Since mRNA vaccines came into the spotlight during the development of COVID-19 vaccines, countless claims and misconceptions have spread online.

Questions about their safety and effectiveness have even added to the confusion.

This article clears up the confusion, explaining the most common myths about mRNA and bridging the gap between scientific facts and social media claims.

What Is mRNA?

There have been a lot of discussions about mRNA lately, and not all are true.

Before diving into these misconceptions, let’s take a moment to understand what mRNA actually does.

Before we talk about mRNA, it helps to understand a few key concepts.

DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) is the molecule in the cell’s nucleus containing all our genetic information.

It serves as the template of life, carrying the instructions that determine how we look and function, which is why offspring often share traits with their parents.

RNA (Ribonucleic Acid) carries messages from DNA to other parts of the cell.

It acts like a messenger or interpreter, helping the cell use the information stored in DNA to make proteins.

There are three main types of RNA:

• mRNA (messenger RNA) – carries the actual instructions for making proteins.
• tRNA (transfer RNA) – helps assemble the protein building blocks.
• rRNA (ribosomal RNA) – forms part of the ribosome, where proteins are made.

Inside each cell, the nucleus houses DNA and controls most cell activities, while the cytoplasm includes all other parts of the cell outside the nucleus.

mRNA, or messenger RNA, specifically carries the genetic instructions from DNA in the nucleus to the cytoplasm, where the cell’s protein-making machinery reads and translates those instructions to produce proteins that keep the body functioning correctly.

5 Common Misconceptions About mRNA

Now that we’ve established a basic understanding of what mRNA does, let’s examine some of the most common myths about mRNA.

mRNA Vaccines Are Not Safe And Can Cause Long-Term Genetic Mutations

Some believe mRNA vaccines can change your DNA or cause genetic mutations. This is not true.

Genetic mutations are changes in a living organism’s DNA sequence. These changes can be beneficial, harmful, or harmless and can sometimes be passed on to offspring.

Mutations may occur naturally during DNA replication, from exposure to harmful agents such as radiation or chemicals, or when certain viruses insert their DNA into our cells.

However, mRNA cannot cause genetic mutations because:

• mRNA from the vaccine never enters the cell nucleus, where your DNA is safely stored.

• It does not have enzymes like reverse transcriptase or integrase, which are needed to convert RNA into DNA or insert it into your genes.

• Instead, it stays in the cytoplasm (the outer part of the cell) and gives temporary instructions for your body to make a harmless piece of the virus.

mRNA Vaccines Can Integrate Into Human DNA

Some people believe that mRNA vaccines can become part of human DNA. This is not true.

Scientific studies have found no evidence of mRNA integrating into human DNA.

When mRNA vaccines are given, the mRNA enters the cytoplasm, the cell’s outer part, where it delivers instructions to make a harmless piece of the virus.

It never enters the nucleus, where the DNA is safely stored.

In addition, mRNA is shortly lived.

It naturally breaks down within a few days.

What remains is not the mRNA itself, but the immune memory your body develops to recognise and fight the real virus later on.

It Aims To Cause Unusual Illness

During the fight against COVID-19, social media was filled with mixed reactions.

Some people shared unpleasant experiences after getting the vaccine, leading others to believe it was created to cause harm.

The mRNA (COVID-19) vaccine was not created to harm anyone; it was developed out of necessity, during a global emergency that demanded quick and effective solutions.

Scientists have been studying mRNA technology for decades, and the COVID-19 pandemic has made it the right time to apply that research.

Like any medical innovation, mRNA vaccines have side effects, such as temporary fever, fatigue, or soreness, all signs that the immune system is responding.

Rare cases of severe allergic reactions have been reported, but they occur in tiny numbers compared to the millions of safe doses given worldwide.

Challenges like cold storage requirements and public misunderstanding have contributed to hesitancy, not evidence of harm or malicious intent.

While early reports sometimes emphasised vaccine effectiveness differently, continuous monitoring and research have shown that the benefits far outweigh the risks.

It Is Harmful – It Wasn’t Sent Through Clinical Trials, And It Killed Animals

Some of the online uproar suggested that the vaccine was harmful, with claims that it caused the death of animals during testing.

Testing animals with vaccines is critical to developing vaccines ⁠and ensuring their effectiveness and safety.

Before mRNA vaccines were tested in humans, they underwent extensive preclinical studies in animals to ensure their safety and effectiveness. Scientists used different animal models, such as mice, hamsters, ferrets, and primates, to understand how the vaccines worked and detect any possible side effects.

If the vaccines had caused deaths or serious harm in these tests, they would not have been approved for human trials.

In fact, after these animal studies showed positive safety results, more than 100 vaccine candidates, including mRNA vaccines, successfully moved on to human testing.

These vaccines were later shown to be highly effective.

It Causes Infertility

This claim has no scientific evidence.

Multiple studies and real-world data have shown that mRNA vaccines do not cause infertility in either men or women.

The confusion started from a false idea that the vaccine could make the body attack a protein needed for pregnancy.

However, scientists have confirmed that the vaccine targets the spike protein of the COVID-19 virus, which is entirely different from the proteins involved in reproduction.

Women who received mRNA vaccines have conceived and delivered healthy babies, and men’s sperm counts and fertility levels have remained normal after vaccination.

Conclusion

mRNA vaccines have been misunderstood due to misinformation spread online.

They do not alter your DNA, cause infertility, or harm the body. Instead, they work by teaching the immune system how to recognise and fight the virus safely.

Years of scientific research support their safety and effectiveness. While mild side effects can occur, they are temporary and a sign that your body is building protection.

Science and evidence, not social media rumours, should guide our understanding of mRNA.

When in doubt, always rely on trusted health organisations and verified research, not viral posts.