Last Updated on July 14, 2022 by Neelam Singh
Quick Take
Several social media users have claimed the mRNA Covid vaccine impairs male fertility based on a research paper published in June 2022. We fact-checked and found the claim to be Mostly False.
The Claim
On June 17, 2022, WILEY published a research article titled ‘Covid-19 vaccination BNT162b2 temporarily impairs semen concentration and total motile count among semen donors’.
Referring to this article, a media website wrote an article titled ‘Pfizer Vaccine Impairs Sperm Count—Conspiracy Theorists Were Right’. Another website wrote an article titled ‘New Study Confirms That Experimental Covid-19 Vaccines Impact Male Fertility’.
A Facebook user wrote ‘So a new Israeli study suggests Pfizer vaccine may effect male fertility ? What the heck!! What else are they gonna find out!’
A Twitter user wrote ‘$TWTR & @CDC lying again: COVID-19 @Twitter lies from Earlier today: There is no evidence that COVID-19 vaccines cause male fertility problems, the CDC says. But – here are the “disturbing findings”’
Similar social media posts are available on Facebook and Twitter.
Fact Check
Is Pfizer vaccine permanently damaging sperms?
No evidence confirms the Pfizer vaccine permanently damages sperms. The research published in a WILEY journal concluded a transient drop of approximately 15% in sperm count among selected 37 Israeli participants after the second dose of Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. This study suggested the decrease in sperm count is due to fewer which is a common side effect of the Covid vaccine. Also, the sperm counts returned to pre-vaccine levels after 145 days.
The Healthy Indian Project (THIP Media) has previously shown that the Covid vaccine temporarily reduces sperm count which recovers after some time.
Our research also shows that the temporary reduction in sperm count is not only specific to the Covid vaccine. Acute febrile diseases are known to cause a temporary reduction in semen count which recovers after some time. Even a simple febrile episode having symptoms of flu can reduce the sperm count.
We also found a study that suggests that the Covid vaccine may induce potentially long-lasting harm to testes via inflammation and immune responses. However, we need more studies that can help us understand in detail and confirm the conclusion of this study.
THIP MEDIA TAKE: No evidence confirms Pfizer vaccine permanently damaged sperms. The available evidence only suggests that the mRNA vaccine temporarily reduces sperm count which recovers to the pre-vaccine state within a few months.
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