FACT CHECK: Did The Military Find Pesticides In Moderna’s COVID-19 Vaccines?

An image shared on Facebook claims the U.S. military found pesticides in COVID-19 vaccines produced by the pharmaceutical company Moderna. 

Verdict: False

The rumor stems from a satirical website. A spokesperson for the U.S. Army’s Medical Research and Development Command (USAMRDC) denied the report.

Fact Check:

Recent data Moderna submitted to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suggested its COVID-19 vaccine provoked strong immune responses in children aged 6 to 11, according to The New York Times. An image shared on Facebook now claims the U.S. military discovered pesticides in the vaccines.

The image shows what appears to be a screenshot of a news article with a headline that reads, “Military Finds Pesticides in Moderna Covid-19 Vaccines.”

The claim is incorrect. Check Your Fact found no credible news reports about the U.S. military making such a discovery. There are likewise no press releases from Moderna, the FDA or the Defense Department about the alleged finding. 

“Absolutely false,” said Lori Salvatore, a spokesperson for the USAMRDC, in an email to Check Your Fact. (RELATED: Did The Military Times Publish This Headline About COVID-19 Vaccines?)

An internet search revealed the article originated from the satirical website Real Raw News, which states on its “About Us” page that it publishes “humor, parody, and satire.” The report claims that a Fort Detrick officer, Col. Andrew C. Kim, had conducted a chemical analysis on Moderna COVID-19 vaccine vials and found insecticides in them that could damage the nervous system of a recipient.

This is not the first time Moderna has been the target of false claims. Check Your Fact recently debunked a claim suggesting the military had destroyed a vaccine warehouse in Kansas City, Missouri belonging to the pharmaceutical company.

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