US Army doctor says she knows of 28 military deaths allegedly linked to COVID-19 vaccines
WASHINGTON: A US Army doctor has testified that she is aware of 28 military personnel whose deaths she believes were caused by COVID-19 vaccines, according to a court deposition cited by Politico.
Dr Theresa Long, who also serves as an adviser to US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., reportedly made the statement during a deposition on August 14 in a federal court case in Virginia.
Long also testified that 2,544 deaths had been reported to the US government’s Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) following COVID-19 vaccination. She described the reports as unverified, meaning the reported deaths have not been established as having been caused by the vaccines.
The testimony and Long’s role within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) had not previously been publicly reported, according to the report.
The testimony came as part of a lawsuit involving Terry Adirim, former director of the CIA’s Center for Global Health Services. Adirim alleges that she was dismissed for political reasons because of her advocacy for COVID-19 vaccination.
Long appeared as a defense witness in the case, which is being heard by US District Court Judge Michael Nachmanoff in Virginia.
Adirim previously served as acting assistant secretary for health affairs at the US Department of Defense during the COVID-19 pandemic. She was dismissed by the CIA in April 2025, about a month before she was due to qualify for full federal retirement benefits.
The case has drawn attention from conservative commentators, who highlighted Adirim’s dismissal at the time. One of those commentators, Ivan Raiklin, is also named as a defendant in the lawsuit.
In May 2025, Judge Nachmanoff declined to issue an injunction that would have reversed Adirim’s termination, expressing skepticism about her prospects of succeeding in the case. The CIA has maintained that the dispute is an ordinary contractual matter.
The issue of COVID-19 vaccination among US military personnel has also been politically contentious. During former President Joe Biden’s administration, military personnel were required to receive COVID-19 vaccines or face separation from service. More than 9,000 personnel were reportedly discharged over vaccine refusal.
After returning to office, President Donald Trump directed the Pentagon to provide an opportunity for service members separated over vaccine refusal to seek reinstatement.
COVID-19 vaccines developed using mRNA technology were rapidly authorized and deployed during the pandemic. Pfizer and Moderna, two of the companies that developed widely used mRNA vaccines, have acknowledged a rare risk of myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart muscle, particularly among certain groups.
Kennedy has repeatedly questioned the extent to which some vaccines have been studied and has raised concerns about potential adverse effects. Critics have accused him of promoting anti-vaccine views and have questioned his suitability to lead the US health department.
The VAERS system accepts reports of health events occurring after vaccination, but a report to the system does not by itself establish that a vaccine caused the reported illness or death. Further investigation is generally required to determine whether there is a causal relationship.