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FACT BRIEF

Do mRNA vaccines for COVID-19 alter DNA?

By Alexis Tereszcuk
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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."

See a full discussion of this at Lead Stories
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Centers for Disease Control Understanding mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines
WebMD Why COVID Vaccines are Falsely Linked to Infertility
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
Lead Stories
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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About fact briefs published on Gigafact
Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.