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Do mRNA vaccines for COVID-19 alter DNA?

By Alexis Tereszcuk
NO

There are multiple COVID-19 conspiracy theories, including claims that messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines alter the function of the human genetic code. Government and private experts say that is not how mRNA works.

Dr. James Lawler, a board-certified infectious disease specialist with Nebraska Medicine, says this regarding claims that mRNA alters genetics:

"That is just not true. They are not medical devices ... it doesn't change your chromosomes."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also addressed such claims in a vaccine fact sheet, saying mRNA vaccines are not electrical devices and do not interact with human DNA "in any way."

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
Lead Stories is a fact checking and debunking website at the intersection of big data and journalism that launched in 2015. It scouts for trending stories, images, videos and posts that contain false information in order to fact check them as quickly as possible. It actively monitors the fake-news ecosystem and doesn’t wait for reader tips or reports before getting started on a story.
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