Pfizer press release discussing myocarditis sparks vaccine safety concerns

In a recent press release, Pfizer included investor notes containing safety recommendations for their COVID-19 vaccines. Trending social media posts are sharing a screenshot from this release, which discusses the risk of vaccine-induced myocarditis in young males. Some social media users claim Pfizer is acknowledging that the COVID-19 vaccine causes heart damage. They also accuse Pfizer of having withheld information about vaccine safety.

Risk level: High

Recommendation: Vaccine-induced myocarditis is commonly cited by vaccine opponents to suggest that vaccines are unsafe. Social media posts like these, which cherry-pick data about vaccine risks, may promote vaccine hesitancy, as the public is often confused about when myocarditis may occur and why. Doctors may face questions about the risk of myocarditis from the COVID-19 vaccine, particularly in young men or teenagers. Talking points may emphasize that cases of post-vaccine myocarditis are extremely rare and usually mild. This is even true among young men, who are most likely to experience myocarditis after vaccination. Across all age groups, a COVID-19 infection is more likely to cause myocarditis than a COVID-19 vaccine, and those cases are typically more severe.