Quick Take
A tweet from celebrity rapper Niki Minaj claimed that her friend had swollen testicles after getting vaccinated. We fact-checked and found that her claim was not supported by any proof and there is no scientific evidence that shows covid vaccines can have an effect on male fertility. We term this as false.
The Claim
“My cousin in Trinidad won’t get the vaccine cuz his friend got it & became impotent. His testicles became swollen,” Minaj tweeted.
Fact Check
Who is Niki Minaj?
Niki Minaj is a rapper, singer, songwriter, model, and actress. She is one of the most popular influencers on social media
Did Niki Minaj present any proof about her claim?
No. The tweet was not followed up by any proof of the claim.
Is there any research related to male fertility and the Covid-19 vaccine?
Yes. A research has been done in Miami to check any potential effect of the Covid vaccine on male fertility. The reports of the same had been published in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in June 2021. The research done with Pfizer and Moderna vaccine showed no possible effect on male sterility.
On the contrary, Covid-19 infection has the potential to cause male erectile dysfunction. A study was done on the same subject and report published in The World Journal of Men’s Health. Researchers noted, “Our study is the first to demonstrate the presence of the COVID-19 virus in the penis long after the initial infection in humans. Our results also suggest that widespread endothelial cell dysfunction from COVID-19 infection can contribute to ED.” Ranjith Ramasamy, director of reproductive urology at the University of Miami, who was a part of this study confirmed that his team had looked at the potential effects of vaccines on male fertility and found none.
Further still, a number of doctors have replied to Minaz’s tweet refuting her claim and clarifying that it is not the vaccine but the Covid-19 infection that can cause testicular inflammation or male erectile dysfunction.
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