NIH officials tried to halt research into post‑COVID vaccine neurological injuries

Emails released by the Informed Consent Action Network show that senior officials at the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) discussed stopping a study on neurological problems reported after COVID‑19 vaccination. Dr. Avindra Nath of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke had collected 32 cases of peripheral nerve disorders and occasional spinal cord issues and sent a draft manuscript to institute director Dr. Walter Koroshetz in April 2021. Koroshetz forwarded the paper to Dr. Anthony Fauci, then director of another NIH institute, and also to NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins and Deputy Director Dr. Lawrence Tabak. The manuscript was rejected by the New England Journal of Medicine, and Collins characterized the approach of gathering anecdotes as “very troubling,” warning it could fuel vaccine hesitancy. Both Nath and a colleague reported tinnitus and hearing loss after receiving COVID‑19 vaccines.

The correspondence indicates that NIH leadership considered curtailing the research, citing uncertainty over how the patients were referred and questioning the scientific robustness of the case series. The disclosed emails raise concerns about internal handling of vaccine‑injury investigations and potential influence on public‑health communication.