An image trending on social media claims that Pfizer’s respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine, which is currently under FDA review for use in older adults, is dangerous for pregnant people. The basis of this claim is that a clinical trial for an RSV vaccine developed by a different pharmaceutical company, GSK, was suspended last year due to safety concerns in pregnant people.
Recommendation: Emphasizing that there is no evidence of safety concerns related to Pfizer’s RSV vaccine is recommended. Prebunking messaging may explain that the purpose of the clinical trial and FDA approval process is to identify potential safety issues for new vaccines. It is not possible to draw conclusions about a vaccine based on data about a different vaccine developed by a different organization. RSV is a respiratory virus that affects millions of people each year and is one of the leading causes of death in infants worldwide. Fact Checking Source(s): Reuters, The Conversation