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A comprehensive review found that mRNA vaccines \u2014\u00a0a popular target of viral vaccine conspiracy theories and medical misinformation in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic \u2014 are a resoundingly safe and effective feat of modern medicine.<\/p>\n
Published this week in the journal The Lancet<\/a>, the review confirmed that mRNA vaccines are robustly effective at preventing the spread of infectious diseases like COVID, and show incredible promise for treating diseases like cancer<\/a> as well. It was conducted by an international team of researchers based in Canada, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and took the drug\u2019s manufacturing, clinical trials, and data from billions of real-world vaccinations into account.<\/p>\n \u201cmRNA vaccines represent a transformative advance in vaccinology,\u201d reads the study, \u201ccombining rapid development timelines, scalable manufacturing, and strong immunogenicity with a favorable safety profile.\u201d<\/p>\n The study\u2019s results also dispel the erroneous notion that mRNA vaccines alter human DNA. Instead, as intended, mRNA vaccines provide human cells with what\u2019s basically a limited set of instructions that allow them to momentarily \u2014\u00a0and safely \u2014\u00a0replicate a given virus or disease, allowing the body to develop an immune response.<\/p>\n The review also showed that the mRNA shots are safe for sensitive groups like children and pregnant women, and that booster shots are helpful for extending a shot\u2019s efficacy.<\/p>\n \u201cAfter billions of doses, we now have an extraordinary amount of scientific evidence,\u201d said Dr. Anna Blakney, lead author on the study and an assistant professor of biomedical engineering at the University of British Columbia, in a statement<\/a>. \u201cThis review affirms that mRNA vaccines are a safe and highly effective platform, supported by rigorous testing and real-world monitoring.\u201d<\/p>\n Crucially, the review doesn\u2019t shy away from possible side effects, which do occur. Some people do appear to have had allergic responses, with some takers, most notably young men, experiencing myocarditis after getting an mRNA shot.<\/p>\n \u201cWith any new vaccine or medicine, it is important that we clearly and transparently communicate the safety data and rigorous testing that supports their use,\u201d Dr. Manish Sadarangani, a pediatrician and director of the Vaccine Evaluation Center at British Columbia Children\u2019s Hospital Research Institute, said in a statement. \u201cThis is essential to building public trust, countering misinformation and supporting informed decisions about vaccination.\u201d<\/p>\n But side effects are also a reality of pretty much every drug on the planet, and as the study authors urge, their findings show that negative side effects of mRNA jabs are rare and certainly don\u2019t outweigh the benefits: limiting the spread of infectious disease, reducing instances of severe illness and death, and offering additional protection to those who can\u2019t receive vaccines themselves due to medical reasons.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re hesitant about getting an mRNA vaccination, please don\u2019t listen to podcasters or get your medical advice from social media posts. Listen to scientists \u2014 or better yet, consult your doctor.<\/p>\n