copenlu/druid huggingface dataset:
Claim: Ventilators, not COVID, killed hospitalized COVID patients (Elon Musk, 2023-10-31)
Evidence (2021-07-01): Methods: We randomly assigned (in a 2:1 ratio) patients hospitalized with Covid-19 pneumonia who were not receiving mechanical ventilation to receive standard care plus one or two doses of either tocilizumab (8 mg per kilogram of body weight intravenously) or placebo. Site selection was focused on the inclusion of sites enrolling high-risk and minority populations. The primary outcome was mechanical ventilation or death by day 28. [...] Conclusions: In hospitalized patients with Covid-19 pneumonia who were not receiving mechanical ventilation, tocilizumab reduced the likelihood of progression to the composite outcome of mechanical ventilation or death, but it did not improve survival. No new safety signals were identified. (Funded by Genentech; EMPACTA ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04372186.).
Claim: Ventilators, not COVID, killed hospitalized COVID patients (Elon Musk, 2023-10-31)
Evidence (2022-04-20): The spread of the pandemic caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has placed health care systems around the world under enormous pressure. Up to 10–15% of hospitalized cases with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are in critical condition (i.e., severe pneumonia and hypoxemic acute respiratory failure, HARF), have received invasive mechanical ventilation, and are admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU)1,2. The shortage of critical care resources, both in terms of equipment and trained personnel, required a reorganization of the hospital facilities even in developed countries. In addition, some COVID-19 patients cannot be considered for invasive ventilation due to their frailty or comorbidities, and others are unwilling to undergo invasive techniques. As a result, a considerable proportion of severe patients are being treated in hospital settings outside the ICU.
Claim: Ventilators, not COVID, killed hospitalized COVID patients (Elon Musk, 2023-10-31)
Evidence (2020-02-06): Ventilators and COVID-19: What You Need to Know [...] Ventilators, also known as life-support machines, won’t cure an illness, but they can keep patients alive while they fight an infection or their body heals from an injury. [...] Nonetheless, ventilators can be life-saving and, indeed, many of those who’ve survived severe cases of COVID-19 would be unlikely to have made it without one.
Claim: Ventilators, not COVID, killed hospitalized COVID patients (Elon Musk, 2023-10-31)
Evidence (2023-11-14): Ventilators were commonly deployed for critically ill COVID-19 patients who developed trouble breathing. The way ventilators were used initially during the pandemic was based on doctors’ experiences of treating other, known types of pneumonia. Over time, as doctors gained a better understanding of COVID-19, their approach to ventilator use also evolved. While it is probable that ventilators were used on some patients who might not have needed it in the end, the claim that ventilators, not COVID-19, were responsible for killing the majority of COVID-19 patients isn’t substantiated by evidence. [...] On the podcast, Rogan stated "80% of people they put on ventilators died". Musk, who has no training in medicine, then followed up by claiming that putting people on ventilators is "what is damaging the lungs, not Covid. It’s the treatment, the cure is worse than the disease".He alleged that he received this information from doctors in Wuhan that he called. Taken as a response to Rogan’s statement, Musk’s remarks can be interpreted to mean that it was ventilators that had killed COVID-19 patients, rather than COVID-19. [...] In an article for MedPage Today, Rohin Francis, a cardiologist and science communicator, also refuted the claim that ventilators were what killed COVID-19 patients, citing "breathless articles in the news stating that 80% of patients placed on ventilators die":
Claim: Ventilators, not COVID, killed hospitalized COVID patients (Elon Musk, 2023-10-31)
Evidence (2023-11-17): CLAIM: A new study found that ventilators were responsible for nearly all COVID-19 patient deaths. [...] "Official Report: Ventilators Killed Nearly ALL COVID Patients," reads a headline that has racked up tens of thousands of likes and shares. [...] Ventilator-associated pneumonia, as it’s called, is a known issue in the field, and not COVID-19 specific: A patient’s lungs aren’t operating normally, Singer said, and a tube in the windpipe presents an opening for bacteria.
Claim: Ventilators, not COVID, killed hospitalized COVID patients (Elon Musk, 2023-10-31)
Evidence (2022-09-09): COVID-19 mRNA vaccines (BNT162b2 [Pfizer-BioNTech] and mRNA-1273 [Moderna]) are effective at preventing COVID-19–associated hospitalization (1–3). However, how well mRNA vaccines protect against the most severe outcomes of these hospitalizations, including invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) or death is uncertain. Using a case-control design, mRNA vaccine effectiveness (VE) against COVID-19–associated IMV and in-hospital death was evaluated among adults aged ≥18 years hospitalized at 21 U.S. medical centers during March 11, 2021–January 24, 2022. During this period, the most commonly circulating variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, were B.1.1.7 (Alpha), B.1.617.2 (Delta), and B.1.1.529 (Omicron). Previous vaccination (2 or 3 versus 0 vaccine doses before illness onset) in prospectively enrolled COVID-19 case-patients who received IMV or died within 28 days of hospitalization was compared with that among hospitalized control patients without COVID-19. Among 1,440 COVID-19 case-patients who received IMV or died, 307 (21%) had received 2 or 3 vaccine doses before illness onset. Among 6,104 control-patients, 4,020 (66%) had received 2 or 3 vaccine doses.
Claim: Ventilators, not COVID, killed hospitalized COVID patients (Elon Musk, 2023-10-31)
Evidence (2021-10-14): Patients were eligible if they were moderately ill and admitted to hospital wards for covid-19 with laboratory confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and had increased D-dimer levels within the first five days of admission. Moderate illness was defined as admission to hospital ward level of care (ie, not to ICU), not already mechanically ventilated, and not imminently requiring mechanical ventilation or critical care. D-dimer levels were required to be above the upper limit of normal of the local hospital in the presence of an oxygen saturation ≤93% on room air, or ≥2 times the upper limit of normal irrespective of oxygen saturation. Participants were excluded if they had substantial bleeding risks, an absolute indication for or any contraindication to heparin anticoagulation based on care team judgment, were pregnant, or if they had already experienced, or would imminently experience any component of the primary outcome (all cause death, non-invasive or invasive mechanical ventilation, or ICU admission). Full eligibility criteria are provided in the supplementary file. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants or their legal representatives. [...] In this randomised trial of moderately ill patients with covid-19 and increased D-dimer levels admitted to hospital wards, therapeutic heparin was not associated with a significantly lower incidence of the primary composite of death, mechanical ventilation, or ICU admission compared with prophylactic heparin. The odds of all cause death in the group allocated to therapeutic heparin was, however, significantly reduced by 78%. Between group differences were smaller and non-significant for mechanical ventilation and ICU admission.
Claim: Ventilators, not COVID, killed hospitalized COVID patients (Elon Musk, 2023-10-31)
Evidence (2020-04-22): New Study Shows Nearly 9 in 10 Covid-19 Patients on Ventilators Don’t Make It - Researchers tracked 2,634 outcomes in NY-area hospitals - Only 3% of those over 65 on ventilators survived, report says [...] A giant study that examined outcomes for more than 2,600 patients found an extraordinarily high 88% death rate among Covid-19 patients in the New York City area who had to be placed on mechanical devices to help them breathe. The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, is one of the largest reviews published to date of Covid-19 patients hospitalized in the U.S. The researchers examined outcomes for coronavirus patients who were admitted between March 1 and April 4 to 12 hospitals in New York City and Long Island that are part of the Northwell Health system.
Claim: “those who have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 with mRNA shots will lose 25 years of their life” (Anonymous, 2023-04-01)
Evidence (2023-04-01): COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective at preventing severe disease. Large clinical trials and post-marketing surveillance didn’t find evidence that all-cause mortality increases in vaccinated people. Studies suggest that COVID-19 vaccines have helped save lives instead, by preventing millions of COVID-19 deaths globally.
Claim: “those who have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 with mRNA shots will lose 25 years of their life” (Anonymous, 2023-04-01)
Evidence (2022-10-14): "Fully vaccinated," at least in the context of COVID-19, means you have received all the vaccine doses recommended for someone in your demographic. [...] - Pfizer (mRNA vaccine) [...] COVID-19 vaccinations restrict how much the SARS-CoV-2 virus can replicate in your body. If your body has less virus in it, then you’re less likely to pass the virus on to co-workers, friends, or family.
Claim: “those who have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 with mRNA shots will lose 25 years of their life” (Anonymous, 2023-04-01)
Evidence (2021-08-25): During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, mRNA-based vaccines were shown to be highly effective against SARS-CoV-2 and were developed and administered at unprecedented speed to millions of people globally to combat COVID-19 (Box 1). These vaccines, initially developed by Pfizer–BioNTech and Moderna, have validated the platform and stimulated substantial interest in the application of mRNA for both prophylactic and therapeutic indications. [...] Decades of progress in mRNA design and nucleic acid delivery technology, together with the discovery of novel antigen targets have made mRNA vaccines an extraordinary tool for combating emerging pandemics and existing infectious diseases. The first two mRNA vaccines, which were developed at revolutionary speed to fight SARS-CoV-2, have exceeded expectations and offer hope that the COVID-19 pandemic will end. Furthermore, these vaccines have elevated LNPs and RNA therapy from small-market products for niche diseases to a prophylactic treatment deployed successfully in large swathes of the population. The resultant abundance of positive safety and efficacy data, together with a proven path to regulatory approval, leave us optimistic that mRNA therapeutics will transform modern medicine’s approach to vaccination1,5, cancer immunotherapy247,248,249, protein replacement therapy15,23 and beyond250. [...] Shimabukuro, T. T., Cole, M. & Su, J. R. Reports of anaphylaxis after receipt of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines in the US — December 14, 2020-January 18, 2021. JAMA325, 1101–1102 (2021).
Claim: “those who have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 with mRNA shots will lose 25 years of their life” (Anonymous, 2023-04-01)
Evidence (2024-08-22): The updated mRNA COVID-19 vaccines include Comirnaty and Spikevax, both of which are approved for individuals 12 years of age and older, and the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, both of which are authorized for emergency use for individuals 6 months through 11 years of age. [...] Individuals who receive an updated mRNA COVID-19 vaccine may experience similar side effects as those reported by individuals who previously received mRNA COVID-19 vaccines and as described in the respective prescribing information or fact sheets. The updated vaccines are expected to provide protection against COVID-19 caused by the currently circulating variants. Barring the emergence of a markedly more infectious variant of SARS-CoV-2, the FDA anticipates that the composition of COVID-19 vaccines will need to be assessed annually, as occurs for seasonal influenza vaccines. For today’s approvals and authorizations of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, the FDA assessed manufacturing and nonclinical data to support the change to include the 2024-2025 formula in the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. The updated mRNA vaccines are manufactured using a similar process as previous formulas of these vaccines. The mRNA COVID-19 vaccines have been administered to hundreds of millions of people in the U.S., and the benefits of these vaccines continue to outweigh their risks.
Claim: “those who have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 with mRNA shots will lose 25 years of their life” (Anonymous, 2023-04-01)
Evidence (2022-02-10): The COVID-19 mRNA vaccines authorized for use were found to be safe and effective in clinical trials and real-world conditions. A professor in Ireland baselessly claims in a video circulating on social media that they are not, and that those who get the vaccines will die as a result within several years. [...] "And I would say anyone who gets the mRNA injection, no matter what age you are, your life expectancy will be reduced to you know die, if you’re in your 30s, within five to 10 years," continues Cahill, a professor at the medical school at the University College Dublin who has previously come under criticism for spreading misinformation about COVID-19. [...] While Cahill’s claims about supposed long-term effects of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines aren’t rooted in evidence, there is support for the fact that COVID-19 itself can result in long-term health effects.
Claim: “those who have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 with mRNA shots will lose 25 years of their life” (Anonymous, 2023-04-01)
Evidence (2021-07-14): COVID-19 vaccines have proven to be safe, effective and life-saving. Like all vaccines, they do not fully protect everyone who is vaccinated, and we do not yet know how well they can prevent people from transmitting the virus to others. So as well as getting vaccinated, we must also continue with other measures to fight the pandemic. [...] COVID-19 vaccines are crucial tools in the pandemic response and protect against severe disease and death. Vaccines provide at least some protection from infection and transmission, but not as much as the protection they provide against serious illness and death. More evidence is needed to determine exactly how well they stop infection and transmission. After being vaccinated, individuals should continue taking simple precautions, such as physical distancing, wearing a mask, keeping rooms well ventilated, avoiding crowds, cleaning hands, and coughing into a bent elbow or tissue. Get tested if you are sick, even if you’ve been vaccinated. Check local advice where you live and work. Do it all!
Claim: “those who have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 with mRNA shots will lose 25 years of their life” (Anonymous, 2023-04-01)
Evidence (2024-04-18): These findings are in line with the real-world evidence on COVID-19 mRNA vaccines (BNT162b2, mRNA-1273) which describe higher reactogenicity in females compared with males38,39. [...] The platform used to develop GEMCOVAC-OM has certain advantages over the other mRNA vaccines approved for COVID-19. GEMCOVAC-OM is administered intradermally using a needle-free injection system called Tropis. The dermis has a rich network of dendritic cells, macrophages and T cells40. Vaccination into the dermis provides a more potent and broader immunogenic response than vaccinating into the muscle24. Additionally, the absence of a needle obviates challenges of need for sharps disposal, needle-stick injuries, cross-contamination and needle phobia. These advantages have translated into the field where vaccinators and caregivers expressed a preference for Tropis due to the ease of use, appearance, response to vaccination and increased coverage41. The device has been well characterized and approved by numerous regulatory bodies including the World Health Organization. Each Tropis device can inject up to 20,000 vaccines, and the additional cost of the device is negligible and outweighed by advantages. Thermostability is another critical factor in ensuring equitable access to effective mRNA vaccines in LMICs42. The degradation of mRNA in the presence of water, attributed to oxidation and hydrolysis43, required mRNA vaccines to be stored and transported at subzero temperatures. [...] Bozkurt, B. Shedding light on mechanisms of myocarditis with COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. Circulation147, 877–880 (2023).
Claim: “those who have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 with mRNA shots will lose 25 years of their life” (Anonymous, 2023-04-01)
Evidence (2022-08-18): Why get vaccinated against COVID-19? [...] What to expect after getting vaccinated - Some people will experience mild side effects after being vaccinated against COVID-19. Common side effects of COVID-19 vaccines include fever, head or body aches and a sore arm. These symptoms usually go away within a day or two and, if needed, can be managed by getting some rest, drinking fluids, or taking pain-relieving medications. [...] If you do get COVID-19 after vaccination, you are more likely to have mild or no symptoms than if you hadn’t been vaccinated.
Claim: “those who have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 with mRNA shots will lose 25 years of their life” (Anonymous, 2023-04-01)
Evidence (2024-09-27): That’s why being up to date on COVID-19 vaccinations remains a global health priority, says infectious disease specialist Kristin Englund, MD. Here’s what you need to be considered fully vaccinated for COVID-19. [...] COVID-19 vaccination guidance from the CDC varies by a person’s age, vaccination record and health condition. Here’s a rundown: [...] It takes about two weeks after getting a COVID-19 vaccination for your body to build up immunity against the virus, says Dr. Englund. After that, you’re considered "fully vaccinated" against COVID-19.
Claim: “those who have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 with mRNA shots will lose 25 years of their life” (Anonymous, 2023-04-01)
Evidence (2024-09-17): COVID-19 vaccines help prevent severe illness, hospitalization, and death. Unvaccinated people are more likely to get COVID-19 and much more likely to be hospitalized and die from COVID-19, compared to people who are up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations.
Claim: “those who have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 with mRNA shots will lose 25 years of their life” (Anonymous, 2023-04-01)
Evidence (2024-09-17): - Want to lower your risk of getting Long COVID - Never received a COVID-19 vaccine [...] People who recently received the 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine
Claim: “those who have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 with mRNA shots will lose 25 years of their life” (Anonymous, 2023-04-01)
Evidence (2023-12-05): People who get COVID-19 after being vaccinated are much more likely to only experience mild symptoms as effectiveness against serious illness and death remains high. Vaccine effectiveness wanes over time, so it’s important to stay updated with your shots as recommended by your health care provider. [...] Billions of people have received the COVID-19 vaccine to date, showing that the benefits of COVID-19 vaccinations outweigh the risks of getting ill with COVID-19. Do not delay COVID-19 vaccination if it is recommended for you by your health care provider. Getting vaccinated could protect you from severe illness and save your life. [...] More serious or long-lasting side effects of COVID-19 vaccines are possible but extremely rare. National health authorities monitor vaccines to detect and respond to rare adverse events. At the regional and global level, WHO also supports countries in monitoring vaccine safety.
Claim: “those who have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 with mRNA shots will lose 25 years of their life” (Anonymous, 2023-04-01)
Evidence (2022-08-18): The WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) has issued updated interim recommendations for the use of the Moderna COVID-19 (mRNA-1273) vaccine against COVID-19. This article provides a summary of those interim recommendations; you may access the full guidance document here. [...] Individuals who developed myocarditis or pericarditis following the first dose of mRNA-1273 vaccine should not receive additional doses of any COVID vaccine unless with the recommendation of their doctor or a healthcare professional. [...] The Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety, a group of experts that provides independent and authoritative guidance to the WHO on the topic of safe vaccine use, receives and assesses reports of suspected safety events of potentially international impact. In October 2021, the GACVS COVID-19 subcommittee concluded that the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines have clear benefits in all age groups in reducing hospitalizations and deaths due to COVID-19.
Claim: “those who have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 with mRNA shots will lose 25 years of their life” (Anonymous, 2023-04-01)
Evidence (2021-12-07): Hall, V. J. et al. COVID-19 vaccine coverage in health-care workers in England and effectiveness of BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine against infection (SIREN): a prospective, multicentre, cohort study. Lancet397, 1725–1735 (2021). [...] Vinh, D. C. et al. Real-world serologic responses to extended-interval and heterologous COVID-19 mRNA vaccination in frail elderly - interim report from a prospective observational cohort study. Preprint at medRxivhttps://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3927745 (2021). [...] Salo, J. et al. The indirect effect of mRNA-based Covid-19 vaccination on unvaccinated household members. Preprint at medRxivhttps://doi.org/10.1101/2021.05.27.21257896 (2021).
Claim: “those who have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 with mRNA shots will lose 25 years of their life” (Anonymous, 2023-04-01)
Evidence (2024-09-27): The 2024–25 COVID-19 vaccine is updated to better protect against variants that are currently spreading. This respiratory virus season, only one shot of the vaccine is needed for most people, and there are no boosters. (People who are immunocompromised or ages 6 months to 4 years may need more than one dose of the 2024–25 vaccine.) How is the 2024–25 COVID-19 vaccine different from previous COVID-19 vaccines? [...] Because the 2024–25 COVID vaccine is effective for recent viral strains, it is recommended that everyone stay up to date by getting this vaccine. Previous vaccines or boosters were not developed to target the more recent strains. For 2024–25, the CDC recommends:
Claim: “those who have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 with mRNA shots will lose 25 years of their life” (Anonymous, 2023-04-01)
Evidence (2023-05-30): Another claim that has emerged to support this narrative is that vaccinated people will increase their risk of mortality by 7% for every dose received and so "those who have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 with mRNA shots will lose 25 years of their life", which appeared in early April 2023 on websites like The Exposé and Slay News. However, this claim is inaccurate. We explain why below. Firstly, the claim that vaccinated people will experience a 25-year loss in life expectancy is an extrapolation of a previous claim by insurance analyst Josh Stirling that "each additional vaccine dose increased mortality by 7%". Health Feedback previously debunked Stirling’s claim in detail here. [...] Overall, the foundation of this claim—that there is a 7% mortality increase due to COVID-19 vaccination—isn’t actually supported by data and any reasoning built on that estimate is fallacious. The claim that vaccinated people have their life expectancy reduced by 25 years takes Stirling’s erroneous 7% figure and further compounds it with an invalid extrapolation to stoke fear over COVID-19 vaccines.