Recent claims regarding the availability of a Russian cancer vaccine have sparked significant discussion across social media and news platforms. In particular, reports from September 2025 suggested that a new vaccine was ready for clinical use and would be provided free to patients. However, these assertions were misleading and conflated information about multiple vaccine developments in Russia.
A Russian official confirmed that a vaccine specifically targeting colorectal cancer had reached the stage of clinical readiness. This vaccine is separate from two other cancer vaccines currently in development, one of which is an mRNA vaccine known as Enteromix. This vaccine, along with another using cancer-fighting viruses, is still undergoing trials and is not prepared for widespread distribution.
The confusion around these vaccines was amplified by various social media posts and articles, including an archived Instagram post that garnered over 300,000 likes. Many posts inaccurately linked the mRNA vaccine Enteromix to the announcement of a cancer vaccine ready for clinical use. A Newsweek article also reported that Enteromix was ready for clinical use but did not specify its categorization as an mRNA vaccine.
The claims began circulating in earnest after a September 6, 2025, report from TASS, Russia’s state-run news agency. The information shared in these posts often lacked clarity, mixing details about different vaccine projects, which led to widespread misunderstanding.
As of now, while Russia is actively developing several cancer vaccines, including one targeting colorectal cancer and others aimed at more generalized cancer treatment, both the mRNA vaccine and Enteromix remain in the trial phases. Their results are awaited with interest, but they are not currently available for public use.
It is crucial to differentiate between the various vaccine projects to avoid misinformation. The ongoing development of cancer vaccines represents a significant scientific endeavor, but the current discourse must accurately reflect their status and readiness for use in clinical settings.