There is no evidence from COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials or controlled follow-up data that links WHO-approved COVID-19 vaccines with increased risk of HIV/AIDS or a fake condition being called vaccine-acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (VAIDS).

There are no data that show an increase in HIV cases among vaccinated individuals; additionally, among individuals living with HIV, clinical trials of WHO-approved COVID-19 vaccines have not shown any increase in the development of AIDS among individuals with HIV.

AIDS, or Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, is caused by a virus called HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus). HIV is the virus that can cause infection, whereas AIDS is a condition caused by HIV; not all people who get infected with HIV will go on to have AIDS. AIDS, also known as stage 3 of HIV, develops when an HIV infection gets severe enough that it starts damaging the immune system. Most people who get HIV get it through sexual relations or sharing needles. There is also no possibility of HIV/AIDS transmission from the COVID-19 needle because a new needle is used every time.

Some other known ways of acquiring immunodeficiency (also called secondary immunodeficiency disorder) that are not HIV/AIDS include chronic conditions like cancer, malnutrition, environmental toxins, certain drugs, and genetic disorders. There is also no evidence that vaccines are linked to a higher risk of secondary immunodeficiency disorder.

False claims have been circulating that COVID-19 vaccines (and boosters) cause AIDS or “VAIDS.” Not only is this information false but there is no known medical condition called VAIDS.

There are a number of places that this claim may have stemmed from. One place this claim may have stemmed from is from legitimate concerns that some scientists have about COVID-19 vaccines made with a recombinant adenovirus type-5 (Ad5) vector potentially increasing susceptibility to an HIV infection.

These concerns stem from two studies that researched the efficacy of an Ad5 vectored vaccine in preventing HIV infection. The researchers of both studies found an increased risk of HIV among vaccinated men. These results have led some experts to caution against the deployment of vaccines that use similar vectors. These experts are especially concerned about the use of such vaccines in areas where there is already high HIV prevalence out of concern that the vaccines could lead to more HIV cases.

These concerns are legitimate, but there are a few reasons that they don’t apply to the WHO-approved vaccines being rolled out:

1. Most importantly, none of the WHO-approved vaccines use an Ad5 vector. Three of the vaccines are using adenoviruses, but not Ad5. Those three are the AstraZeneca vaccine, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, and the Covishield vaccine (Oxford/ AstraZeneca formulation). Other types of adenovirus vaccines have not been shown to increase risk of HIV or any other immunodeficiency risk in any setting.

2. There is no current data showing any increased HIV risk with the two (non-WHO-approved) COVID-19 vaccines that use Ad5.

3. The vaccines that led to increase in HIV risk in the studies did not have what is called an “HIV envelope” – which is the outside coat of HIV made of fats. HIV uses protein "spikes" embedded in its envelope to enter host cells. HIV vaccine studies that did have an HIV envelope did not lead to an increase in HIV risk. As a result, not only is it possible that this increased HIV risk may only occur with HIV-specific vaccines, but it’s also possible that this HIV risk may only occur with HIV-specific vaccines that use the HIV envelope. This means that COVID-19 vaccines using Ad5 would be extremely unlikely to lead to any increase in HIV risk in general.

Sputnik V and CanSino’s Convidicea COVID-19 vaccines both use Ad5. Neither of these are WHO-approved vaccines but they have been rolled out in multiple countries. There is no current data showing any increased HIV risk with these two vaccines; however, South Africa, a country with high HIV rates, did not approve either of these vaccines due to concerns.

These very specific concerns – that do not apply to any WHO-approved vaccines or the majority of COVID-19 vaccines, and might not end up being real concerns for the two vaccines that use Ad5 – are likely one of the reasons that false claims have started circulating that COVID-19 vaccines can cause HIV, AIDS, or VAIDS (a fake condition).

The other main reason for this claim to be circulating appears to be general vaccine hesitancy and cherry picking data.