A demonstration was held to urge compensation for COVID-19 vaccine side effects [Photo = Yonhap News].
Regarding a study by Korean medical professionals suggesting that the COVID-19 vaccine may cause cancer, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) expressed the view that “it is difficult to prove causality.”
During a regular briefing, the KDCA stated, “Considering that it takes years to identify the mechanism by which cancer develops, it is hard to conclude from a study observing only one year post-vaccination that the vaccine causes cancer.” They also emphasized that “preventive vaccination against COVID-19 remains necessary for high-risk groups.”
Last month, a research team led by Professor Chun Eun-mi from the Respiratory Department at Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital published a paper titled ‘One-Year Risk of Cancer Associated with COVID-19 Vaccination: A Large Population-Based Cohort Study in Korea’ in the international journal ‘Biomarker Research.’
In the study, researchers analyzed the COVID-19 vaccination history of approximately 8.4 million individuals from 2021 to 2023, along with cancer occurrence, using data from the National Health Insurance Service. The analysis was adjusted for vaccine type, gender, age, and other factors.
The results indicated an increased risk of major cancers one year after vaccination. The risk of prostate and lung cancers was 69% and 53% higher, respectively, in vaccinated individuals compared to non-vaccinated ones. There was also an increased risk of stomach, colorectal, and breast cancers.
In response to the paper suggesting a link between the COVID-19 vaccines and cancer, academics pointed out issues such as “the comparison between the vaccinated and unvaccinated groups is not fair.” The research team also stated, “We have suggested a correlation between the vaccine and cancer incidence, but further research is needed to establish a causal relationship.”