Who are the main figures accused of lying about COVID vaccines and what did they say?
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Executive summary
Several public figures and government officials have been cited in recent reporting for making claims that critics call misleading about COVID-19 vaccines: FDA biologics chief Vinay Prasad claimed in a memo that “at least 10 children died” from COVID vaccination without published evidence [1] [2] [3]. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a long‑time vaccine skeptic, has changed federal vaccine policy and made prior misleading assertions about vaccines, including links to autism and questions about routine recommendations [4] [5] [6].
1. The memo that shocked colleagues — Vinay Prasad’s unverified allegation
Vinay Prasad, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, told staff in a contentious memo that at least 10 children had died from COVID vaccination and called for sweeping regulatory changes; reporters and outside experts noted the memo offered “scant evidence” and did not detail causes, how deaths were attributed to vaccines, or why earlier investigations had ruled them unrelated [1] [2]. Reuters and the Guardian report that the FDA said it would investigate and release more information, while critics — including academic vaccine law experts — warned Prasad based his proposals on an unpublished, opaque review [2] [3].
2. The dispute over myocarditis and how it’s being used in arguments
Prasad’s memo referenced myocarditis — a rare post‑vaccine heart inflammation signal — but reporting reminds readers myocarditis is more common and more severe after SARS‑CoV‑2 infection, and vaccination reduces infection and severe illness; the memo did not provide case‑level proof linking the cited child deaths to vaccination [1]. Other commentators and physicians seen in coverage have likewise been criticized for conflating infection‑related cardiac risks with vaccine risk or for citing studies out of context; for example, analysts note some who claim high rates of vaccine‑caused heart disease misread studies that actually examined infection‑associated effects [7].
3. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: policymaker, skeptic, and a focal point for controversy
As Health Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — described by Reuters and others as a long‑time vaccine skeptic — has enacted policy shifts limiting COVID vaccine access to older and high‑risk people and publicly scaled back routine recommendations, moves that fed broader debate about safety and public health consequences [4] [6]. The Independent and Reuters note Kennedy previously made “misleading” claims about other vaccines [5] [4]. Reporting frames his tenure as a major pivot from prior public‑health orthodoxy and a catalyst for disputes over both evidence and intent [4] [6].
4. Other prominent critics and instances of contested claims
Journalists have flagged clinicians and commentators — for instance, Kirk Milhoan and allied figures — who have repeatedly suggested vaccines cause cardiovascular harms and promoted unproven treatments; fact‑checks and scientific responses say those claims often rest on misread or irrelevant studies [7]. Media outlets and fact‑checking organizations have criticized some commentators for citing studies about myocarditis after COVID infection rather than vaccination, producing misleading impressions [7].
5. How mainstream outlets and experts push back
Major outlets emphasize that many of the alarming assertions lack transparent, peer‑reviewed evidence: the Guardian and Reuters reported that Prasad’s memo did not supply case details and that the FDA promised further information [1] [3]. Scientific bodies continue to reaffirm vaccine safety baselines: for example, WHO’s December 2025 expert committee reiterated no link between vaccines and autism and validated vaccine safety in multiple high‑quality studies [8]. Those institutional findings are cited to counter broad claims that vaccines are causing widespread, severe harms [8].
6. Politics, messaging and the information ecosystem
Reporting repeatedly ties vaccine assertions to political agendas and the broader information war: CNN and Reuters note FDA actions and policy shifts amid an environment where warnings, labels or policy changes are quickly interpreted politically [9] [4]. Analysts and outlets such as The Verge and Pew highlight how misinformation shaped uptake and trust during the pandemic, and how partisan shifts have altered public confidence in vaccination [10] [11] [12].
7. What’s missing or still unresolved in current reporting
Available sources do not provide peer‑reviewed, case‑level documentation proving the specific deaths Prasad cited were caused by vaccination; outlets say the FDA will release more information “soon” but the underlying data remain unpublished in mainstream reporting [1] [2] [3]. Similarly, claims tying routine vaccines to autism or universal severe cardiac injury are rebutted by major expert bodies and studies, including WHO’s recent analysis, which finds no causal link between vaccines and autism [8].
Sources cited in this article include reporting from The Guardian, Reuters, CNN, The Independent, Ars Technica and WHO documents as indicated above [1] [2] [3] [9] [4] [7] [5] [6] [8] [12] [11].