03/21/2026
🚨 New FOIA Documents Raise Questions About CDC's Handling of mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine Safety Study
Recent documents obtained by Children's Health Defense (CHD) through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit reveal significant edits to a 2022 CDC-led study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.
The study analyzed adverse event reports from the first six months of the U.S. mRNA COVID-19 vaccination program (December 2020–June 2021), drawing on data from VAERS and v-safe.
Key differences between the internal draft and the final published version include:
• The draft title referenced “Reactogenicity and Adverse Events Following mRNA COVID-19 Vaccination.” The published title shifted to “Safety of mRNA vaccines administered during the initial 6 months of the US COVID-19 vaccination programme.”
• The draft explicitly discussed 4,496 death reports in VAERS and included a figure detailing the top 10 causes of death (based on death certificates and autopsies), with heart disease listed first, followed by COVID-19 and “unknown/unclear.” This figure was removed from the main paper and the related table was moved to supplemental materials.
• Internal notes from lead author Dr. Hannah Rosenblum stated: “Note all death results/interpretation has been removed from abstract.”
• One reviewer (initials B.R., potentially FDA’s Dr. Robert Ball) cautioned that a death report shortly after vaccination “may also reflect a true event,” though the final publication emphasized possible reporting bias and patterns similar to other vaccines.
The published study reported that 1.3% of VAERS submissions involved deaths and concluded most adverse events were mild and transient, consistent with other vaccinations.
However, CHD senior research scientist Karl Jablonowski, Ph.D., described the edits as an effort to “promote safety and to de-emphasize death,” particularly notable as the paper was finalized during nationwide booster discussions.
Questions about data presentation, editorial decisions, and public communication during major vaccination campaigns remain important for trust in health authorities.
These documents highlight the value of FOIA processes in promoting accountability.
CHD obtained these records after suing the CDC for failing to respond to earlier FOIA requests.
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