False: Graphene is shedding from the COVID vaccinated to the unvaccinated, damaging blood cells.

Context

An article published on October 27, 2022, by the anti-vax website The Exposé claims that COVID-19 vaccines contain graphene, which is responsible for blood clots and damaged blood cells. The article furthers these claims by stating they are based on blood analysis by Philippe van Welbergen, a homeopathist, who allegedly found graphene in vaccinated and unvaccinated patients. The article concludes that graphene comes from the COVID-19 vaccines and "sheds" from the vaccinated and transfers to the unvaccinated.

In Fact

There is no evidence that COVID-19 vaccines contain graphene or that they "shed," or have any ability to affect anyone else other than the person receiving the vaccination, or damage blood cells. 

Claims of graphene within COVID-19 vaccines have been circulating since 2021 and found to be unsubstantiated by a variety of sources. For example, fact checks from Reuters and Logically concluded that graphene was not on the list of ingredients in any of the available COVID-19 vaccines. Logically's check stated that these ingredient lists are also published and have been tested by outside parties. Vaccine manufacturers such as Moderna and Pfizer have also stated that graphene oxide is not present in their vaccines. 

A fact check by Health Feedback also investigated claims that researchers from the University of Almeria in Spain found graphene in blood. This research prompted broader false claims of graphene in vaccinations to circulate. However, the check found that the research study was not conclusive or scientifically supported, with the origin of the analyzed sample unknown. Almeria University also distanced itself from the study. 

Health Feedback found that another piece of research that was used to claim graphene was in COVID vaccines was unsupported by one of the researchers who worked on the study. The researcher stated it was focused on a preliminary phase of a potential influenza vaccine that is still in testing and not in use. The researcher also stated that they are unaware of any licensed vaccines that use graphene and that their study does not support such claims. 

Furthermore, there is no evidence that COVID vaccines cause damage to blood or that they are shedding. Hematologists told Reuters that there is neither sufficient nor credible evidence to link blood damage to the vaccine. Furthermore, a CDC page that discusses COVID vaccine myths also states that the vaccines do not shed. They state that for a vaccine to "shed" or spread illnesses, it must contain a live version of the virus, which the COVID-19 vaccines don't have. There is no biological path for them to shed. 

The Verdict

There is no evidence that COVID-19 vaccines contain graphene. They are unable to shed due to them lacking a live virus. There is no evidence that vaccines are harmful to humans or that they damage blood. Therefore, we have marked this claim as false.