RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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The release of Dr. Anthony Fauci 's personal musings, private communications, and messaging history by Senate Republicans has proved fertile ground to revive right-wing hysteria and antipathy toward the man who became the face of the nation's Covid-19 response.
On Monday, the New York Post published an article claiming that Fauci "privately warned of miscarriage risk linked to COVID vaccine while publicly claiming no issues." The article was based on messages from January 2021, obtained and released by Sens. Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.), in which Fauci spoke to former CDC Director Rochelle Walensky and former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy reports that the Covid-19 vaccine could potentially carry a miscarriage risk for pregnant women.
Right wingers, already looking for an excuse to prosecute Fauci, seized on the messages, claiming they were proof that the virologist and other officials in charge of the Covid response "knew they were harming and killing babies," as Kate Johnson, the wife of influencer Benny Johnson, put it . Meghan McCain, daughter of the late Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.), wrote that it was time to "PUT FAUCI IN JAIL," noting that she had had a miscarriage during the pandemic. NewsNation host Katie Pavlich — formerly of Fox News — described the vaccines as an effective "abortion shot," citing a repeatedly debunked misinterpretation of vaccine data.
Several Republican lawmakers jumped into the dogpile. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) wrote on X that "Dr. Fauci knew COVID-19 vaccines caused miscarriages and forced it on the American public anyways. This is a crime against humanity and the most evil thing that could've ever been done." Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) wrote , "Can you hear that sound … of personal-injury lawyers preparing lawsuits against Fauci and Walensky?"
Years of scientific data related to the vaccines have now clearly established that there is no increased risk of miscarriage to pregnant women who received or plan to receive the Covid-19 vaccination. But in January 2021, less than a year into the pandemic and months into the rollout of the newly created vaccine, that was less clear cut. In early 2021, pregnant women were on the CDC's list of demographics with a higher risk of complications from Covid infection. Editor’s picks The 250 Greatest Albums of the 21st Century So Far The 100 Best TV Episodes of All Time The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century
On January 25, 2021, Murthy texted Fauci and Walensky, asking if he was "aware of any data or theoretical reason why vaccinating early vs. late in pregnancy could be preferred? And any sense of when there will be more robust data on vaccine risk in pregnant women?"
"I've been telling pregnant women that there hasn't been any evidence of concerning outcomes in the [vaccine] trials, though the number of pregnant subjects [would] likely have been limited," Murthy added.
Walensky responded first, noting that the CDC had implemented a registry and monitoring protocol to collect data on pregnant women who received the vaccine. Fauci then added while there was currently "no data or theoretical reason" to prefer vaccinating early or later in pregnancy, he had heard unfounded concerns over the potential effects of "injecting a 'genetic' vaccine very early in pregnancy," which did not carry an inherent risk to a developing fetus.
"I asked around a bit more and another issue came up that you need to be aware of," Fauci wrote in a follow-up message to Murthy and Walensky, who were both responsible for crafting public recommendations and policies related to the pandemic response. "Since many people have significant cytokines storm and fever after the second dose, this could theoretically be associated with miscarriage in the 1st trimester." Related Content What the Fauci Fixation Reveals About Our Political System Biggie’s Manager Wins Legal Battle Against Faith Evans Over Rapper’s Catalog Cash Trump Moves to Scale Back Childhood Vaccines Over Conspiracy Theory AOC Froze Her Eggs and MAGA Is Being Predictably Weird About It
Fauci was asked a question, gave an assessment, and then followed up with additional, clarifying information after consulting with others in his field. A similar exchange took place the next day, when Fauci was asked by Murthy for his "take" on the World Health Organization (WHO) advising pregnant women to avoid the Moderna variant of the vaccine, due to a lack of data about potential complications. Murthy noted in the exchange that the announcement had surprised him, and could potentially damage "public confidence among pregnant women."
"I would say that in any vaccine in which data are lacking in pregnant women one must weight the potential risks against the benefits," Fauci replied. "COVID-19 can be a serious disease especially in pregnancy." He noted that over 10,000 women had been vaccinated following the emergency authorization of the vaccines, and "no issues have arisen."
He added that the guidelines set by the FDA, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists are "all permissive for pregnant women to have a choice."
This is all in line with the guidance being put out by health organizations around that same time. Physicians have long known that high fevers can be harmful to early pregnancies. In February 2021, less than a month after the text exchange, Fauci told an interviewer that "the FDA, as part of the typical follow up you have following the initial issuing of any [emergency use authorization] have found […] no red flags about that, about pregnant women,"
Contemporaneous news articles from early 2021 note that the CDC advised pregnant women to speak with their doctors about the potential risks and benefits of the vaccine before making their decision.
Still, five years after the fact and amid a resurgence in general vaccine skepticism, the far right is once again twisti...
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