Following Dolly Parton’s death aged 80 after a short battle with cancer, online conspiracy theorists have falsely suggested that her previous Covid-19 vaccination caused her illness or death. The claims are unsupported by evidence, but matter because they exploit a prominent public figure’s death to spread vaccine misinformation and undermine trust in public health.

Parton donated $1 million to Covid-19 vaccine research in 2020 and publicly received a vaccine the following year, encouraging others to do the same. Right-wing commentators and anti-vaccine influencers promoted claims of “turbo cancer” and linked her health problems to vaccination, while Facebook and X users also circulated baseless allegations about a recent charity video. Researchers say Parton’s popularity and outspoken vaccine support made her a particular target for conspiracists.