Dr Anthony Fauci has responded to Nicki Minaj's vaccine concerns, after the rapper shared an unusual anecdote about alleged sexual side effects to COVID-19 vaccines.
Minaj on Monday tweeted to her 22 million followers that the vaccine had left a cousin's friend in Trinidad 'impotent' and with 'swollen' testicles, causing his fiancée to cancel their wedding.
'There's no evidence that it happens, nor is there any mechanistic reason to imagine that it would happen,' Fauci told CNN on Tuesday when asked whether the vaccines could impact reproductive health. 'So the answer to your question is no.'
'There is a lot of misinformation, mostly on social media. And the only way to counter mis- and disinformation is to provide a lot of correct information and essentially debunk these kinds kinds of claims,' Fauci said of Minaj's tweets.
'There's no evidence that it happens,' Fauci said when asked about rapper Nicki Minaj's concern that COVID vaccines could cause testicular swelling
Minaj on Monday tweeted to her 22 million followers that the vaccine had left a cousin's friend in Trinidad 'impotent' and with 'swollen' testicles
Fauci said that Minaj's controversial post 'may be innocent on her part.'
'I'm not blaming her for anything, but she should be thinking twice about propagating information that really has no basis, except for a one-off anecdote. That's not what science is about,' Fauci said.
The CDC has said: 'There is no evidence that vaccines, including COVID-19 vaccines, cause male fertility problems.'
Minaj has not backed down from her controversial tweets, and insists that she does not discourage anyone from getting vaccinated, saying she wants to do her own 'research' and is opposed to forcing vaccines on those who don't want them.
Her flurry of tweets about vaccines began with a post regarding the Met Gala in New York on Monday, which she did not attend.
'They want you to get vaccinated for the Met. if I get vaccinated it won't for the Met. It'll be once I feel I've done enough research. I'm working on that now. In the meantime my loves, be safe. Wear the mask with 2 strings that grips your head & face. Not that loose one,' wrote Minaj.
'My cousin in Trinidad won't get the vaccine cuz his friend got it & became impotent. His testicles became swollen. His friend was weeks away from getting married, now the girl called off the wedding. So just pray on it & make sure you're comfortable with ur decision, not bullied,' the rapper followed up.
The rapper also revealed she had tested positive for COVID-19 while prepping for the MTV Video Music Awards, causing her to skip that event Sunday.
The remarks drew immediate backlash and accusations that Minaj was spreading harmful myths and misinformation.
The UK's Chief Medical Officer Chris Witty slammed the star, who has not been vaccinated and revealed she has contracted COVID-19, for spreading an 'untrue' and 'ridiculous' myth about the shot.
The rapper did not back down, however, and launched into a war of words with her critics, including DailyMail.com editor at large Piers Morgan, MSNBC host Joy Reid, and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Johnson condemned her comments and told reporters he would rather listen to NHS England's top GP Nikki Kanani about the 'wonderful' vaccine than the rapper.
Johnson and Whitty had been asked about Minaj's comments during their joint press conference from Downing Street Tuesday afternoon.
The PM responded saying he was 'not as familiar' with Minaj's comments and prefers to listen to a different Nikki.
'I'm not as familiar with the works of Nicki Minaj as I probably should be,' he said.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson (left)and Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty (right) speak at Downing Street this afternoon where they condemned her comments on the vaccine
The Prime Minister said he would rather listen to NHS England's top GP Nikki Kanani about the shot
