"If we were to respond to claims that mRNA vaccines cause cancer or act as tumor-suppressing antiproteins, we can say the information is baseless and not supported by scientific evidence," said Khariri, the researcher, in Jakarta on Tuesday.
He explained that mRNA simply carries instructions to produce temporary proteins — such as the spike protein in SARS-CoV-2 — and that this process occurs in the cell's cytoplasm.
"These instructions do not enter the cell nucleus where the DNA is located, and this process does not alter the DNA," he said.
Khariri emphasized that mRNA cannot merge with human DNA without the reverse transcriptase enzyme, which the human body does not possess.
He noted that there is no mechanism in mRNA vaccines that allows them to integrate into human DNA, and that the platform has been proven safe through scientific research and is widely used in modern vaccine development.
On the spread of such misinformation, Khariri pointed to the role of social media in amplifying misleading claims.
To counter these hoaxes, he stressed the importance of public education, with information delivered in clear, simple language tailored to the audience’s level of understanding.
"Use terms that the public can accept and avoid ambiguous wording," Khariri advised.
He also urged researchers, academics, and health workers to rely solely on scientific evidence when addressing misinformation.
"Emphasize the evidence — focus on the scientific data that proves the claims are not in accordance with facts," he said.
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Translator: Sean Filo Muhamad, Cindy Frishanti Octavia
Editor: Anton Santoso
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