In recent months, the internet has buzzed with a conspiracy theory dubbed "Plasmid-gate." The claim? COVID-19 mRNA vaccines are "contaminated" with residual DNA, which could integrate into human DNA and potentially cause cancer, or even "turbo cancer." These accusations have sparked concerns among some people, despite being rooted in misunderstanding, faulty science, and alarmist rhetoric.

• The truth about mRNA vaccine production: COVID-19 mRNA vaccines may contain minuscule amounts of residual DNA from production processes, but these fragments are heavily degraded and pose no risk to human health.
• Proper testing shows safety: Claims of DNA contamination often rely on inappropriate testing methods. Proper tests like qPCR reveal that any residual DNA is well within safety limits set by health authorities such as the WHO and FDA.
• DNA cannot alter your genes: The idea that residual DNA can integrate into human DNA and cause cancer is biologically implausible. The vaccines cannot enter the cell nucleus. Our cells have robust mechanisms to eliminate foreign DNA.
• Debunking "turbo cancer": The fear of "turbo cancer" caused by DNA in vaccines is pure fearmongering. No scientific evidence supports the claim, and residual DNA in vaccines has not been linked to any increased cancer risk.
• Trusted science over fear: Regulatory agencies worldwide, including the FDA and WHO, ensure vaccine safety. The claims behind Plasmid-gate rely on bad science and distortions, and they should not undermine public trust in life-saving vaccines.

In this post, we’ll unravel the facts behind these claims and explain why they don’t hold up to scientific scrutiny.

Understanding mRNA vaccine production and residual DNA

To make sense of the situation, it’s important to first understand how mRNA vaccines, like the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines, are produced. These vaccines are designed to introduce a small, temporary snippet of messenger RNA (mRNA) into our cells, instructing them to produce a harmless spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This primes the immune system to recognise and fight the virus if we become infected.

But here’s where the conspiracy starts: During vaccine production, mRNA is synthesised using plasmids—small, circular pieces of DNA in bacteria like E. coli that carry genetic instructions. Once the desired mRNA is produced, the plasmid DNA is removed through purification processes, though tiny amounts of residual DNA may remain. These fragments are highly degraded and non-functional.

What do the tests really show?

Recent studies claiming that COVID-19 vaccines are tainted with DNA focus on testing methods that are questionable for the purpose. Specifically, two tests are often used:

1. Quantitative PCR (qPCR): This is the gold standard for detecting specific DNA sequences. It showed that residual DNA in mRNA vaccines is present at levels well within the safety limits established by health authorities like the World Health Organization (WHO) and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

2. Fluorometry: This test measures nucleic acids using fluorescent markers, but it isn’t specific to DNA—it can also pick up RNA, which is (of course by design) abundant in mRNA vaccines. Some studies using this method have reported inflated DNA levels because the test is reading both RNA and DNA, leading to misleading results.

The claims of excessive DNA are largely based on inappropriate tests. In fact, when proper techniques like qPCR are applied, the detected levels of residual DNA are minuscule and pose no safety concern.

Why residual DNA cannot alter human DNA

The central fear driving these conspiracy theories is that residual DNA from vaccines could somehow integrate into our genome, altering our DNA and causing long-term harm, including cancer. This simply isn’t how biology works.

First, for foreign DNA to integrate into our genome, it would need to enter the nucleus of our cells, where our DNA is housed. mRNA vaccines, however, do not enter the nucleus; they operate in the cell’s cytoplasm, the outer region of the cell. Even if some residual DNA were to enter the cell, our cells have multiple defence mechanisms to identify and destroy foreign DNA, including enzymes that degrade it before it can cause any harm.

Moreover, the idea of “turbo cancer” or accelerated cancer due to DNA contamination is biologically implausible (aka ridiculous). There is no evidence from any scientific study showing that residual DNA in vaccines can cause cancer, let alone a supercharged form of it. Vaccines have been used for decades, and several—including the chickenpox vaccine—contain DNA. They have not been linked to an increased risk of cancer.

What do we need for foreign DNA fragments to alter our own DNA?

For residual DNA in mRNA vaccines to enter a cell nucleus and alter host DNA, several highly improbable events would need to occur:

1. Entry into the cell: DNA would first need to bypass the cell’s protective membrane and enter the cytoplasm. mRNA vaccines are designed to deliver mRNA to the cytoplasm, not DNA.

2. Nuclear entry: Once inside the cytoplasm, the residual DNA would need to pass through the nuclear membrane, which has selective entry mechanisms. This is extremely unlikely for foreign DNA, especially small, degraded fragments.

3. Integration into host DNA: Even if the DNA reaches the nucleus, it would then need to integrate into the host’s genome. This process is complex and requires specific enzymes, like integrases, which are not present in mRNA vaccines.

4. Functional expression: Lastly, the integrated DNA would need to be in a position where it could be transcribed and expressed, leading to changes in cell function. This is even more improbable, as random integration often disrupts DNA without any meaningful function.

In short, for DNA residuals to alter host DNA, multiple biological barriers would have to be overcome – barriers that the residual DNA fragments from vaccines simply cannot breach. Also, DNA is not supposed to be in the cytosol of the cell and there are lots of enzymes there to destroy it.

Why is there residual DNA in vaccines?

The residual DNA found in vaccines comes from the bacteria or other construct used to produce the mRNA. The manufacturing process includes steps to remove this DNA, but no purification process is 100% perfect. However, stringent safety guidelines set by agencies like the WHO and FDA ensure that the remaining DNA is so minimal that it poses no risk to human health. These guidelines are designed to protect people, ensuring the vaccines we receive are as safe as possible. Also, in the case of plasmids, there are no sequences that have the capacity to cause trouble, let alone when degraded.

The turbo cancer myth: Fearmongering at its worst

One of the more absurd claims to come out of Plasmid-gate is the idea of “turbo cancer,” a term coined by conspiracy theorists to describe cancer allegedly caused or accelerated by mRNA vaccines. This idea is not supported by any scientific evidence. It taps into people's fear of cancer, but it has no basis in biology. As stated earlier, residual DNA fragments are highly degraded and incapable of causing mutations in our cells, let alone creating runaway cancer growth.

Australia is highly vaccinated with mRNA vaccines. Where is all the turbo cancer?

Cancer is a complex disease with many causes, including genetic predisposition, environmental factors, and random mutations. There is no plausible mechanism by which tiny, non-functional fragments of DNA in vaccines could trigger cancer—especially at the low levels present in COVID-19 vaccines.

Plasmid-gate: A misguided attempt to sow fear

The claims behind Plasmid-gate are not just scientifically flawed—they’re dangerous. By spreading misinformation about vaccine safety, these conspiracy theories undermine public trust in vaccines that have saved millions of lives. Regulatory agencies across the globe, including the FDA, WHO, and Health Canada, have thoroughly reviewed the data on residual DNA in vaccines and have consistently affirmed that they meet safety standards.

The conspiracy theorists behind Plasmid-gate rely on bad science and fearmongering to push their agenda. Their claims about DNA contamination in mRNA vaccines are riddled with methodological errors, leaps of logic, and outright misunderstandings of biology.

Summary: Facts over fear

It’s crucial to recognise Plasmid-Gate for what it is: A baseless attempt to instil fear in people by distorting science. Residual DNA in vaccines has been known and accounted for by regulatory bodies, and the amount found in mRNA vaccines is minuscule and safe. DNA in vaccines cannot alter human DNA or cause diseases like cancer. Our environment is filled with DNA from our food and water source to our microbiome.

As we continue to combat vaccine misinformation, remember to rely on trusted scientific sources and regulatory agencies, which are dedicated to ensuring vaccine safety. Vaccines, including the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines, are one of the most important tools we have to protect public health, and they do so without altering our DNA or causing turbo cancer. Let’s leave the fear behind and embrace the facts.

For detailed critiques of Plasmid-gate claims and studies see:

• David Gorsky Respectful Insolence
• Edward Nirenberg @ENirenberg
• Cell biology 101 The Nuclear Envelope and Traffic between the Nucleus and Cytoplasm
• FDA response
• Explainer on mRNA vaccine production

_{Updated 22 October 2024}