Collection

COVID-19 Vaccine Ingredients: A Collection of Fact Checks

Magnets, aborted fetal cells, and "luciferase" are just a few of the formulas' alleged ingredients.

Published Nov. 3, 2021

Close-up of a covid-19 vaccine flasks for tests on a medical shelf (Getty Images)
Close-up of a covid-19 vaccine flasks for tests on a medical shelf (Image courtesy of Getty Images)

For some people on the Internet, the fact that U.S. public health officials developed vaccination formulas just to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is unbelievable. Rather, according to their versions of reality, the vaccinations are part of grand conspiracies by nefarious entities or politicians to build a global surveillance network or trick people into sin.

And, hypothetically speaking, those evil groups would accomplish such goals by ensuring the vaccines contain aborted fetal cells (against the wishes of anti-abortion activists), "luciferase" (an alleged component supposedly connected to Satan), or microchip technology for tracking recipients against their will.

We're here to tell you, however, that was not the case. Those were not ingredients in any COVID-19 vaccine, and public health officials really did develop the formulas with one goal in mind: to train people's immune systems into producing antibodies that can combat the coronavirus.

Below is a compilation of our fact checks explaining what's true — and what's false — about the contents of the liquids being injected into people's arms.

Person, Human, Glasses
Read More
Person, Human, Clinic
Read More
Person, Human, Monitor
Read More
We looked into allegations that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine contained aborted fetal cells.
Read More
Lab, Scientist, Clothing
Read More
Home Decor, Person, Human
Read More
Arm, Person, Human
Read More
Clothing, Apparel, Injection
Read More
Text, Electronics, Person
Read More

Jessica Lee is Snopes' Senior Assignments Editor with expertise in investigative storytelling, media literacy advocacy and digital audience engagement.

Article Tags