Claim Review: Lancet Removes Autopsy Study Linking 74% of Deaths to COVID-19 Vaccines

Introduction

A recent article from The People's Voice claims that a Lancet review of 325 autopsies found that 74% of deaths were linked to COVID-19 vaccines. The article also states that the journal removed the study after only 24 hours. This claim review will examine the validity of these statements.

The Claim

The claim suggests that a significant number of deaths were directly caused by COVID-19 vaccines, as indicated by an autopsy study published in the Lancet. The study was allegedly removed due to its conclusions not being supported by the methodology.

Analysis

The study in question was a pre-print awaiting peer-review, authored by Dr. Peter McCullough, Dr. Harvey Risch, and their colleagues. Pre-prints are preliminary reports that have not undergone the rigorous peer-review process necessary for publication in reputable journals. The Lancet removed the study, stating that the conclusions were not supported by the study methodology.

The original study abstract, available in the Internet Archive, suggests that the most implicated organ system in COVID-19 vaccine-associated deaths was the cardiovascular system (53%), followed by the hematological system (17%). The study concluded that there is a high likelihood of a causal link between COVID-19 vaccines and death in most cases.

However, the removal of the study by the Lancet indicates significant methodological concerns. Pre-prints are often removed if they fail to meet basic screening criteria or if the methodology is deemed flawed. The fact that the study was removed so quickly suggests that it did not meet the necessary standards for further review.

Dr. Clare Craig, a pathologist, acknowledged that while the approach taken in the study is sound, there may be a bias towards reporting autopsies where there was evidence of causation. This bias could exaggerate the likelihood of causation. She also emphasized the importance of open scientific critique over censorship.

Scientific Evidence

To date, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has not acknowledged a single death being caused by COVID-19 vaccines. The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) is designed to alert to potential harms but is not the best way of measuring the extent of those harms. Quantifying the impact of deaths can be done by looking at overall mortality rates in a country, but this method is also imperfect.

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found no evidence of increased mortality rates among vaccinated individuals compared to unvaccinated individuals. Another study in the Lancet  concluded that COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective, with rare adverse events.

Conclusion

The claim that a Lancet review found 74% of deaths linked to COVID-19 vaccines is based on a pre-print study that was removed due to methodological concerns. The removal of the study indicates that the conclusions were not supported by the methodology. The claim is not substantiated by peer-reviewed evidence, and the available scientific literature does not support the assertion that COVID-19 vaccines are causing a significant number of deaths.

It is crucial to rely on peer-reviewed studies and open scientific critique to assess the safety and efficacy of vaccines. Censorship of flawed studies is a necessary part of maintaining scientific integrity.