On October 13, Pfizer released an update about Paxlovid and Comirnaty that included a safety note about myocarditis that appears on all releases related to the vaccine. Vaccine opponents are sharing screenshots of the note, insinuating that it is the first time the company has acknowledged the risk. Notably, most posts don’t link to the press release, where it is immediately clear that the note about myocarditis is part of standard safety language in pharmaceutical materials.
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False and misleading claims exaggerating the risk of myocarditis associated with COVID-19 vaccination have had a lasting and likely irreversible impact on the public’s perception of the vaccines’ safety. Talking points may emphasize that there is considerable evidence from two years of research that myocarditis after COVID-19 vaccination is extremely rare and typically mild. Debunking messaging may highlight the deceptive tactics used to circulate these misleading claims, such as falsely insinuating that Pfizer’s press release was related to myocarditis and suggesting that the company previously refused to acknowledge potential vaccine risks. A similar note about myocarditis can be found in Pfizer press releases related to COVID-19 vaccines as far back as July 2021. Fact Checking Source(s): VCU Health, Yale Medicine
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