Newly surfaced text messages have placed Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), at the center of controversy regarding early COVID-19 vaccine data. The messages, obtained by Republican Senator Ron Johnson's office, suggest that Fauci was privately alerted to concerns about potential miscarriage risks associated with COVID-19 vaccines in the first trimester of pregnancy.
One text message from Dr. John Mascola, then director of the Vaccine Research Center, to Fauci stated, "I am corrected on pregnancy studies. Initial Studies avoid vaccination in first trimester due to possible fever and higher rates of miscarriage in first trimester." Metadata indicates Fauci opened this message within an hour of its receipt. The extent of any response from Fauci is not detailed, and the nature of the "initial studies" Mascola referenced remains unclear.
Johnson's office has stated that Mascola has retained an attorney and has not responded to requests for information regarding the text message. Johnson has accused federal health officials of obstructing public access to information and expressed hope for Mascola's cooperation.
This revelation follows a previous release of over 34,000 texts and 522 voicemails from Fauci's government-issued iPhone in early August. In an exchange from January 2021 with then-CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky and future Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, Fauci noted that some individuals experienced cytokine storms and fever after their second vaccine dose. He also theorized that such reactions "theoretically could be associated with miscarriage in the 1st trimester."
In that same exchange, Murthy questioned Fauci and Walensky about a World Health Organization (WHO) advisory against pregnant women receiving the Moderna vaccine due to a lack of data. Murthy expressed concern about the potential impact on public confidence. Fauci responded by stating that the decision for pregnant women should involve weighing potential risks against benefits, comparing vaccination to the risks of COVID-19 itself, and added that animal studies had not indicated any significant issues.
Fauci publicly stated in February 2021 that there were "no red flags of anything that anyone would be worried about" among vaccinated pregnant women. By August 2021, the CDC updated its guidance to recommend vaccination during pregnancy, citing accumulated data that found no increased risk of miscarriage.
Fauci recently appeared before the Senate for a hearing, during which he invoked the Fifth Amendment 111 times when questioned by senators about his role and the guidance issued during the COVID-19 pandemic. He was previously found in contempt of Congress, with potential referral to the Department of Justice for prosecution.