Many thanks to the editors of the International Journal of Risk & Safety in Medicine for inviting me to provide commentary and context on the academic discourses around 4 articles published herein that provide a more balanced view of COVID-19 vaccines, including research on the potential harms of the vaccines and their possibly contributing to excess mortality. I conclude that the criticisms highlighted here are unsuccessful in allaying the concerns raised in these studies, and that ongoing scrutiny on COVID-19 vaccines is warranted and necessary.
RhodesPParryPI. Pharmaceutical product recall and educated hesitancy towards new drugs and novel vaccines. Int J Risk Saf Med2024; 35(4): 317–333. https://doi.org/10.1177/09246479241292008
2.
OkoroEOIkobaNAOkoroBE, et al.Paradoxical increase in global COVID-19 deaths with vaccination coverage: World Health Organization estimates (2020–2023). Int J Risk Saf Med2025; 36(4): 313. https://doi.org/10.1177/09246479251336610
OkoroEOIkobaNAOkoroBE, et al.REPLY TO COMMENT on “Population-Level COVID-19 Mortality Trends”. Int J Risk Saf Med2025; 36(4): 314–316. https://doi.org/10.1177/09246479251362606
5.
MannicheVFürstTSchmelingM, et al.Rates of successful conceptions according to COVID-19 vaccination status: data from the Czech Republic. Int J Risk Saf Med2025; 36(4): 302–306. https://doi.org/10.1177/09246479251353384
6.
SudaC. Comment on “Rates of successful conceptions according to COVID-19 vaccination status: data from the Czech Republic”. Int J Risk Saf Med2026; 37(1): 152–153. https://doi.org/10.1177/09246479251377034
7.
MannicheVFürstTSchmelingM, et al.Author’s response: rates of successful conceptions according to COVID-19 vaccination status: data from the Czech Republic. Int J Risk Saf Med2026; 37(1): 154. https://doi.org/10.1177/09246479251378936
8.
LatasterR. The causes of Australian excess deaths in 2021, and beyond: an ecological study considering COVID-19, the lockdowns, and the vaccines. Int J Risk Saf Med. 2026. https://doi.org/10.1177/09246479261426743
