Fact Check: Was the COVID-19 vaccine the only childhood vaccine tested in a placebo-controlled trial?

Media Bias Fact Check (MBFC) publishes daily vetted fact checks from verified IFCN-approved sources. Each claim is independently reviewed for accuracy and context.


Claimant: Robert F. Kennedy Jr.


Claim: The COVID-19 vaccine is the only childhood vaccine that was tested in a placebo-controlled trial.


Rating: FALSE


Explanation: Multiple childhood vaccines were originally evaluated in placebo-controlled trials, including vaccines for polio, chickenpox and rotavirus. FactCheck.org notes that claims to the contrary often rely on an unusually narrow definition of what counts as a placebo. (factcheck.org)


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Date: 09/28/2026


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Last Updated on September 28, 2026 by Media Bias Fact Check