A video titled “What Is Actually Going On? Doctors Are Speaking Out” was published on the Facebook page of TV Akhali on April 30. In the video, Nona Aghdgomelashvili and Giorgi Liluashvili talk about the anti-coronavirus vaccines. On May 2, a Facebook page „თავისუფალი არხი ‘ილიონი’“ (Free Channel “Ilioni”) published a video titled “COVID Vaccination or a Biological Experiment”, where Tina Topuria, a homeopath, and Ketevan Gotsadze discuss the ongoing process of vaccination in the world. As of May 5, the video had been removed from Ilioni’s Facebook page.
The discussants make various statements concerning the negative sides of various vaccines, the process of their authorization, as well as the side effects identified in Georgia.
Nona Aghdgomelashvili and Tina Topuria:
- Anti-coronavirus vaccines are experimental.
- Those who get vaccinated is are taking part in the experiment.
- Moderna, Pfizer, and AstraZeneca will only publish a final report in 2023.
Nona Aghdgomelashvili: Vaccines created using genetic engineering are dangerous.
Tina Topuria: AstraZeneca anti-coronavirus vaccine contains a tissue from a kidney of an aborted embryo.
Tina Topuria and Tinatin Gotsadze: Anti-coronavirus vaccines only have authorization to be temporarily used in an experimental situation, which raises questions about their reliability.
Giorgi Liluashvili: A man has been taken to Ingorokva Clinic with clinical death diagnosis after getting vaccinated with AstraZeneca vaccine.
These statements, voiced by guests on air at TV Akhali and Ilioni are false, as all WHO-authorized anti-coronavirus vaccines have passed all three trial stages. In addition, the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not mean that the vaccine is not reliable. The claim that vaccines, created using genetic engineering, are dangerous is also disinformation. It is a lie that AstraZeneca vaccine contains a piece of an aborted embryo. There are no evidences of a connection between the 63-year-old man’s health deteriorating and vaccination.
At the moment, all anti-coronavirus vaccines authorized by the World Health Organization (WHO) have passed all three stages of trials.
AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, that received the WHO, FDA, and EMA authorizations, have all passed every stage of pre-clinical trials. Their safety and side effects will be monitored until 2023 which is an accepted practice not only in case of anti-coronavirus vaccines, but for all kinds of vaccines and medicines in general. It does not mean that the population is taking part in an experiment.
Read more in the materials by Myth Detector:
- What Do the Most Recent Studies Show on Efficiency and Side Effects of AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, and Other Vaccines?
- What do We Know About Microneedles and ID 2020 Alliance?
Vaccines Created Based on Genetic Engineering Are Not Dangerous
In parallel with the traditional method, some companies such as Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, and Johnson & Johnson used an innovative genetic engineering method while working on their COVID-19 vaccines. This method is faster than the traditional one and storing vaccines, created with this method, is simpler. The anti-coronavirus vaccines, created based on the genetic engineering, do not alter human’s genes. Other factors than the method of production also determine the efficiency and reliability of the vaccines.
Read more in the materials by Myth Detector:
AstraZeneca anti-coronavirus vaccine does not contain a piece of an aborted embryo.
Topuria mentions that AstraZeneca vaccine includes a tissue from a kidney of an aborted embryo. In fact, an embryonic cell line (HEK-293) is used at the initial production stage of the vaccine. It consists of clones of the original kidney cell of an aborted human embryo. The original cell was isolated in 1970s by a Dutch scientist and since then, scientists have used this cell line for various lab research for more than 40 years. It should be noted that the embryonic cells are used not at the production stage of the vaccines, but at their lab testing and study stage. Therefore, after the end of the research stage, it is not included in the ready anti-coronavirus vaccines or any other customer-oriented product.
Read more in the materials by Myth Detector:
FDA’s Emergency Use Authorization does not mean that the vaccine is not reliable.
As of now, the FDA has granted the EUA to Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson anti-coronavirus vaccines. Although none of the vaccines have been approved yet, the EUA does not question the reliability of the vaccines, as it does not negatively affect clinical trials and studies of side effects. Granting the EUA became necessary due to speeding the vaccination process up. Each vaccine that is granted the EUA passes a similar study process, which consists of three clinical trial phases, and receives the authorization only after that.
Read more in the materials by Myth Detector:
- Imedi TV’s Facebook Page Provides Fragmented and Unbalanced Coverage of Anti-Vaxxer’s Comments.
- Information That the FDA Has Not Approved Pfizer’s Vaccine is False.
There is no confirmed link between the deteriorated health of a 63-year-old man and getting vaccinated with AstraZeneca vaccine.
On April 24, TV Obiektivi disseminated information about a 63-year-old man getting admitted to hospital due to taking an anti-coronavirus vaccine. According to the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health of Georgia, the man’s hospitalization is connected to his chronic illnesses, not the vaccination.
Read more in the materials by Myth Detector:
Mariam Dangadze
Free Channel “Ilioni”
The Facebook page of the Free Channel “Ilioni” was created on December 22, 2019 as “ილიონი TV” (Ilioni TV). On November 25, 2020 it was renamed to “თავისუფალი არხი” (Free Channel). On April 25, 2021, the page was once again renamed and has since then been functioning as თავისუფალი არხი „ილიონი“ (Free Channel “Ilioni”).
The page description claims that it is an independent television pursuing a conservative ideology. Ilioni TV also has a YouTube channel, called Kolkhida 81 Ltd, which was created on August 21, 2018.
Ilioni LTD was registered in the public register of Georgia on August 14, 2017. Initially, its director was Malkhaz Pilauri, a member of the political council of the Free Georgia party. As of June 19, 2020, Roini Khijakadze became the director of Ilioni LTD. Khijakadze is also one of the leaders of the Free Georgia party. The list of owners changed too. In 2017, Laura Omanidze was the sole partner and owned 100% of the company’s shares. However, on December 3, 2020, the list of owners changed in the following way: Laura Omanidze (4%), Sophio Kapanadze (28%), Keto Shengelia (32%), and Maia Rokhvadze (36%).
On June 5, 2020, Ilioni LTD received an authorization from the Communications Commission to broadcast on television.
Free Channel “Ilioni” has frequently disseminated COVID-19-related disinformation and manipulation on its page.
TV Akhali
The Facebook page of TV Akhali was created in August 2017 as Gmtv.ge. The page was renamed in June 2020 to “ტელეკომპანია Gmtv” (TV Gmtv), while on November 26, 2020 it was renamed to „ტელეკომპანია ახალი“ (TV Akhali).
Gmtv.ge’s “About Us” section does not include information about the media outlet. The new Facebook page of Gmtv.ge was created on January 13, 2021.
TV Akhali Facebook page usually shares akhali.ge materials. Its IP and ASN addresses are identical to the Gmtv.ge websites.
Ketevan Mikanadze owns 100% of Akhali LTD shares. She also owns Gmtv LTD and Geomediatv LTD.
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