Summarised by Centrist
A study linking mRNA Covid vaccines to increased cancer deaths in Japan has been retracted—twice—without clear justification.
The research, led by Dr Miki Gibo, found a statistically significant rise in cancer mortality following Japan’s mRNA vaccine rollout, particularly in ovarian and blood cancers.
While the authors acknowledged that causation cannot be proven, their study was removed from Cureus after a Reuters fact-check, and later from Zenodo without explanation.
Published as a preprint after its first retraction, the study examined Japan’s cancer mortality trends from 1940 to 2023, adjusting for population ageing.
Researchers found that cancer deaths had been declining before a 1-2% increase emerged in 2021, coinciding with the vaccine rollout. The rise was most pronounced in ovarian cancer (+10%) and leukemia (+8%) in 2022 and 2023.
The authors suggested that mRNA vaccines could contribute to cancer by weakening the immune system, disrupting DNA repair, and allowing spike proteins to build up in sensitive tissues.
Oncologist Angus Dalgleish supported the findings, reporting an increase in melanoma relapses and other aggressive cancers following booster shots.
Reuters challenged the study’s methodology, citing a lack of direct causation and potential data misinterpretation—concerns that are scientifically valid.
However, the speed and severity of the retraction, along with concerns over conflicts of interest and selective enforcement, fuel debate over censorship and bias in vaccine-related research.
This case illustrates growing tensions in scientific debate, where findings challenging the mainstream narrative often face heightened scrutiny—or removal altogether.
