False: A Malaysian doctor was executed under the Nuremberg code for administering a COVID-19 vaccine.

By: Gayathri Loka
November 18 2022

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Context

A recent Facebook post claimed that a Malaysian doctor was killed for administering a COVID-19 vaccine under the Nuremberg Code. The social media post has a link to a video from BitChute, a website known to promote conspiracy theories, misinformation, and propaganda. In the video, an alleged doctor, Dr. Betsy Eads, discusses the claim that COVID-19 vaccines are bioweapons and kill people, stating that "Nuremberg tribunals have started, whether you are a doctor or a nurse."

In Fact

The Malaysian government has taken action to control the spread of COVID-19 and surrounding misinformation in the country. In January 2022, Channel NewsAsia (CNA) reported that a private clinic doctor was arrested in Terengganu, suspected of issuing fake COVID-19 vaccination certificates. The government mandated all federal government employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in 2021, with exceptions only allowed on health grounds. Despite this, no reports state that a doctor was arrested for administering a COVID-19 vaccine. The claim stems from an anti-vaccine narrative that governments are forcing their citizens to take the vaccines and that they are unsafe. 

When researching Dr.Eads, we found that her COVID-19 claims have been previously debunked by fact-checking organization Boom Live. One of Boom Live's checks referred to her as Dr. Elizabeth Eads, not Betsy Eads. Betsy is a common nickname for Elizabeth, and a comparison of images from the article and video confirmed she is the same person.

Claims about countries following the Nuremberg code have been previously debunked by Logically. The code is a set of ten principles to protect human life, explicitly stating that all participants must voluntarily consent to medical trials, but it does not mention government mandates or vaccines at any point. The World Health Organization has ensured that billions of people have been safely vaccinated against COVID-19. COVID-19 vaccines undergo a rigorous, multi-stage testing process, including extensive clinical trials involving tens of thousands of people. These trials are specifically designed to identify any safety concerns, ensuring they are safe to administer.

The Verdict

There are no credible reports of a doctor being killed for administering a COVID-19 vaccine in Malaysia. Dr. Betsy Eads, the speaker in the video, is known for spreading COVID-19 misinformation. The claim stems from an anti-vaccine narrative that encourages people not to take the vaccine.