Fact Check: ‘Genetically engineered ticks’ were not released into the wild to start new pandemic in the US and reduce meat consumption to zero in spring 2026

Did “genetically engineered ticks” created to eliminate meat consumption cause a new pandemic in the U.S. in May 2026? No, none of that is true: Scientists from the project funded by Bill Gates mentioned in viral social media posts did not work on a tick species that causes intolerance to red meat, also known as Alpha-gal syndrome, a company’s representative told VérifRadar. An expert specializing in infectious diseases and global health confirmed that “genetically modified ticks” are not even released in the wild on American soil, as of this writing. The post Fact Check: ‘Genetically engineered ticks’ were not released into the wild to start new pandemic in the US and reduce meat consumption to zero in spring 2026 first appeared on VérifRadar.