Just the Facts

    Correcting this week’s misinformation: week of February 12, 2026

    Do HPV vaccines increase the risk of cervical cancer?

    The Claim:

    In a tweet, Secretary of Health RFK Jr. claims that HPV vaccines increase someone’s chances of having cervical cancer.

    The Facts:

    It is not clear where RFK Jr. got this claim, because he did not share his sources. When we searched online for “HPV vaccination increases cervical cancer,” we found a headline that said, “HPV vaccination linked to higher rates of cervical cancer screenings globally.” If someone only reads the first part of that headline, they might misunderstand it. The full title explains that it is about higher screening rates, not higher cancer rates.

    There is also a published letter (not a research study) suggesting that HPV vaccination may be linked to lower screening rates. However, this was just an idea, and later research has not supported that concern.

    Looking at the scientific evidence, the claim that HPV vaccines increase cervical cancer is not supported by data. Study after study after study shows that cervical cancer rates are much lower in people who received the HPV vaccine compared to those who did not. Some research also found that no cases of cervical cancer were seen in girls who were vaccinated at ages 12 to 13.

    More than 50 randomized controlled studies have shown that the HPV vaccine is safe and effective. Many of these studies used placebo shots to carefully compare results.

    Does ivermectin cure COVID vaccine injuries?

    The Claim:

    Former CNN anchor Chris Cuomo now claims that he was harmed by the COVID vaccine and he takes ivermectin every day to treat it.

    The Facts:

    Chris Cuomo has spoken openly about having COVID and later dealing with long COVID after his infection. The video being shared does not say that he had a vaccine injury.

    Some people worry about the speed of COVID vaccine development and often point to VAERS. VAERS stands for the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System. It is run by the CDC and FDA as an early warning system. Anyone can submit a report if something happens after a vaccine. But a report does not prove the vaccine caused the problem. VAERS is meant to spot patterns that scientists can study more carefully. It cannot, by itself, show that a vaccine caused harm.

    There has also been discussion about ivermectin. Ivermectin is a real medicine that is approved to treat certain conditions, such as some parasite infections. However, it is not approved to treat or prevent COVID. The FDA has clearly stated that ivermectin is not for COVID treatment .

    Large clinical trials have studied ivermectin for COVID. These studies found that it does not meaningfully help people recover from COVID or prevent long COVID. While ivermectin is generally safe when used correctly for approved reasons, it can still cause side effects. Taking it without a proven benefit does not make sense, especially when better-tested treatments and vaccines are available.

    Did vaccines kill the Shaw toddlers?

    The Claim:

    A story about 18-month-old twins who died within a day of getting their toddler vaccines is being shared a lot online.

    The Facts:

    It is always very sad when children die, and this case is no different. But it is important to know that the investigation is still going on. So far, there is no proof that vaccines caused these deaths. One report has even suggested that someone may have done something to the twins other than vaccines. Right now, saying the deaths were caused by vaccines is only a claim, because the official cause of death has not been shared yet.

    This reminds us of the death of Meredith Prohaska, a 12-year-old girl. Some people rumored that she died because of the HPV vaccine, but later it was found that she died from taking too much Benadryl. Facts often take longer to come out than rumors. That is why we should help people focus on real scientific facts rather than be pulled in by emotional stories.

    Disclaimer: Science is always evolving and our understanding of these topics may have evolved too since this was originally posted. Be sure to check out our most recent posts and browse the latest Just the Facts Topics for the latest.

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