Canadian doctor falsely claims Covid vaccines 'hijack' immune system

"Dr Shoemaker Witness Testimony at the National Citizens Inquiry Canada Ottawa Day 3 Exposes Dangers," says text over a video shared June 11, 2023 on Instagram.

The TikTok page where the video originated is no longer available. But similar clips spread on Facebook and Twitter -- including from Christopher Shoemaker, a family doctor whose medical license was suspended in January 2023.

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Screenshot of an Instagram post taken July 11, 2023

The National Citizens Inquiry (NCI) is an independent organization that says its objective is to listen "to the testimonies of experts, including those whose narratives differ from the governmental narrative."

Since March, the group has held multiple events featuring presentations from people AFP has fact-checked for spreading misinformation about Covid-19 vaccines, including Peter McCullough, Robert Malone, Steve Kirsch and Charles Hoffe. Shoemaker has also previously amplified false claims about 80 Canadian doctors dying after vaccination.

The full video of Shoemaker's appearance has accumulated more than 10,900 views on NCI's Rumble account. In it, he claims messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) Covid-19 vaccines "hijack your immune system," causing death.

"It's not the spike itself that's harming you -- it's your immune system going after the spike," he said.

The mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna differ from traditional vaccines in that they contain instructions for cells on how to make coronavirus spike proteins, thereby triggering an immune response. But public health authorities say the technology is not dangerous.

"Some people are concerned that the spike proteins generated by Covid-19 vaccines can cause harm to the body's organs or tissues," ImmunizeBC says on its website (archived here). "However, there is no evidence that the vaccine-generated spike proteins cause harm."

Nebraska Medicine in the United States has also dismissed such fears.

"The spike protein is unique to SARS-CoV-2 -- it doesn't look like other proteins your body makes," the regional health network says on its website (archived here). "So antibodies created against the spike protein won't harm your body, they will only target coronavirus."

Shoemaker goes on to claim: "Spike protein once it's physically in a cell is as alive as the cell."

But Health Canada says on its website (archived here) that the "mRNA, lipid nanoparticle and spike protein are degraded or excreted within days to weeks from time of immunization."

Shoemaker also falsely claims the Covid-19 vaccine is "one-third DNA, two-thirds RNA," citing a debunked Substack post.

"Covid-19 mRNA vaccines do not include DNA as part of the ingredients," Health Canada told AFP in a statement emailed July 14. A full list of ingredients in the Covid-19 shots authorized by Health Canada is available here.

The statement also said: "The mRNA never enters the central part (nucleus) of the cell, which is where our DNA (genetic material) is found, and the cells' DNA cannot be altered by mRNA vaccines."

Melodie Yunju Song, a postdoctoral research fellow at the Centre for Vaccine Preventable Diseases at the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health, said the claim that mRNA vaccines "take over our genetic makeup" is "completely false."

She faulted the NCI for giving a platform to doctors actively spreading misinformation.

"I think the testimonies are very damaging," she said, noting NCI's account had been removed from TikTok. As new mRNA vaccines currently in clinical trials become available she warned of a "recirculation of these false narratives" targeted toward parents.

Concerns about Covid-19 spike proteins have circulated online since the debut of Covid-19 mRNA vaccines. Experts have repeatedly told AFP claims of harm are unproven.