New text messages from Dr. Anthony Fauci’s government-issued phone offer insights into internal discussions among top U.S. health officials on COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy when little data was available. Released by Republican Senators Ron Johnson and Rand Paul, the messages include exchanges between Fauci, then-Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, and then-CDC Director Rochelle Walensky.
Key Insights from the Texts
Fauci noted there was “no data or theoretical reason” to prefer vaccination timing in pregnancy. However, he acknowledged that fever and immune responses post-vaccination could theoretically link to miscarriage in the first trimester. At the same time, officials highlighted the absence of safety issues among vaccinated pregnant women and stressed ongoing data collection.
This release complements growing Republican investigations into Fauci’s pandemic response. It follows the release of his diaries, a contentious Senate hearing where he invoked the Fifth Amendment, and a Senate vote to hold him in contempt of Congress.
Discussions Amidst Limited Data
The conversations revealed officials grappling with unresolved questions in early 2021. Pregnant women were mostly excluded from initial vaccine trials, leaving gaps in data. Murthy asked about vaccination timing, prompting Walensky to mention the CDC’s pregnancy registry to track outcomes. Fauci raised concerns about mRNA vaccines and potential miscarriage risks.
Later, a World Health Organization advisory against Moderna’s vaccine due to limited data sparked further discussion. Fauci argued that COVID-19 itself posed serious pregnancy risks and stated no safety concerns had arisen among over 10,000 vaccinated pregnant women. He cited animal studies and noted health authorities’ support for vaccination in consultation with doctors.
Significance of the Text Release
The messages come as Johnson and Paul question how health officials communicated risks to the public. Senators highlighted Fauci’s mention of theoretical miscarriage risks, contrasting it with later public encouragement for vaccination in pregnant women. As 2021 progressed, the CDC and major obstetric groups recommended vaccination after reviewing more safety data.
In 2021, the CDC officially recommended COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine followed suit. The Trump administration, under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has since altered routine federal vaccine recommendations for pregnant women.
Broader Investigation Context
The text release reflects a broader scrutiny of Fauci’s pandemic role by Senators Paul and Johnson. Recently, Paul released pages from Fauci’s diaries, subpoenaing him for Senate testimony. The diaries documented internal debates on COVID-19’s origins, government response disagreements, and public messaging challenges.
Paul has accused Fauci of misleading Congress and the public on various issues, including COVID-19 origins and research in China. Fauci denies these allegations, maintaining his stance of transparency on related uncertainties.
Fauci’s Fifth Amendment Plea
The text disclosure followed a Senate vote to hold Fauci in contempt for refusing to answer questions in July. Fauci, invoking the Fifth Amendment, maintained that Paul’s calls for prosecution put him at legal risk. Fauci’s lawyer cited constitutional protections, while Paul argued that a pardon from President Joe Biden should remove prosecution risks. Legal experts differ on the applicability of the Fifth Amendment in these circumstances.
Potential Future Releases
Johnson and Paul suggest more material from Fauci’s phone could surface after further review. They claim the phone contains thousands of texts and voicemails, indicating the potential for further revelations.
For more information, Newsweek editors, including Edward T. Cummins, are managing this story’s coverage.