has also applied for emergency authorization in India. Pfizer-BionTechs novel COVID-19 vaccine, BNT-162, which is one of the most promising vaccines approved for selective use right now has, too, been subjected to criticism and false claims, despite its strong safety and efficacy reports.
According to reports surfacing on social media pages, some users suggest that Pfizers vaccine could be bad for women of reproductive age.
The growing claims are raising concerns on the public level, as authorities draw up lists to inoculate the first doses amongst healthcare workers, senior citizens and hospital staff in the coming week.
A viral report, which cites Pfizers head of research suggests people to not take the vaccine jab, as it can cause female sterilization.
The social media post, which has been widely shared and circulated also offers a sort of explainer, adding that the vaccine works to deliver a robust immune response against a spike protein, 'synctin-1', which is vital for placental formation and once the vaccine is administered, it could cause sterilization and problems related to infertility.
The post reads:
"The vaccine contains a spike protein (see image) called syncytin-1, vital for the formation of human placenta in women. If the vaccine works so that we form an immune response AGAINST the spike protein, we are also training the female body to attack syncytin-1, which could lead to infertility in women of an unspecified duration."
The claim is similar to the one which suggested that the Oxford-Astrazeneca shot may be bad for males, and contains parts of human aborted fetus.
Related posts also suggests that some of the leading scientists and ex-heads of Pfizer have urged the medical community to draw COVID vaccination studies to an end because of significant safety concerns and threats to reproduction
TRUTHEven though the vaccine studies being conducted right now are happening in an accelerated, unprecedented manner, Pfizers vaccine jab is one of the earliest shots in the offering right now which carries a strong 94% efficacy rate.
Pfizer's vaccine, which is wrapping up phase III trials makes use of a novel mRNA approach, which trains the immune system to 'recognize' an illness-causing strain or germ.
The vaccine, which has been widely tested on 30,000 + volunteers (both healthy and young) hasnt been observed to carry adverse reactions or side-effects which could impact its functioning.
Also, most trials are being regulated under the purview of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and subject to stringent norms. None of the trials differentiate between male and female volunteers. Hence, the odds of any vaccine being bad for just one sex would be a tall claim to make.
Secondly, as of right now, none of the volunteers who have spoken up about the vaccine trials have reported suffering from mysterious side-effects such as the one being reported on social media.
VERDICT
Original post:
Coronavirus fact-check: Can the Pfizer vaccine affect a woman's reproductive health? Myth debunked! - Times of India
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