Follow the science—except when it undermines Big Tech’s favorite narratives. Twitter upheld that precept when it censored but later reinstated a tweet from Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo recommending that young men not get mRNA COVID-19 vaccines based on new evidence he has.
Ladapo tweeted Oct. 7 about a new analysis showing the relative incidence of cardiac-related death increased 84 percent in men ages 18-39 within 28 days of mRNA vaccination. Ladapo recommended men in this age group refrain from getting mRNA COVID-19 vaccines.
Twitter apparently objected to a public health official making science-based recommendations, because it removed the tweet, according to Breitbart. Twitter reinstated Ladapo’s tweet on Sunday after backlash, according to Reclaim The Net, and the tweet is once more accessible on Ladapo’s profile. Reclaim The Net reported that Twitter originally claimed Ladapo’s tweet violated "Twitter rules.”
“Today, we released an analysis on COVID-19 mRNA vaccines the public needs to be aware of,” Lapado’s Oct. 7 tweet said. “This analysis showed an increased risk of cardiac-related death among men 18-39. FL will not be silent on the truth.” He then linked to his press release with the mRNA vaccination analysis results and his guidance.
“Studying the safety and efficacy of any medications, including vaccines, is an important component of public health,” Ladapo said in the press release. “Far less attention has been paid to safety and the concerns of many individuals have been dismissed – these are important findings that should be communicated to Floridians.”
Ladapo's press release also said that men should use “particular caution” with mRNA vaccines if they have “preexisting cardiac conditions, such as myocarditis and pericarditis.”
The Florida Department of Health told MRC Free Speech America, "While it is unfortunate that Twitter had removed the tweet temporarily, the larger conversation should be surrounding how opposing scientific viewpoints are so feared today. It is unfortunate that science, which is dependent on the importance of debate and conversation, has turned into a new opportunity for cancel culture. The assessment is publicly available here." The Department of Health added, "Dr. Ladapo prioritizes and values the importance of productive scientific conversation, especially among opposing viewpoints. He has responded to some common critiques on his Twitter profile found here to ensure the public can be part of this essential conversation."
Big Tech censorship of COVID-19 content that controverts establishment narratives is nothing new. Between March 2020 and February 2022, MRC Free Speech America documented over 800 cases of Big Tech censorship of COVID-19-related content using our unique CensorTrack database. The 808 instances of COVID-19 censorship happened across multiple platforms, including Twitter.
On Monday, Ladapo responded to critiques of his guidance and the underlying analysis in a long Twitter thread. “I love the discussion that we've stimulated,” Ladapo tweeted. “Isn't it great when we discuss science transparently instead of trying to cancel one another?”
MRC Free Speech America reached out to the Florida Department of Health but did not receive a response as of the publication of this piece.
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