TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A Facebook post [archive] claims that modern vaccines, such as mRNA, nanoparticles, and viral vectors, transform normal cells into "antibody factories."
The post contrasts older vaccines with newer generations. According to the narrative, older vaccines consisted of live, weakened (attenuated) and killed (inactivated) vaccines, with development times of up to 10 years. Newer-generation vaccines, which use live viruses or lipid nanoparticles (mRNA), are claimed to take only six months to develop.
The post also claims that newer-generation vaccines transform human cells into "antibody factories" that trigger various diseases, such as cancer, hepatitis, kidney failure, and even require lifelong dialysis.
However, is it true that modified modern vaccines mutate normal cells into "antibody factories"?
FACT CHECK
Tempo asked Arif Ansori, a virologist from Airlangga University and a member of the Ministry of Health's National Commission on Post-Immunization Adverse Events (Komnas KIPI), for an explanation. He said the post mixed up several scientific terms and drew erroneous conclusions.
The Claim about "Antibody Factories"
The claim that vaccines turn normal cells into "antibody factories forever" is biologically incorrect. Cells that receive mRNA or material from viral vectors only temporarily produce viral antigens, not antibodies. Antibodies are produced by B lymphocytes and plasma cells as part of the immune system response.
After the antigen disappears, a small number of B cells and T cells persist as memory cells. These memory cells are what help the body respond more quickly when re-exposed to the pathogen, not because muscle, liver, or kidney cells are permanently altered.
Arif emphasized that, to date, there is no scientific evidence that mRNA vaccines or viral vector vaccines can transform normal cells into cancer cells.
Claims that vaccines cause hepatitis, kidney failure, or the need for lifelong dialysis cannot be concluded simply because the disease appears after vaccination.
"A temporal relationship does not automatically indicate a causal relationship," Arif told Tempo on Wednesday, July 15, 2026.
According to Arif, every medical event following immunization must be evaluated through diagnosis, timing of symptom onset, comorbidities, medication use, infectious conditions, and other epidemiological evidence.
A study on the National Library of Medicine website states that side effects of mRNA vaccines include, but are not limited to: pain at the injection site, headache, fatigue, myalgia, diarrhea, lymphadenopathy, and redness and swelling at the injection site.
Claims about Old and New Vaccines
Arif stated that it is not true that "old" vaccines only consist of live, attenuated, and inactivated vaccines. Vaccine technology that has been used for decades also includes toxoid, polysaccharide, conjugate, protein subunit, and recombinant protein vaccines. Examples include vaccines for tetanus, diphtheria, hepatitis B, HPV, and pneumococcal.
"Therefore, dividing vaccines into only two old and two new types is an inaccurate simplification," said Arif.
Arif also refuted claims that mRNA vaccines can permanently alter human cells. According to him, mRNA vaccines do carry genetic instructions into cells via lipid nanoparticles. However, mRNA only enters the cytoplasm and does not enter the cell nucleus, where human DNA is located.
"mRNA does not enter the cell nucleus, so it cannot alter human DNA or genes. After being used to produce a limited amount of antigen, mRNA is destroyed through normal cellular processes within a few days," he said.
According to Arif, viral vector vaccines cannot be equated with live viruses that reproduce in the body. Some COVID-19 vaccines use adenoviruses that have been engineered to be unable to replicate. In the Ad26 platform, for example, the genes required for replication have been removed so the vector cannot replicate in human cells.
The adenovirus used as a vector also generally does not integrate into the human chromosome, so its antigen expression is transient.
Nucleoside-modified mRNA packaged in lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) has been used to quickly produce a safe and effective vaccine against Covid-19.
Various studies have provided a better understanding of the mechanism of action of this vaccine technology. Further research is expected to improve this technology through the development of a second-generation mRNA-LNP vaccine that is more effective, safe, and well-tolerated.
"It is estimated that in the next few years, these improvements will produce a second-generation mRNA-iLNP with better efficacy, safety, and tolerability," he said.
Why Was the Covid-19 Vaccine Developed So Quickly?
According to Arif, the rapid development of the Covid-19 vaccine does not mean neglecting safety aspects.
He explained that mRNA technology had been researched for decades before the Covid-19 pandemic. Viral vector-based vaccine platforms were also previously used in the development of an Ebola vaccine.
Vaccine development was accelerated thanks to knowledge gained from SARS and MERS virus research, substantial global funding, rapid recruitment of clinical trial participants, high transmission rates, and the parallel implementation of several stages.
Nevertheless, preclinical trials, clinical trials, production quality assessments, and regulatory evaluations continued. The main COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials also involved tens of thousands of participants.
"Health information should be understood based on scientific research, AEFI monitoring, and regulatory evaluation, not conjecture or speculation," said Arif.
CONCLUSION
The narrative that mRNA vaccines and viral vector-based vaccines permanently alter human cells, turn the body into an "antibody factory," or cause cancer is a false claim.
TEMPO FACT CHECK TEAM
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