TallGuyJohninBKK

So that must mean you and Red Phoenix too! Everyone is corrupt. No one actually tries to do what's best for people. That's your story. And you're sticking to it!

Google Ads don't involve any direct financial relationship between the website and the advertiser....unlike Kennedy and his legal shilling. Google on its own places ads based on topics, and the website gets a cut of the ad revenue based on clicks... There's nothing there that creates any kind of bias on the part of the website....

Ahh.... you mean lying like: After Trump win, RFK Jr. says he won't 'take away anybody's vaccines' https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/trump-win-rfk-jr-says-wont-take-away-anybodys-vaccines-rcna178955 COVID Vaccines Are Harder to Get, Despite Claims from HHS, RFK Jr. https://www.factcheck.org/2025/09/covid-vaccines-are-harder-to-get-despite-claims-from-hhs-rfk-jr/ RFK Jr says no COVID vaccines for healthy children, pregnant women https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/rfk-jr-says-no-covid-vaccines-healthy-children-pregnant-women

Pretty much the same as this forum's website... and most of the rest of the internet, in case you hadn't noticed. And yet, here you are!

The general claims above were in fact broadly accurate in the early days of COVID vaccine rollout. There was justification for people to say what they said...at a certain point in time. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2034577 Pfizer and BioNTech to submit Covid-19 vaccine data to FDA as full results show 95% efficacy Nov. 18, 2020 "Pfizer and BioNTech announced Wednesday that the efficacy portion of their Covid-19 vaccine trial has been completed, showing the vaccine to prevent 95% of cases of the disease. The companies said that they plan to submit to the Food and Drug Administration for an emergency use authorization “within days,” and will also submit to regulatory agencies around the globe. The results come little more than a week after the companies said an earlier analysis from the study showed the vaccine reduced infections by more than 90%, and just days after another company, Moderna, said that a similar vaccine reduced infections by 94.5%. Taken together, the results raise hopes that vaccines will be broadly available sometime next year, and also, perhaps, that other vaccines against the disease will also prove effective." https://www.statnews.com/2020/11/18/pfizer-biontech-covid19-vaccine-fda-data/ But as is the case with all viruses, and especially coronaviruses, they mutate over time... And the effectiveness of one vaccine at a given point in time changes with those mutations, and newer vaccines need to be developed to respond to those changes, which is in fact what has occurred in recent years.

Not from the same places as RFK Jr. and Children's Health Defense: Funding Media Bias Fact Check is 100% independent, relying only on low monthly membership fees and small donations from individuals. We are the only bias rater not funded through corporations, foundations, organizations, or wealthy investors. We are truly grassroots! https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/funding/ Nice try... FAIL!

Plenty of content. You just ignore the facts that don't fit your fact-deficient narrative: Acetaminophen Use in Pregnancy and Neurodevelopmental Outcomes This Practice Advisory was developed by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in collaboration with Nathaniel DeNicola, MD, MSHP, FACOG. ACOG Recommendation "ACOG reaffirms that acetaminophen remains the analgesic and antipyretic of choice during pregnancy. Judicious use at the lowest effective dose for the shortest necessary duration, in consultation with an obstetrician–gynecologist or other obstetric care professional, remains consistent with best practice. The current weight of evidence does not support a causal link between prenatal acetaminophen use and neurodevelopmental disorders. At this time, no change in clinical practice is warranted based on new publications and ACOG’s recommendations for the use of acetaminophen for specific indications 12 remain current. [emphasis added] The question of acetaminophen safety during pregnancy has been studied for more than a decade. In 2015, the FDA reviewed the available literature and determined that the evidence was inconclusive regarding a causal relationship between prenatal acetaminophen and ADHD. 4 In 2017, the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) conducted an independent review of large cohort studies 56789 and reached the same conclusion: No clear causal relationship had been established. 1 (more) https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/practice-advisory/articles/2025/09/acetaminophen-use-in-pregnancy-and-neurodevelopmental-outcomes

Of course they are: Financial conflict of interest? Kennedy's plan to continue collecting contingency fees while serving as Health and Human Services secretary raises questions as a matter of ethics and policy, according to Kathleen Clark, a law professor at Washington University in St. Louis, "It's very unusual for a cabinet secretary to retain an interest in contingency fee litigation," Clark told CBS MoneyWatch. "It's troubling." https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rfk-jr-confirmation-robert-f-kennedy-merck/

Where did RFK Jr. while heading Children''s Health Defense make his money? In part from attorneys who sue pharmaceutical companies over vaccines. "Today, CHD is a prolific content creator and a leading source of false and misleading claims about vaccines — including the long-debunked false claim that vaccines cause autism. It operates a daily newsletter, a streaming video channel and a movie division. In 2020, it helped finance a sequel to the viral "Plandemic" video, which baselessly alleged the COVID-19 pandemic was planned as part of a global conspiracy. The next year it put out a film targeting disproven claims about vaccines at Black Americans." https://www.npr.org/2024/12/03/nx-s1-5198506/rfk-jr-anti-vaccine-chd-lawsuits How Kennedy made money from lawsuits "Kennedy for years has earned referral fees from Wisner Baum, a Los Angeles personal injury law firm that is currently suing Merck, alleging the pharmaceutical giant failed to properly warn the public about risks from its vaccine against human papillomavirus (HPV), Gardasil, according to financial disclosure documents filed by Kennedy with the Office of Government Ethics." Kennedy has made about $2.5 million since 2022 in his work with the law firm, including $850,000 last year, public records show. Kennedy, himself a longtime personal injury lawyer, could earn even more if the litigation against Merck prevails given that he is opting to keep his stake in the pending court case, according to ethics documents filed before his confirmation hearings. Kennedy has a consulting arrangement to refer cases to Wisner Baum, which is pursuing cases related to the HPV vaccine Gardasil. If Kennedy is confirmed, he said he would resign from that arrangement. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rfk-jr-confirmation-robert-f-kennedy-merck/

Leave it to you to pull out the quack job Children's Health Defense card: Overall, we rate the Children’s Health Defense a strong conspiracy and quackery level advocacy group that frequently promotes unsupported claims. We also rate them low for factual reporting due to the promotion of propaganda and several failed fact checks. https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/childrens-health-defense/

Smoke does not mean fire: "An August 2025 study assessed whether prenatal acetaminophen exposure increases the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders, including ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, or intellectual disability. 12 This review included 10 new studies published since 2021. However, analysis shows that most of these new studies continue to share the same flaws as previous studies. Notably, only two studies—Ahlqvist 2024 13 (Swedish nationwide cohort, sibling-controlled) and Gustavson 2021 14 (Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort, sibling-controlled)—adequately addressed genetic confounding and familial factors. Both found no significant association between prenatal acetaminophen and neurodevelopmental outcomes once these confounders were considered." https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/practice-advisory/articles/2025/09/acetaminophen-use-in-pregnancy-and-neurodevelopmental-outcomes But hey, this is Trump and RFK Jr.... They're kings when it comes to relying on -- and basing policy -- on inaccurate, biased or poorly conducted research.

Respectfully, you need to go back to medical school. Pregnant women having untreated fevers has been clearly shown to increase risks of harm to the unborn child -- unlike the unproven Tylenol-autism issue. That's in part why OB-GYNs advise the continued use of Tylenol where appropriate. Per the ACOG above: "Untreated maternal conditions for which acetaminophen is indicated—such as fever, migraines and other headaches, and pain—can lead to significant maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Fever during pregnancy, for example, has been associated with increased risk of neural tube defects and other birth defects such as oral clefts and cardiac defects. 1516 Inadequate treatment of pain can destabilize maternal physiology, with potential downstream effects on fetal well-being. 1718" https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/practice-advisory/articles/2025/09/acetaminophen-use-in-pregnancy-and-neurodevelopmental-outcomes

Acetaminophen Use in Pregnancy and Neurodevelopmental Outcomes This Practice Advisory was developed by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in collaboration with Nathaniel DeNicola, MD, MSHP, FACOG. ACOG Recommendation "ACOG reaffirms that acetaminophen remains the analgesic and antipyretic of choice during pregnancy. Judicious use at the lowest effective dose for the shortest necessary duration, in consultation with an obstetrician–gynecologist or other obstetric care professional, remains consistent with best practice. The current weight of evidence does not support a causal link between prenatal acetaminophen use and neurodevelopmental disorders. At this time, no change in clinical practice is warranted based on new publications and ACOG’s recommendations for the use of acetaminophen for specific indications 12 remain current. [emphasis added] The question of acetaminophen safety during pregnancy has been studied for more than a decade. In 2015, the FDA reviewed the available literature and determined that the evidence was inconclusive regarding a causal relationship between prenatal acetaminophen and ADHD. 4 In 2017, the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) conducted an independent review of large cohort studies 56789 and reached the same conclusion: No clear causal relationship had been established. 1 (more) https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/practice-advisory/articles/2025/09/acetaminophen-use-in-pregnancy-and-neurodevelopmental-outcomes

Research doesn’t show using Tylenol during pregnancy causes autism. Here are 5 things to know #4: Some research has shown possible associations between prenatal acetaminophen exposure and childhood development — but here’s what that means. "For more than a decade, scientists have investigated potential associations [emphasis added] between using acetaminophen during pregnancy and developmental disabilities. Some studies have found positive associations between acetaminophen and autism, meaning children whose mothers took the drug during pregnancy were more likely to later have autism symptoms or be diagnosed with autism. A 2025 Mount Sinai study that reviewed some existing research concluded the available evidence supported an association between prenatal acetaminophen exposure and increased incidence of neurodevelopmental disorders. But the largest study on this topic, from 2024, found no evidence supporting an increased risk of autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or intellectual disability associated with acetaminophen use during pregnancy. The 2024 study is one of the two highest quality studies on the topic, Zahn said, and neither found an association between acetaminophen use and adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes." [emphasis added] https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/research-doesnt-show-using-tylenol-during-pregnancy-causes-autism-here-are-5-things-to-know

Of course, the above report is a bit hard to swallow since there is NO proven autism-acetaminophen connection, though there has been a lot of studies and discussion on the topic -- which could well have prompted the kind of 7-year-old email shown above -- over the past decade. But any causal link is just a wet dream of lunatics like Trump and RFK Jr. “In more than two decades of research on the use of acetaminophen in pregnancy, not a single reputable study has successfully concluded that the use of acetaminophen in any trimester of pregnancy causes neurodevelopmental disorders in children,” the American Academy of Obstetricians and Gynecologists said yesterday. (more) https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/public-health/experts-push-back-trumps-tying-autism-childhood-vaccines-tylenol Leave it to the Daily Caller to try to turn the email into something it's not: "Overall, we rate the Daily Caller as strongly right-biased based on story selection that almost always favors the right and Mixed for factual reporting due to numerous failed fact checks. The Daily Caller is a source that needs to be fact-checked on a per-article basis." https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/daily-caller/ As for: "Kopp’s investigation reveals that J&J’s own internal confidential documents show the company was closely tracking science on the dose-dependent connection between Tylenol and abnormal brain development." Of course the company was "closely tracking" science on the discussion of the topic, because it pertained to one of their products. But that's a 100% different issue from the false claim that the company acknowledged or knew there was a proven causal connection -- which there isn't.

I'm content to let the presented evidence speak for itself....

Except of course that the group's claimed figure is in all likelihood bogus, unless they want to change the description, perhaps, to 17,000 misc. anti-vaxer oddballs around the world. See the same folks' Great Barrington Declaration hijinks above. That's just the way they roll.... "More than 100 psychotherapists, numerous homeopaths, physiotherapists, massage therapists, and other non-relevant people were found to be signatories, including a performer of Khoomei—a Mongolian style of overtone singing—described as a "therapeutic sound practitioner".' Yep, "physicians and medical scientists" all!!!

I have no doubt that 17,000 number is a fabricated figure, at least in terms of them being "physicians and medical scientists," as has often occurred with the anti-vax community and its various past petitions where they gather signatures from all kinds of people with who knows who backgrounds. The past so-called Great Barrington Declaration as a similar example: "While the authors' website claims that over 14,000 scientists, 40,000 medical practitioners, and more than 800,000 members of the public signed the declaration,[46][47] this list—which anyone could sign online and which required merely clicking a checkbox to claim the status of "scientist"—contains some evidently-fake names, including: "Mr Banana Rama", "Harold Shipman", and "Prof Cominic Dummings".[48][49][50] More than 100 psychotherapists, numerous homeopaths, physiotherapists, massage therapists, and other non-relevant people were found to be signatories, including a performer of Khoomei—a Mongolian style of overtone singing—described as a "therapeutic sound practitioner".[49] An article in The Independent reported that the false signatures put claims about the breadth of support in doubt.[50] Bhattacharya responded by saying that the authors "did not have the resources to audit each signature," and that people had "abused our trust" by adding fake names.[50 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Barrington_Declaration#Signatories

CREDIBILITY ALERT! Look who she fronts for... a quack pseudoscience COVID misinformation outfit: "The Independent Medical Alliance (IMA), formerly The Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance (FLCCC), is a small U.S. organization of physicians and former journalists formed in March 2020 that has advocated for various alternative treatments for COVID-19, including the anti-parasitic drug Ivermectin. Paul E. Marik and Pierre Kory lead the group. ... A 2021 review of Ivermectin by FLCCC members on the efficacy of Ivermectin, which was provisionally accepted by Frontiers in Pharmacology, was then rejected because of what the publisher called “a series of strong, unsupported claims based on studies with insufficient statistical significance.” The review article included a study from Egypt that was later retracted when concerns about its data and plagiarism were uncovered. According to the World Health Organization, the FDA, and European Medicines Agency, they advise against Ivermectin for COVID-19 outside of clinical trials. Still, the FLCCC has contended that Ivermectin could reduce viral load and accelerate recovery in patients." https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/front-line-covid-19-critical-care-alliance-flccc-bias/

Except for the fact that Weissman was honored with the Nobel Prize for his mRNA research in the category of Physiology or Medicine, which was the field that pertained to his research. https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/lists/all-nobel-laureates-in-physiology-or-medicine/ And none of the political figures on your list were honored with their Nobel prizes in that category. Nuff said.

More kids are severely ill or dying from the flu, CDC reports As fewer children get their flu shots, cases of a rare, severe complication are rising. Last season, the U.S. experienced the highest number of pediatric flu deaths in 15 years. ... "Wear’s son, 4-year-old Beckett, is still recovering from the flu he got way back in January. Within a week of becoming infected, he became extremely lethargic. He couldn’t move his head or his arms. He couldn’t eat or talk. Wear, 40, of River Forest, Illinois, knew what the problem was. It was the second time Beckett had developed an inflammatory brain disease caused by the flu: acute necrotizing encephalopathy, or ANE. ... Cases of pediatric ANE and other flu-related encephalopathies are on the rise. During the 2024-25 flu season, 109 children were diagnosed with the rare complication, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. According to the new report, 84% of kids with influenza-associated encephalopathy [IAE] whose vaccination status was known weren’t vaccinated. [emphasis added] ... “We don’t always know how to predict which kids are going to have the most severe forms of flu, which is why we recommend the vaccine for everyone,” said Dr. Buddy Creech, a pediatric infectious disease physician at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee. “It's a misnomer to think that only sickly kids get complications from the flu.” ... Dangerous complications from the flu The 109 children tallied in the research were all diagnosed with influenza-associated encephalopathy, or IAE. It occurs when the influenza virus attacks the child’s nervous system. Kids can have a spectrum of symptoms: confusion, difficulty walking, hallucinations, abnormal movements and seizures." (more) https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/flu-vaccines-children-complication-cdc-deaths-rcna233436 Pediatric Influenza-Associated Encephalopathy and Acute Necrotizing Encephalopathy — United States, 2024–25 Influenza Season "During the high-severity 2024–25 influenza season, 109 U.S. pediatric IAE cases were identified; 55% of affected children were previously healthy. Thirty-seven IAE cases were subcategorized as acute necrotizing encephalopathy (ANE), a severe form of IAE characterized by rapid neurologic decline and a poor prognosis. Overall, 74% of IAE patients were admitted to an intensive care unit, and 19% died; 41% of ANE patients died. Only 16% of vaccine-eligible IAE patients had received the 2024–25 influenza vaccine. What are the implications for public health practice? All children are at risk for severe neurologic complications of influenza. Annual influenza vaccination is recommended for all children aged ≥6 months to prevent influenza and associated complications, potentially including IAE." ... Since 2010, CDC and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices have recommended annual influenza vaccination for all persons aged ≥6 months (7). Influenza vaccination can prevent influenza illness and reduce the severity of influenza in children who do become ill, including reduction in occurrence of critical and life-threatening influenza (CDC | Benefits of the Flu Vaccine) (8). Influenza vaccination has also been found to reduce influenza-associated hospitalization and emergency department visits in children (9). Despite these known benefits, pediatric influenza vaccination coverage has declined in recent years*** and only 16% of vaccine-eligible IAE patients reported to CDC had received the 2024–25 influenza vaccine. (more) https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/74/wr/mm7436a1.htm U.S. Pediatric Influenza Vaccine Coverage by Year Children 6 months to 17 years of age https://www.cdc.gov/fluvaxview/dashboard/children-vaccination-coverage.html Reduce flu illness Flu vaccination can keep you from getting sick with flu. Flu vaccine prevents millions of illnesses and flu-related doctor's visits each year. For example, during 2019-2020, the last flu season prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, During seasons when flu vaccine viruses are similar to circulating flu viruses, flu vaccine has been shown to reduce the risk of having to go to the doctor with flu by 40 - 60%. Reduce severity of illness Flu vaccination has been shown in several studies to reduce severity of illness in people who get vaccinated but still get sick. A 2021 study showed that among adults hospitalized with flu, vaccinated patients had a 26% lower risk of intensive care unit (ICU) admission and a 31% lower risk of death from flu compared with those who were unvaccinated. https://www.cdc.gov/flu-vaccines-work/benefits/index.html

CDC Report Shows More Children Are Either Dying or Becoming Severely Ill With Flu Amid Declining Vaccination Rates 09/26/25 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a report showing that more and more children are either dying or becoming severely ill with the flu amid declining vaccination rates in the United States. ... This comes as the country recorded 280 pediatric flu deaths last year, which is the deadliest since the 2009-10 H1N1 pandemic. ... The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases also underscored the crucial role that annual flu vaccinations play in preventing serious illness, particularly among children. The CDC recommends the shots for everyone aged six months and older yearly, KSTE reported. ... A Decline in Vaccination Rates Despite the decline in vaccination rates, the CDC continues to advocate for flu shots, saying these are the most effective way to protect kids from severe flu-related complications, as well as death. (more) International Business Times https://www.ibtimes.com/cdc-report-shows-more-children-are-either-dying-becoming-severely-ill-flu-amid-declining-3784578 Influenza-Associated Pediatric Deaths — United States, 2024–25 Influenza Season Centers for Disease Control September 25, 2025 Summary What is added by this report? The 2024–25 influenza season had the highest number of pediatric deaths reported (280) since child deaths became nationally notifiable in 2004, except for the 2009–10 influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 pandemic. Approximately one half of children who died from influenza had an underlying medical condition, and 89% were not fully vaccinated. [emphasis added] ... Previously, the highest number of deaths reported during a nonpandemic influenza season was 210 during the 2023–24 influenza season. The lowest number of influenza-associated pediatric deaths occurred during the 2020–21 season, immediately after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, when influenza virus circulation plummeted; during that season, only a single influenza death in a child was reported. Increasing numbers of deaths have been reported in each subsequent season since 2020–21. ... Whereas approximately 80% of pediatric decedents who were vaccine-eligible had not received seasonal influenza vaccine in previous seasons (6,7), during the 2024–25 season, approximately 90% of eligible children with known vaccination status who died from influenza were not fully vaccinated." 2024-2025 Flu Season Pediatric Flu Deaths: (number / percentage) (more) https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/74/wr/mm7436a2.htm Background:

Notwithstanding RFK Jr.'s long-standing anti-vax views, the only source for the above cited quote appears to be the bogus News Target article in the OP.

Predictable anti-vax misinformation from RFK Jr. and the cited article from a garbage-level conspiracy-pseudoscience source -- "one of the most discredited sources on the internet." "Overall, we rate News Target a quackery level pseudoscience and a tin foil hat conspiracy website, as well as extreme right-wing biased. This is one of the most discredited sources on the internet." "News Target is a conspiracy and pseudoscience website that routinely publishes false information. The founder is Mike Adams, who owns several Questionable websites such as Natural News and Trump.news." https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/news-target/ And re the various bogus claims in the bogus OP: COVID RISK?: No Evidence That Flu Shot Increases Risk of COVID-19 By Angelo Fichera Posted on April 27, 2020 Quick Take "A claim being pushed on social media and by an organization skeptical of vaccines is using a military study to falsely suggest that the flu vaccine increases someone’s risk of contracting COVID-19. The study does not say that, and the Military Health System advises people to get the flu shot." https://www.factcheck.org/2020/04/no-evidence-that-flu-shot-increases-risk-of-covid-19/ MERCURY?: From Kennedy's own HHS agency re the flu vaccine and what the OP post calls "toxic mercury." Can vaccines with thimerosal cause mercury poisoning? A: No. Thimerosal has a different form of mercury (ethylmercury) than the kind that causes mercury poisoning (methylmercury). It’s safe to use ethylmercury in vaccines because it’s less likely to build up in the body — and because it’s used in very, very small amounts. Even so, most vaccines do not have any thimerosal in them. If you’re concerned about thimerosal or mercury in vaccines, talk with your doctor. Vaccine Safety In the United States, a number of safeguards are required by law to help ensure that the vaccines we receive are safe. Because vaccines are given to millions of healthy people—including children—to prevent serious diseases, they’re held to very high safety standards. SCIENTIFIC CLINICAL TRIALS?: Vaccines are tested before they’re recommended for use Before a vaccine is ever recommended for use, it’s tested in labs. This process can take several years. FDA uses the information from these tests to decide whether to test the vaccine with people. During a clinical trial, a vaccine is tested on people who volunteer to get vaccinated. Clinical trials usually start with 20 to 100 volunteers, but eventually include thousands of volunteers. These tests can take several years... https://www.hhs.gov/immunization/basics/safety/index.html MORE LIKELY TO GET OTHER VIRAL INFECTIONS? "The central study cited by the Children’s Health Defense is a 2019 Armed Forces Health Surveillance Branch study that probed the theory that “influenza vaccination may increase the risk of other respiratory viruses” — a concept known as “virus interference.” ... Belongia said virus interference has been the subject of speculation and some studies with mixed results, but there is ultimately little data to support it. A 2013 study he worked on, cited in the AFHSB study, found that “influenza vaccination was not associated with detection of noninfluenza respiratory viruses.” ... Rikin said “just because we found an association between flu vaccines and acute respiratory infections does not mean that the flu vaccine actually caused there to be a higher risk of infections.” She said the group struggled to find a “biologically plausible explanation” and that while “there is a small body of literature that hypothesizes that the phenomenon of shifts in viral prevalence could be caused by viral interference,” there is not “strong empirical evidence of this occurring.” https://www.factcheck.org/2020/04/no-evidence-that-flu-shot-increases-risk-of-covid-19/

Winner of mRNA Nobel Prize says ACIP member’s claim that Covid vaccines persist is “absolutely impossible” In Q&A, Drew Weissman says vast literature shows Covid shots are safe, refutes claims from Retsef Levi ... "STAT posed questions about these claims to Drew Weissman, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania and co-recipient of the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine for his discoveries that enabled the creation of mRNA-based Covid-19 vaccines. That conversation, edited for length and clarity, follows. Q. At the ACIP meeting, there were a lot of discussions about reports of mRNA being widely distributed in the body or persisting. A. If you look in the literature you can find papers that say that the earth is flat, you can find papers that say DNA isn’t double stranded. You can find anything. The problem is there’s thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, millions of other papers that refute that. ... Many good studies have not seen that. The RNA is gone in days. It doesn’t go to the brain. It doesn’t go to the eyes. What those studies did is they put huge doses of RNA into a mouse and used very sensitive assays, and that’s where it went. It goes everywhere. If you put a vaccine equivalent dose, you see it in the muscle, you see it in the draining lymph node, and that’s about it. Q. But how certain are we that mRNA is not continuing to produce spike protein? For instance, the preprint authored by Akiko Iwasaki, which includes well respected Yale researchers. That’s a paper that found at least residual spike protein. A. The problem is they used a bad assay to measure spike. It’s an ultra, ultra-sensitive assay, but it makes a lot of errors, and you don’t believe anything unless it’s above a certain level as real. What they reported was in the unknown area where it could just be noise in the assay versus real spike. Many other assays using good experiments, using good assays, don’t find spike protein circulating. (In late August, Iwasaki told STAT: “We have already done two different orthogonal approaches to measure spike proteins thus far but are now working on developing more sensitive and accurate methods to further validate our findings.”) ... Q. What about the issue of DNA contamination — that DNA impurities are present at too high a level and that the lipoprotein that allows the mRNA to get into cells could lead to them being taken up? A. Just about every vaccine has DNA contamination. If it is made from eggs, if it is made from living cells, if it is an inactivated virus, if it’s a live virus. They’re all grown in cells and cells have DNA. So when you purify the virus, you get very low levels of DNA contamination. We’ve never seen an adverse event." (more) STAT https://archive.ph/NULPQ