By Rebecca Odhiambo
The caption on this post shared on Instagram by the account with the username @troo_herbs claims, “all COVID vaccine recipients should lose about 3 inches of penile length.”
The post shared on August 4, 2026, features Dr. Anthony Fauci’s photo shortly before he invoked the Fifth Amendment during a U.S. Senate hearing. The post received substantial engagement, recording 1,119 likes, 605 comments, and 143 reposts at the time of review, indicating it had gained considerable attention among users. The account presents itself as a medical health account, describing its content as “Holistic Solutions for your Ailments and Illnesses.’’
Background
Dr. Anthony Fauci became closely associated with COVID-19 vaccines because he served as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) during the COVID-19 pandemic. NIAID is part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), which supports research into infectious diseases and the development of vaccines and treatments.
When the virus that causes COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, emerged in early 2020, NIAID scientists were already working on coronavirus research based on earlier work involving SARS and MERS. NIAID’s Vaccine Research Center then partnered with the biotechnology company Moderna to develop an experimental COVID-19 vaccine using mRNA technology.
The vaccine, known as mRNA-1273, entered its first human clinical trial in March 2020. The vaccine subsequently went through larger clinical trials to assess its safety and effectiveness. By July 2020, the Moderna-NIAID vaccine had entered Phase 3 testing involving about 30,000 adult volunteers. NIAID provided support for the trial, while Moderna was responsible for the vaccine and served as the regulatory sponsor.
In December 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorised the Moderna vaccine for emergency use. NIH described it as having been co-developed by Moderna and NIAID scientists. Fauci also received the Moderna vaccine publicly at the NIH Clinical Center on December 22, 2020, further strengthening his public association with COVID-19 vaccination.
He retired from public service and his position as National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director in December 2022, after serving the American public for over five decades. On July 29, 2026, Dr. Fauci appeared before the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. The hearing focused on his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and related issues. During the hearing, Dr. Fauci repeatedly invoked his Fifth Amendment right, declining to answer more than 100 questions.
Verification
A review of the available transcript of the July 29, 2026, Senate hearing shows Dr. Fauci’s opening statement and the subsequent questioning. The transcript records him saying that, on the advice of his attorneys, he would invoke his Fifth Amendment right and refrain from answering the committee’s questions. It contains no statement from Fauci saying that COVID-19 vaccine recipients would lose three inches of penile length.
Contemporary reporting from the Associated Press and other established news organisations likewise describes Fauci’s decision to invoke the Fifth Amendment and the subjects discussed during the hearing, but does not report the alleged statement about penile length.
The medical claim itself is also unsupported. A peer-reviewed study indexed by the U.S.
National Library of Medicine found that COVID-19 vaccination did not affect male sexual functions. Another study found no detrimental effect of COVID-19 vaccination on semen quality.
While the post uses an authentic context, the July 29, 2026, Senate hearing involving Fauci, the alleged statement about COVID-19 vaccines and penile length is not supported by the hearing transcript, credible reporting, or available medical evidence.
Verdict
The claim that Dr. Anthony Fauci said COVID-19 vaccines cause a three-inch loss in penile length is FALSE.
Add comment