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5901 | 2 health departments investigate Legionnaires’ disease. | Health departments in two North Carolina counties are looking into multiple cases of Legionnaires’ disease at the N.C. Mountain State Fair. | true | Health, General News, North Carolina, Legionnaires disease, State fairs | The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services said in a news release on Tuesday that it’s working with the Buncombe and Henderson County health departments to track down additional information. Legionella bacteria can become a health concern when they grow and spread in human-made water systems like hot water tanks,... |
32798 | A letter criticizing students at Oxford University for their desire to remove a statue of Cecil Rhodes was penned by a school official. | The protests, which have developed into an international movement, are real and ongoing. However, the circulating letter that’s alleged to be from Oxford University’s chancellor is fake, and first originated as a satirical op-ed piece written by a London-based contributor to Breitbart.com. | false | Politics, cecil rhodes, chris patten, oxford | In March 2015, the “Rhodes Must Fall” campaign began at the University of Cape Town in South Africa, when students began pushing for the campus to take down a statue of Cecil Rhodes. Rhodes (the former prime minister of Cape Colony) was a businessman and politician. He was also an ardent imperialist who was part of the... |
8350 | South Korea declares new 'special care zone' as coronavirus spreads. | South Korea declared a “special care zone” on Thursday around a second city hit hard by the coronavirus and the U.S. military confirmed two new cases among relatives of its troops in the country, which is battling the biggest outbreak outside China. | true | Health News | Australia and Japan have joined the list of almost 100 nations now limiting arrivals of people from South Korea, which reported 760 coronavirus cases on Thursday for a total of 6,088. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Japan will suspend existing visas for visitors from China and South Korea and quarantine them fo... |
8144 | Coronavirus supplies donated by Alibaba's Ma arrive in Africa. | A first planeload of protective and medical equipment donated to Africa by Chinese billionaire and Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma to help it fight the coronavirus arrived in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on Sunday. | true | Health News | So far, the continent of 1.3 billion people has registered only around 1,100 cases spread across 43 countries, with 39 deaths. While that is a tiny fraction of the more than 305,000 people infected and more than 13,000 deaths worldwide, there are concerns that Africa’s relatively poor health infrastructure means it wil... |
27595 | Maps and other escape aids were smuggled to Allied POWs in Monopoly sets during World War II. | Escape kits were smuggled to some Allied POWs during World War II by being cleverly concealed in Monopoly game sets. | true | Military | The gist of this account about maps (and other items useful for escape efforts) being smuggled to Allied POWs during World War II by cleverly hiding them in Monopoly game sets is true, although some of the finer details in this particular account may be inaccurate. The general outline of the scheme to smuggle escape ai... |
17860 | Facebook post Says a man opted out of Obamacare after the marketplace launched on Oct. 1, 2013, and was informed he owed a $4,000 fine. | The Facebook post tells the story of a man who says he opted out of Obamacare soon after the marketplace was launched on Oct. 1, 2013, and was informed that he owed a fine of more than $4,000. The post includes many elements that make no sense or are flat-out wrong -- and can be easily debunked by reading the law or re... | false | National, Health Care, Facebook posts, | "Shortly after the the Obamacare insurance marketplace launched on Oct. 1, users of social media experienced a burst of complaints on Twitter and Facebook, ranging from technical glitches to substantive concerns. But for our readers, one post stood out. Many readers sent us a Facebook post that went viral and has since... |
28788 | The United States has approved plans to crossbreed animals and humans. | What's true: The National Institute of Health proposed a new policy that would allow researchers to receive federal funds to make part human, part animal embryos. What's false: The United States has not approved crossbreeding humans and animals. | mixture | Politics, chimeras, national institutes of health, NIH | On 5 August 2016, the web site The Real Strategy published an article about a proposal from the National Institutes of Health that was misleadingly titled “Crossbreeding Humans with Animals Approved in United States”. The article contained a photograph purporting to show a hybrid creature: The United States has not ap... |
9912 | Gastric bypass more effective than other procedures, studies find | First, it suggests that the findings of a new study showing superior results for gastric bypass on certain outcomes are novel and perhaps surprising. They are not. Second, it leaves readers with the impression that the studies covered represent the final, definitive word on which procedure offers the best risk-benefit ... | false | Los Angeles Times | A comparison of the costs for each procedure should have been provided along with the head-to-head clinical findings. Some insurance policies will not cover these procedures, and even with coverage, costs for copays and other expenses (psychologists, dietitians, etc) may amount to significant additional expenditure. Th... |
23027 | Georgia has the second-highest rate of childhood obesity in the United States. | Hospital says Georgia's kids second-fattest in nation | true | Georgia, Children, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, | "The news was enough to make the AJC PolitiFact Georgia scribe toss her leftover Halloween candy corn to the squirrels. ""Georgia has the second-highest rate of childhood obesity in the United States,"" said a recent news release from Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, a hospital that specializes in pediatric care. Seco... |
8110 | Greta Thunberg says probably had COVID-19, urges #StayAtHome. | Teen climate activist Greta Thunberg said on Tuesday that while self-isolating after recent travels in Europe she probably came down with COVID-19, and urged other young people to stay at home too if even just a little unwell, to help stop the coronavirus. | true | Health News | Swedish Thunberg said on Instagram she had now recovered from symptoms milder than her latest cold, and may not have suspected COVID-19 had it not been for her father, who had travelled with her, developing more severe symptoms. “Many (especially young people) might not notice any symptoms at all, or very mild symptoms... |
9067 | HPV testing is better than the Pap test at detecting cervical cancer | In a 12-year study of more than a million women in the Kaiser Permanente of Northern California system, researchers concluded that the HPV screening test alone may be enough to detect the vast majority of cancers and so-called “pre-cancers” without the added second test known as the Pap test. In the study, women receiv... | true | Cervical cancer,HPV testing,Oxford University Press USA | The release includes the idea of costs, but without using any numbers. The two mentions of cost are here: “However, reports of rare HPV-negative, Pap-test positive cancers are motivating continued use of both tests (cotesting) despite increased testing costs.” and here: “Researchers were searching for realistic perform... |
8446 | Explainer: What are coronavirus antibody tests?. | With most Americans under stay-at-home orders to help contain the spread of the novel coronavirus and more than 2 million people infected globally, talk is turning to how antibody tests might help guide efforts to lift these restrictions. | true | Health News | Unlike tests to diagnose diseases, antibody tests show who has been infected and recovered. The body makes antibodies in response to many illnesses and infections, including other coronaviruses. New blood tests are being developed to identify antibodies unique to SARS-CoV-2, the official name of the new coronavirus. Th... |
3468 | Incubation period ends for possible Denver measles exposure. | Health officials say an incubation period has expired for people who may have been exposed to three children infected with measles and had traveled from New Zealand to Los Angeles and to Denver last month. | true | Colorado, Health, Measles, General News, Denver, New Zealand | The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had issued warnings for travelers who passed through Denver International Airport or Los Angeles International Airport on Dec. 11. Colorado’s Tri-County Health Department told KCNC-TV that the incubation period expired Friday. The department’s Dr. Bernadette Albanese says ... |
18281 | "One person, Kathleen Sebelius, was going to determine whether or not"" 10-year-old lung patient Sarah Murnaghan would live or die." | "Limbaugh said that ""one person, Kathleen Sebelius, was going to determine whether or not"" 10-year-old lung patient Sarah Murnaghan would live or die, essentially serving as a one-woman ""death panel."" It’s true that Sebelius played an appeals role in the transplant-policy process. However, she was not the only pers... | false | National, Children, Health Care, Public Health, Pundits, Rush Limbaugh, | "Many Americans were transfixed recently by the story of Sarah Murnaghan, a 10-year-old Pennsylvania girl with cystic fibrosis whose family won a court battle to improve her chances of getting a lung transplant. Under the existing transplant rule, Murnaghan was too young to qualify for a place on the waiting list for a... |
26726 | “Coronavirus Hoax: Fake Virus Pandemic Fabricated to Cover-Up Global Outbreak of 5G Syndrome.” | No credible evidence has emerged to show that the current coronavirus spreading around the world was fabricated. The best evidence is that the virus originated in an animal and spread to humans. | false | Public Health, Technology, Facebook Fact-checks, Coronavirus, Facebook posts, | "Tentacles of lightning illuminate a stormy sky. Three people wear medical face masks, worry visible in their eyes. Next to those two images is one more that reads simply ""5G"" — a reference to the fifth-generation of wireless networking technology. These ominous pictures accompany this headline on a story being shar... |
354 | Purdue's Sackler family fights 'inflammatory' Massachusetts opioid case. | Members of the Sackler family behind OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma LP have asked a judge to toss a lawsuit by the Massachusetts attorney general that claims they helped fuel the U.S. opioid epidemic, arguing it contains “misleading and inflammatory allegations.” | true | Health News | The wealthy family in a motion on Monday argued that Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey’s lawsuit mischaracterized internal records to create the “false impression” they personally directed privately-held Purdue’s marketing of painkillers. Her lawsuit, filed in June in Suffolk County Superior Court and revised... |
1709 | Slash sugar intake to fight obesity, tooth decay: WHO. | Adults and children from the Americas to Western Europe and the Middle East must roughly halve the amount of sugar they consume to lower risk of obesity and tooth decay, the World Health Organization said on Wednesday. | true | Health News | New guidelines mean people should reduce the amount to less than 10 percent of their daily energy intake — or to about 50 grams or 12 teaspoons of sugar for adults, the U.N. agency said. A cut to less than 5 percent would be even better at helping prevent chronic diseases linked to poor diets including heart disease, c... |
7971 | Australia begins pre-clinical testing for coronavirus vaccine. | Australia’s national science agency said on Thursday it has commenced the first stage of testing potential vaccines for COVID-19, as it joins a global race to halt the coronavirus pandemic. | true | Health News | Pre-clinical testing by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), comprising injecting ferrets with two potential vaccines, was underway at its high-containment biosecurity facility near Melbourne. The first phase testing would take around three months, CSIRO’s director of health Rob Gre... |
26326 | “The CDC has recommended mail in voting. That’s what this whole pandemic is about: the election!” | The CDC recommended in March many ways voters could minimize contact with other people, including voting by mail. The CDC also recommended ways that in-person voting sites could adjust to the pandemic, such as encouraging early voting, drive-up voting and voting at off-peak times. Research shows that the virus’ genetic... | false | Facebook Fact-checks, Coronavirus, Facebook posts, | "The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has encouraged voting by mail, but that doesn’t mean it ruled out in-person voting. ""The CDC has recommended mail in voting. That’s what this whole pandemic is about: the election!"" stated a May 7 Facebook post. In March, the CDC posted recommendations for election... |
2151 | Happiness makes for a healthy heart. | People who are usually happy and enthusiastic are less likely to develop heart disease than those who tend to be glum, scientists said on Thursday, and boosting positive emotions could help cut heart health risks. | true | Health News | Andee Shuster and Ben Urovitch kiss as in front of a heart shaped sculpture outside the Montreal Museum of Arts, February 13, 2005. U.S. researchers said their observational study was the first to show an independent relationship between positive emotions and coronary heart disease, but stressed that more work was need... |
8864 | Vietnam military to test bird flu vaccine on humans. | Vietnam, one of the countries hardest-hit by bird flu, will start a human vaccine trial this month, a military medical official said on Tuesday. | true | Health News | A worker injects a duckling with the bird flu vaccine at a duck farm following an outbreak of bird flu, in Panyu district of Guangzhou, September 18, 2007. Vietnam, one of the countries hardest-hit by bird flu, will start a human vaccine trial this month, a military medical official said on Tuesday. REUTERS/Joe Tan The... |
13660 | "Legal prescription drugs ""statistically kill 100,000 people a year, (but) there are no documented deaths due to marijuana." | "Johnson said that marijuana competes with ""legal prescription drugs that statistically kill 100,000 people a year and there are no documented deaths due to marijuana."" Marijuana is far less toxic than many prescription painkillers, which kill tens of thousands of people every year. Marijuana has never killed anyone ... | mixture | National, Drugs, Marijuana, Gary Johnson, | "Gary Johnson, the libertarian 2016 presidential candidate, recently assailed strict federal regulations on marijuana, saying that the drug causes far less harm when compared with legal drugs. Johnson was asked about the potential public health dangers of marijuana in states where it was recently legalized, during a CN... |
10243 | New Antibiotic Packs a Punch Against Bacterial Resistance | The news release reports on the development of a new “mechanism of action” in the antibiotic vancomycin. However, while the release tells readers that vancomycin now has “new superpowers,” which “could eliminate the threat of antibiotic-resistant infections for years to come,” the new form of vancomycin has yet to be t... | false | Independent research center news release | Cost is not addressed at all, likely because so much work remains to be done before the modified vancomycin is clinically relevant. However, if it’s not too early to talk about the clinical relevance of the findings (which the release does), then it is not too early to talk about potential cost — at least in broad term... |
14942 | "Obamacare insurance cooperative failures ""should be expected"" because they're like any business, and ""when you start businesses in America, at the fifth year, half of the businesses have closed." | Emanuel said the Obamacare insurance co-ops failed at a rate that’s typical for American businesses over a five-year period. The underlying comparison is flawed. While the age of each co-op is subject to debate, we used the Census Bureau’s definition to determine when they were born. Interviews with experts, government... | mixture | Health Care, PunditFact, Ezekiel Emanuel, | "It’s sign-up time for Obamacare and while the website is clicking along and the program has succeeded in reducing the ranks of the uninsured, there is one notable sore spot: A $2.4 billion effort to provide low-cost insurance through consumer owned insurance cooperatives is in deep trouble. Out of the 23 co-ops largel... |
11289 | Treatment brings hope for ovarian cancer | In this story we learn of one of the most important recent advances in the treatment of ovarian cancer. In a randomized trial, intraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy extended survival by 16 months compared to standard chemotherapy in women with stage 3 ovarian cancer. It is such an important finding that, in a rare move, th... | true | No mention of costs The story quantifies the benefits in terms of survival for both intravenous and intraperitoneal chemotherapy. The story gives us balanced information on harms, including the very serious side effects which led to less than half the study population adhering to the full course of chemo. The story acc... | |
30270 | Babysitter Nora Jackson was arrested in Florida for tying a baby to a ceiling fan for 26 hours. | The mugshot was actually taken in 2015 after police arrested several employees at Desyre’s Gentlemen’s Club in Houston on various charges, including prostitution and gambling. The image of the officers was taken from a June 2016 New York Times article about the aftermath of the June 2016 shooting at the Pulse nightclub... | false | Junk News, world news daily report | On 14 July 2018, the World News Daily Report (WNDR) website published an article reporting that a babysitter in Florida who had been arrested after she tied a 1-month-old to a ceiling fan for 26 hours: A woman has been arrested and charged on multiple accounts of child abuse and neglect after tying a one-month-old baby... |
8974 | New emerging research suggests Montmorency tart cherries may help enhance gut health | This tiny, industry-sponsored study of how the polyphenols found in Montmorency tart cherries might impact gut bacteria adds to a growing list of similar industry-sponsored studies investigating a wide range of possible health benefits of this domestic cherry. This study did not show that Montmorency tart cherries may ... | false | cherries,Cherry Marketing Institute,gut health | The cost of Montmorency tart cherry juice is not mentioned. Walmart sells a quart of concentrate for about $16. The lead author of the study is quoted as saying: Our results suggest that the unique polyphenol mixture in tart cherries may help positively shape the gut microbiome, which could potentially have far-reachin... |
38986 | Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) are radioactive and add more toxicity to the environment than regular light bulbs because they contain mercury. | Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs) Emit Radiation, Contain Mercury | mixture | Health / Medical, Household | This one is true, false and misleading all at once. There is truth in claims that CFLs give off ultraviolet (UV) radiation and contain mercury, but studies show that those concerns have been exaggerated. The debate over CFLs started in 2007 after President George W. Bush signed the Energy Independence and Security Act... |
35310 | List describes a number of amazing coincidences that can be found between the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy. | Other differences: Booth was shot in the back in the neck and lived for another three hours; Oswald was shot in the abdomen and died within minutes of his arrival at Parkland Hospital. | false | History, abraham lincoln, American History, john f. kennedy | Not long after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963, the a list of seemingly amazing coincidences between the two men’s lives appeared, and it has been widely and continuously reprinted and circulated ever since: Abraham Lincoln was elected to Congress in 1846. John F. Kennedy was elected to Congress ... |
17227 | Medicare has spent $172 million on penis pumps in the last five years at $360 a pop. | "Hogue said, ""Medicare has spent $172 million on penis pumps in the last five years at $360 a pop."" We’ll stay out of saying whether it’s legitimate for Medicare to cover vacuum erection systems for older men, and whether it’s unfair that many health plans would have to cover contraception. The Daily Show was trying ... | true | Medicare, Sexuality, PunditFact, Ilyse Hogue, | "Distinguished legal minds of the U.S. Supreme Court will soon hear oral arguments over whether the federal government can compel businesses to cover contraceptives at no cost to women through the Affordable Care Act. It’s a serious issue. And Comedy Central’s The Daily Show is all over it. Correspondent Samantha Bee t... |
14421 | According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 120 Americans on average die from a drug overdose every day. Overall, drug overdose deaths now outnumber deaths from firearms. | Rep. Joe Pitts says 120 Americans die daily from overdoses, exceeding deaths from guns | true | National, Drugs, Health Care, Public Health, Guns, Joe Pitts, | "In a recent Medium post, Rep. Joe Pitts, R-Pa., lamented the toll of addiction in his state and across the country. ""According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 120 Americans on average die from a drug overdose every day,"" Pitts wrote. ""Overall, drug overdose deaths now outnumber deaths... |
10985 | Common Diagnostic Test May Prolong Low Back Pain | "Ironically, the NPR ombudsman just wrote about concerns that NPR sometimes invites reporters from other news organizations to talk on the air about a story they got that NPR didn’t. In this case, why does NPR need to rely on a four-day old Reuters story in order to get a second opinion? Couldn’t they make a call and g... | false | "The story said that ""skipping diagnostic nerve blocks can save $10,000 in medical costs."" No quantification of potential benefits. Only a vague, borrowed (from Reuters) reference to ""the value of the diagnostic tests"" and an anecdote from the researcher supposedly supporting the case that they can be skipped. No q... | |
10446 | Next step for anti-cancer vaccine | The recent recommendation of an FDA panel to approve an HPV vaccine has made big news around the country in many different media outlets. However, this ABC network story has several flaws. The story treats FDA approval of the vaccine as a fait accompli. Just because the panel recommended it be approved does not mean ap... | false | The story does not mention costs, which would likely be substantial given the scope of a potential vaccination program. Nor does the story mention that the vaccine will not replace pap smears, which further adds to the cost. The story does not provide adequate quantification of the benefits. It says that we could save ... | |
26219 | “We’re down near the low end of per capita deaths ... Most places are at 60 deaths per 100,000. We're at 29.” | Recent data from Johns Hopkins University shows the U.S. has had approximately 30 COVID-19 deaths per 100,000 people. Kernen got that basically right. But only a handful of countries are performing worse by that metric, and even fewer — three — have recorded more than 60 deaths per 100,000 people. Various databases sho... | false | Public Health, Pundits, PunditFact, Coronavirus, Joe Kernen, | "On the day the U.S. topped 100,000 COVID-19 deaths, CNBC hosts Joe Kernen and Andrew Ross Sorkin shouted over each other about the threat of the virus and its impact on the stock market. After Kernen said Sorkin had panicked about the coronavirus and spooked investors, Sorkin accused Kernen of dismissing the virus as ... |
8702 | In lockdown Britain, 'Mancunian Motivator' brings fun and fitness to neighbours. | In a suburban enclave on the northeastern fringes of London residents are having their heart rates - and their spirits - lifted by the “Mancunian Motivator.” | true | Health News | So popular have the street workout routines of Elyse Blemmings become in these times of enforced idleness that some of the neighbours are also meeting new friends amongst all the bending and stretching. “It’s brought back, I suppose, what everyone’s feeling, a big sense of community spirit,” she told Reuters. Blemmings... |
10102 | Consuming more olive oil may protect against strokes | This story didn’t mention anything about the limitations of observational studies. One competitor wrote almost 200 words about such limitations. This story didn’t even quote the editorial, which provided an easy-to-access independent perspective. Journalists could do a better job of educating readers about research if ... | mixture | Los Angeles Times,Stroke | Not applicable. The cost of olive oil is not in question. The story cites a 41% lower stroke risk for intensive users of olive oil, but doesn’t give the context of the actual numbers. How many compared with how many? This may inflate the sense of the benefit or risk reduction. Not applicable. This is the main weakness ... |
30575 | CNN asked a survivor of the 14 February 2018 mass shooting in Parkland, Florida to deliver scripted remarks during a televised town hall. | According to CNN, the elder Haab declined the invitation after the network rejected the full speech. He later reportedly admitted to inadvertently “omitting some words from the email.” | false | Politics Guns, CNN, gun safety, guns | On 21 February 2018, a week after a gunman killed seventeen people during a mass shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida, a survivor of the attack accused CNN of trying to dictate what he should say during a town hall the event hosted to address gun safety arguments in the wake of the massacre. Following the bro... |
22898 | We are giving almost $2 billion of taxpayer money to the junk food and fast food industries every year to make the (childhood obesity) epidemic worse. | Rep. Dennis Kucinich assails tax deductions for fast food advertising that targets children | false | Ohio, Consumer Safety, Food Safety, Health Care, Taxes, Dennis Kucinich, | "Childhood obesity in the United States has more than tripled the last 30 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and the American Heart Association. It has reached epidemic levels and increased risks for heart disease, diabetes, stroke, cancer and osteoarthritis. The inactivity associated with watching tel... |
28490 | A significant number of internet users 'attacked' Andrew Pollack, a man mourning the death of his daughter, on the basis of his support for Donald Trump. | What's true: A relatively very small number of people on Twitter made insulting and personal criticisms of Andrew Pollack, with one or two even blaming him for his own daughter's death, by way of his support for President Donald Trump. What's false: Those negative voices were overwhelmingly outnumbered by those offerin... | mixture | Viral Phenomena, daily wire, florida shooting, parkland school shooting | One of the many heart-breaking images to emerge from the 14 February 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, was that of Andrew Pollack. Pollack was photographed by the Palm Beach Post, holding up a cellphone picture of his 18-year-old daughter Meadow, as he waited in his car ou... |
10310 | Increasing the Odds of Prostate Cancer Detection | This news release touts a high-definition scan called multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MS-MRI), shown in studies to increase the accuracy of prostate cancer detection. The scan is used to identify suspicious lesions in the prostate that can be biopsied for cancer. A study at the Center for Cancer Research (N... | false | Hospital news release,Prostate cancer | MRIs cost significantly more than ultrasounds, but that fact isn’t mentioned. According to a story in the Wall Street Journal, an MRI can cost from $600 to more than $2,000, although Medicare and many private insurers typically cover some or all of that cost. Cost is all the more significant if, as VCU’s director of on... |
38332 | Drinking a few spoonfuls of Apple Cider Vinegar a day brings a host of health benefits. | Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar | mixture | Health / Medical | The therapeutic benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar have been touted for centuries across countless cultures — some claims about the health benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar have been proven true, but others remain unproven. Studies have shown that there could be benefits when it comes to weight loss and managing diabetes. O... |
27918 | Baby Orajel can cause infants to stop breathing and turn blue. | Can Baby Orajel cause infants to stop breathing and turn blue? | true | Medical, drugs, orajel, true | Example: [Collected via e-mail, July 2008] Dear all,I hope everyone is enjoying their summer. Some of you already know, but we wanted to make everyone aware of a terrifying experience that we had over the weekend. Thank g-d, everything’s ok now but we thought friends and family would want to be aware and would want t... |
30695 | A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention doctor said the flu vaccine is causing the deadly flu epidemic. | In the past YourNewsWire has been the source of or helped spread a long string of persistent rumors, including the bogus claim that a terror attack at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England was a “false flag,” or a government plot designed to keep the populace in fear. They also reported the widespread (but co... | false | Medical, anti-vaccine, big pharma, flu | On 15 January 2018, disreputable conspiracy disseminator YourNewsWire.com falsely reported that the flu shot was unsafe, quoting an unnamed “CDC doctor” who cautioned that some of his patients had died after receiving it: A CDC doctor has warned this year’s “disastrous” flu shot may be responsible for the deadly flu ep... |
31960 | Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau is Fidel Castro’s son. | That would be an understatement. The most plausible explanation remains that, soon after marrying, honeymooning, and moving in together after years of keeping their relationship secret, Pierre and Margaret Trudeau had sex and created a child who would one day become another Canadian prime minister. | false | Politics Conspiracy Theories, canada, cuba, fidel castro | On 26 November 2016, Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau sparked controversy by praising Fidel Castro in a statement about the former Cuban dictator’s death, saying that “While a controversial figure, both Mr. Castro’s supporters and detractors recognized his tremendous dedication and love for the Cuban people who h... |
2801 | China reports second case of new bird flu strain. | Chinese authorities have confirmed the second human case of the new H10N8 strain of bird flu, contracted by a woman who is in critical condition in hospital in the east of the country, state news agency Xinhua has reported. | true | Health News | The 55-year-old woman was admitted to hospital in Nanchang, the capital of Jiangxi province, on January 15, complaining of a sore throat and dizziness, Xinhua said late on Saturday. “An investigation showed that she once had exposure to an agricultural market,” the report said. In December, China confirmed its first de... |
37988 | "Baby witches"" on TikTok/WitchTok collaborated to ""hex the moon"" and ""hex the fae"" in July 2020." | Around July 18 2020, WitchTok and occult groups across social media were awash in a rumor “baby witches” endeavored to “hex the moon” or “hex the fae.” Innumerable posts about the rumor appeared, but we were unable to find any credible evidence the rumor stemmed from any actual stated intent or organized efforts to cau... | unproven | Analysis, Entertainment, Reporting | "On July 18 2020, a rumor began spreading on “WitchTok” (a TikTok witch community) that a group of “baby witches” endeavored to “hex the moon” and “hex the fae,” setting off moral panics and fevered discussions online. We take a look at the rumors.‘Hexing the Moon’ and ‘Hexing the Fae,’ the RumorRumors about a group ef... |
10381 | Chew On This: Sticking With Nicotine Gum for the Long Haul | The story explained in clear terms why nicotine gum is under scruitny right now and who is pushing for its expanded use. It listed many of the side effects of using the gum and explained nicotine addiction simply and elegantly. We wish, though, that it had presented more of the hard data from some of the studies that r... | mixture | Wall Street Journal | The story did not discuss costs, and this was a missed opportunity. Cigarette smoking creates a huge burden on our health care system. The cost of the gum – $50 to $70 for a box of 100 pieces – may be a drop in the bucket compared to the costs of people developing cancer and other disorders from smoking. A study mentio... |
26784 | Facebook post Says the coronavirus can be slowed or stopped with the “immediate widespread use of high doses of vitamin C.” | The claim was originally shared on an alternative medical website that promotes nutritional supplementation. There’s currently no vaccine or medicine recommended to treat the current coronavirus, and there’s no evidence high doses of vitamin C has any effect. | false | Public Health, Facebook Fact-checks, Coronavirus, Facebook posts, | "Dubious methods to treat the coronavirus continue to spread online. The most recent alleged miracle cure? Vitamin C. A Facebook post by Andrew Saul, the self-proclaimed ""Megavitamin Man,"" states: ""The coronavirus pandemic can be dramatically slowed, or stopped completely, with the immediate widespread use of high d... |
34186 | "A photograph shared on social media in mid-2019 shows a ""skinhead"" police officer with a ""right-wing militia"" tattoo. " | "What's undetermined: We have found no evidence demonstrating that the officer wears the ""ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ"" tattoo as an expression of support for right-wing or militia groups or ideology, and the slogan is more commonly associated with Second Amendment activism and opposition to gun control. We also have found no evidence... | unproven | Fauxtography | In July 2019, concerned and outraged Facebook users shared a post that purported to show a Jewish woman, protesting the Trump administration’s U.S. border-detention policy, being arrested by a “skinhead cop with a right-wing militia tattoo.” The photograph was accompanied by the caption “Nothing to see here, just a ski... |
520 | South Africa's Karoo drills and prays as taps run dry. | South Africa’s Karoo region has always been parched - it means land of thirst in the language of its earliest inhabitants, the Khoisan hunter gatherers. | true | Environment | Yet nothing prepared residents of its oldest town, Graaff-Reinet, for their worst drought in more than a century. As the dry spell entered its fourth year, tap water turned brown and smelled like rotting fish. When the water behind the Nqweba Dam dried up, depositing tens of thousands of dead fish onto cracked earth, q... |
33285 | "A teenager was given a 25-year prison sentence for a prank known as ""swatting." | Fake news reports that a teenager was given a 25-year prison sentence for a prank known as 'swatting.' | false | Junk News, national report, paul horner, swat | “Swatting” is a type of prank whereby someone falsely notifies police of a serious threat, such as bomb-making or a hostage situation, in an attempt to have police respond with a Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team to a targeted address: Example: [Collected via e-mail, August 2014] This story is circulating all ove... |
14356 | Twenty-seven out-of-state pharmaceutical companies have raised more campaign dollars (against a drug price control measure) than all other state ballot measures have raised to date, combined. | "Californians for Lower Drug Prices is backing a drug price control measure on the November ballot. In late March, it claimed: ""Twenty-seven out-of-state pharmaceutical companies have raised more campaign dollars (against the drug measure) than all other state ballot measures have raised to date, combined."" From our ... | mixture | Campaign Finance, Drugs, Elections, California, Californians for Lower Drug Prices, | "Big-time spending is expected in the fight over California’s ballot measures this election year. One expert estimates campaigns could dole out nearly a half billion dollars to influence the fate of the dozen or more initiatives expected on the November ballot. Eight have already qualified. They include a measure to ov... |
7836 | 4D scans show fetuses yawn in the womb. | Growing into a fully formed human being is a long process, and scientists have found that unborn babies not only hiccup, swallow and stretch in the womb, they yawn too. | true | Science News | Researchers who studied 4D scans of 15 healthy fetuses also said they think yawning is a developmental process which could potentially give doctors a new way to check on a baby’s health. While some scientists have previously suggested that fetuses yawn, others disagree and say it is nothing more than a developing baby ... |
3375 | Health officials: New HIV diagnoses on decline in Chicago. | New HIV diagnoses in Chicago continue to go down and have declined for four consecutive years, according to figures released by Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Chicago’s health department. | true | Chicago, Health, General News, Epidemics, Lori Lightfoot, Public health | The 734 new diagnoses reported in 2018 among Chicago residents are the lowest number since 1988, health officials said Monday. “A world where we end the HIV epidemic is within our reach, and these latest findings prove that Chicago is on track to end the HIV epidemic by 2030,” Lightfoot said in a release. “Chicagoans w... |
10899 | Targeted Breast Cancer Drug Shrinks Tumors | This article describes the early results from a preliminary study of a novel compound for the treatment of a form of metastatic breast cancer. It provides solid background regarding the components in the compound and how it works. However, the article provides inadequate context, misinterprets a key result, and does no... | false | "Costs are not mentioned in the article. As the expense of Herceptin (trastuzumab) alone has come up in public discourse, such as in this Atlantic article, it stands to reason that a novel compound including trastuzumab would have economic considerations. While the article does present numbers for the outcomes, it does... | |
2602 | Jacobs Ladder climbers reap tough fitness rewards. | Jacobs Ladder, a moving, angled, climbing machine, may be named after the Biblical stairway to heaven, but it packs such a challenging workout people have dubbed it the stairway to hell. | true | Health News | Fitness experts say users of the fitness machine, which is a favorite among Army Rangers, Navy Seals, and “The Biggest Loser” television series, reap total body, calorie-busting rewards. “It’s a great and tough cardio piece,” said Neal Pire, an exercise physiologist with the American College of Sports Medicine. “Pictur... |
9636 | Reviving Memory With An Electrical Current | This story describing research on deep brain stimulation (DBS) to treat Alzheimer’s disease centers on a phase 2 safety trial that was the subject of a news release evaluated by HealthNewsReview.org in March. The study involved a procedure in which an implanted neurostimulator delivered electrical signals to the fornix... | false | alzheimer's disease,deep brain stimulation,dementia | The story does not discuss what this treatment might cost, even though DBS is widely used for other conditions. A DBS surgery for Parkinson’s, for example, can cost a minimum of $35,000, including hospital and physician fees, according to the National Parkinson Foundation. It’s unclear what if any benefit DBS might off... |
6277 | Investigation: Lead in some Canadian water worse than Flint. | Hundreds of thousands of Canadians have been unwittingly exposed to high levels of lead in their drinking water, with contamination in several cities consistently higher than they ever were in Flint, Michigan, according to an investigation that tested drinking water in hundreds of homes and reviewed thousands more prev... | true | Science, Michigan, Flint, Weekend Reads, General News, Health, Canada, Montreal, AP Top News, International News, U.S. News | Residents in some homes in Montreal, a cosmopolitan city an hour north of the U.S.-Canada border, and Regina, in the flat western prairies, are among those drinking and cooking with tap water with lead levels that exceed Canada’s federal guidelines. The investigation found some schools and day care centers had lead lev... |
27895 | Target does not allow Salvation Army bellringers to solicit donations on stores premises. | "Since 2004 the retail chain's ""no solicitation"" policy has kept Salvation Army bellringers away from Target stores." | true | Inboxer Rebellion, charity, salvation army, target | In 2004, the Target retail chain announced a new corporate policy that banned Salvation Army bellringers and their collection kettles from Target storefronts, a move that drew immediate criticism and condemnation from many shoppers: Target has decided to NOT allow the Salvation Army to ring the bell for the holiday se... |
11108 | Alzheimer's Disease Prevention: New Journal Article Highlights Benefits of Meditation and Spiritual Fitness | This news release — and the review article on which it’s based — from the Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation claims that practicing a type of singing meditation called Kirtan Kriya for 12 minutes a day reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and improves the memory of people with mild cognitive impairment. ... | mixture | Alzheimer's disease,Foundation/nonprofit news release | The Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation states that the yoga technique is “affordable” in the news release. That’s a step toward satisfying this criterion, but it’s not clear whether the Foundation’s definition of “affordable” is the same as readers’ definition. Some numbers would have helped here. The Found... |
12186 | Ted Kaczynski has less restrictive confinement than the youth at Lincoln Hills. | "Peterson said: ""Ted Kaczynski has less restrictive confinement than the youth at Lincoln Hills."" His claim is on target for those Lincoln Hills inmates placed in solitary confinement, which was the issue at hand when the claim was made. The caveat: Those inmates not in solitary confinement would fare differently." | true | Children, Civil Rights, Criminal Justice, Legal Issues, Wisconsin, James Peterson, | "When a federal judge issued a sweeping decision to curb the use of solitary confinement, pepper spray and use of restraints at Wisconsin's teen prison complex, he included a sweeping claim to condemn the conditions at the facility: ""Ted Kaczynski has less restrictive confinement than the youth at Lincoln Hills,"" Jam... |
9342 | Multigene test may find risk for heart disease, diabetes and breast cancer | This Associated Press story describes a new approach aimed at analyzing genetic data to assess the risk to patients of developing five specific diseases, and giving people a “polygenic score.” The new approach looks at multiple genes at the same time, and the role they play, in developing these diseases. Many current g... | mixture | breast cancer,diabetes,genetic testing,heart disease | The story does say that the new approach “doesn’t require the most sophisticated type of genetic testing” — which is considerably expensive — adding that they (the researchers) can calculate “risk scores for those five diseases — eventually maybe more — simply by reanalyzing the kind of raw data people receive after se... |
9898 | More stress tests needed before angioplasties, study says | "Clinical guidelines from the American Heart Association and other societies recommend routine non-invasive stress testing prior to percutaneous cornonary intervention (PCI, i.e., angioplasty, with or without stenting). However, according to a new study published in this week’s Journal of the American Medical Associati... | true | The story does a good job of describing the costs of angiopasty compared to a stress test. The story could have discussed out of pocket costs for patients. The story could have quantified the benefit of stress testing in its ability to avoid angiography and angioplasty associated with it. The story mentions missing cas... | |
8689 | 'I thought I would never wake up,' Belgian doctor says after surviving COVID-19. | A Belgian urologist has spoken of his “incredible” experience, having survived COVID-19 and been discharged from intensive care after three weeks in a coma. | true | Health News | “I was seeing my end,” Antoine Sassine said from his room at Brussels’ Delta Chirec hospital, where he used to work. “I thought I was going to die and would never wake up.” The 58-year-old and his team were all diagnosed at the hospital and he was admitted to the intensive care unit when his symptoms worsened. Sassine... |
7830 | Solar-powered plane takes off for flight across U.S. | A solar-powered airplane that developers hope to eventually pilot around the world took off early on Friday from San Francisco Bay on the first leg of an attempt to fly across the United States with no fuel but the sun’s energy. | true | Environment | The plane, dubbed the Solar Impulse, departed shortly after 6 a.m. local time from Moffett Field, a joint civil-military airport near the south end of San Francisco, heading first to Phoenix on a slow-speed flight expected to take 15 to 20 hours. The spindly looking plane barely hummed as it took flight in the still no... |
2547 | Rules call for swing to healthier snacks in schools. | Snacks sold in U.S. schools would need to be lower in fat, salt and sugar and include more nutritious items like fruits, vegetables and whole grains, under standards proposed on Friday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. | true | Health News | The proposal, more than a year overdue, also calls for a limit of 200 calories on items sold during the school day at vending machines or other venues outside the school lunch line. The proposed rules are the second step in a larger effort to improve the foods U.S. students have access to during the school day under a ... |
17358 | "As a result of climate change, ice fishermen in Wisconsin ""are already noticing fewer days they can be out on our ice covered lakes." | It’s been a longer and colder winter than in recent years. But that doesn’t erase a trend that’s been well-established. The number of days that the lakes have ice on them -- making them safe for ice fishing -- has declined. | true | Environment, Climate Change, Wisconsin, Mark Pocan, | "Severe cold snaps followed by snowstorms and then another blast of cold. For many, this Wisconsin winter can’t end soon enough. So when U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison, took to the floor of the House of Representatives on Jan. 16, 2014, a speech about global warming was the last thing many folks wanted to hear. Pocan,... |
28073 | A pair of photographs shows a severely dehydrated homeless veteran on the streets of Los Angeles. | What's true: Photographs show a severely malnourished homeless man, who said he was a veteran, lying on a street in Los Angeles. What's false: Whether the homeless man is actually a veteran is uncertain. | true | Fauxtography, facebook, homeless, homeless veteran | A pair of photographs reportedly showing a severely dehydrated homeless veteran named Kent near death on the streets of Los Angeles started making their way around social media in September 2018: These images were apparently so shocking to some viewers that they suggested the photographs perhaps showed an artwork or a... |
26783 | “Hair weave and lace fronts manufactured in China may contain the coronavirus.” | China is a major source of hair extensions, and the industry has been affected by the 2019 coronavirus outbreak. The Food and Drug Administration has found no evidence that the virus is spreading via imports. | false | Facebook Fact-checks, Coronavirus, Bloggers, | "A contributor for a popular morning radio show says bad hair days could be a side effect of the 2019 coronavirus. An article published on a site called Toine360 claims that ""hair weave and lace fronts manufactured in China may contain the coronavirus."" The site is run by radio personality Toine the Don, a contributo... |
34391 | Jelly sandals sold by Walmart contain unsafe amounts of lead. | Walmart takes product safety seriously. All products in question were tested before being placed on our shelves, and we initiated over 200 additional tests in the past month to further confirm the safety of the shoes. All tests once again have shown these shoes are safe and meet applicable standards. | unproven | Medical, jelly sandals, lead, sandals | A series of Facebook posts claiming that jelly sandals (or jellies) sold at Walmart stores contain a dangerous amount of lead circulated in June 2017, such as the following post: BEWARE PARENTS! I took Adelynn to her well checkup the other day and her routine lead screen came back positive. They took a capillary sample... |
24459 | Forcing Americans off of their current health coverage and onto a government-run plan isn't the answer, but that's exactly what the Democrats' plan would do. | Health care reform will not force people into a government-run plan | false | National, Health Care, John Boehner, | "When Democratic Sen. Harry Reid announced this week that he was including a form of a public option in health care reform, Republicans didn't like it. ""Whether you call it a public option, an opt-out, a trigger, or a co-op, the fact is all of these proposals put us on the path to government-run health care,"" said Re... |
10405 | Study hints multivitamins aid women’s heart health | This is a story reporting on the results of study that looked to see whether regular consumption of multivitamins had any impact on how likely it was that a woman would have a heart attack in the future. The study found and the story reported that multivitamin use by women who already have heart disease did not appear ... | mixture | There was no insight about the costs of various multivitamin formulations. The story provided the numbers so that readers could calculate the absolute reduction in heart attacks in the group of women taking multivitamins who did not have heart disease (with multivit = 2.6%; without multivit = 3.4%). However, it is unfo... | |
35189 | Dr. Abdu Sharkawy, an infectious diseases specialist, penned a viral Facebook post warning about the loss of reason in the face of panic over the new coronavirus in 2020. | I implore you all. Temper fear with reason, panic with patience and uncertainty with education. We have an opportunity to learn a great deal about health hygiene and limiting the spread of innumerable transmissible diseases in our society. Let’s meet this challenge together in the best spirit of compassion for others, ... | true | Medical, COVID-19 | On March 6, 2020, a Facebook post by Dr. Abdu Sharkawy, internal medicine and infectious diseases consultant with Toronto’s University Health Network and an assistant professor at University of Toronto, went viral, garnering over 1.3 million shares at the time of our reporting. The post began with this text: I’m a doct... |
35176 | Eating carrots results in significantly improved vision. | British Intelligence didn’t want the Germans to find out about the superior new technology helping protect the nation, so they created a rumor to afford a somewhat plausible-sounding explanation for the sudden increase in bombers being shot down. News stories began appearing in the British press about extraordinary per... | false | Food, Odd Ingredients | Carrots have long been touted for their efficacy in improving eyesight, and generations of kids have been admonished to not leave them on their plates lest they end up needing glasses. But are carrots the sight-boosters popular wisdom asserts them to be? And if not, where did this belief begin? While carrots are a good... |
8312 | China's Wuhan to keep testing residents as coronavirus lockdown eases. | China’s Wuhan city, where the global coronavirus pandemic began, is still testing residents regularly despite relaxing its tough two-month lockdown, with the country wary of a rebound in cases even as it sets its sights on normalising the economy. | true | Health News | Concerns remain over an influx of infected patients from overseas as well as China’s ability to detect asymptomatic patients, and the government in Wuhan has tried to reassure the public that it remains vigilant. Feng Jing, who runs a group of community workers looking after the Tanhualin neighbourhood in Wuhan, said d... |
33832 | Anti-perspirants have been identified as the leading cause of breast cancer. | The American Cancer Society is not aware of any evidence that shows substances in deodorants or antiperspirants to be toxic or that cause DNA damage that could lead to cancer. | false | Medical, Toxin Du Jour | Breast cancer is scary stuff. It’s the second most common type of cancer (after skin cancer) among women, and it’s also the second most common cause of cancer death (after lung cancer) among women. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), in the current year about 231,840 new cases of invasive breast cancer will... |
29969 | When ingested orally or applied topically to an open wound, cayenne pepper can stop serious bleeding. | Do not put cayenne pepper in an open wound or ingest it to stop bleeding. That’s not how it works. | false | Medical | Cayenne pepper powder is produced from capsicum peppers and contains capsaicin, the chemical responsible for a pepper’s spiciness. It is also, according to some corners of the internet, extremely popular as an herbal remedy for just about every ailment under the sun. One particularly dubious claim regarding cayenne pep... |
6686 | Trump plan to stop HIV epidemic targets high-infection areas. | President Donald Trump is launching a campaign to end the HIV epidemic in the United States by 2030, targeting areas where new infections happen and getting highly effective drugs to people at risk. | true | Alex Azar, Health, Anthony Fauci, Politics, North America, Campaigns, Epidemics, Infectious diseases, United States, Public health, Donald Trump | Briefing reporters ahead of Trump’s State of the Union speech, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and senior public health officials said the campaign relies on fresh insights into where about half of new HIV cases occur — 48 out of some 3,000 U.S. counties, and Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and seven states... |
25653 | Viral image Says Chadwick Boseman was poisoned and his death is being investigated as a homicide. | Chadwick Boseman died after a four-year fight against colon cancer. | false | Pop Culture, Facebook Fact-checks, Viral image, | "On Aug. 28, a statement from the family of Chadwick Boseman was tweeted from the actor’s verified Twitter account announcing that he had died. ""Chadwick was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer in 2016, and battled with it these last 4 years as it progressed to stage IV,"" the message said. ""A true fighter, Chadwic... |
427 | Poland hit by bird flu outbreak on turkey farms. | Bird flu has been detected in turkeys in eastern Poland, authorities said on Wednesday, and local media reported that the outbreak could require up to 40,000 birds to be slaughtered. | true | Health News | Poland, Europe’s largest poultry producer according to data from Eurostat, has not had an outbreak of bird flu since 2017. Andrzej Danielak, president of Polish Association of Breeders and Poultry Producers, said that three farms might be affected, with up to 350,000 birds at risk in a three kilometer radius. “Veterina... |
10743 | Lung ultrasound may be a safe substitute for chest X-ray when diagnosing pneumonia in children | This Mount Sinai news release describes a small study aimed at testing whether chest ultrasounds are as effective at diagnosing pneumonia in children as chest X-rays, the current diagnostic method of choice. Patients were randomized into either a test group, which received a chest ultrasound and a possible follow-up ch... | true | Hospital news release,Imaging,Screening tests | This release earns praise for clearly mentioning the cost savings derived from the use of chest ultrasounds versus chest X-rays in treating patients in the study — $9,700 from 191 patients. The release could have been even even more helpful by adding information showing chest ultrasounds cost about two-and-a-half times... |
13593 | As the number of vaccines administered to children has increased in the United States, so has the autism rate. | A viral meme from NaturalNews.com uses dates, rising numbers in vaccines given to babies, and rising rates of autism to suggest a relationship between vaccines and autism. The meme is inflating the number of vaccines, which stood at 10 in 2008 and 2013, according to the CDC. Meanwhile, the rate of children diagnosed wi... | false | Autism, Ohio, Viral image, | "A viral image from the website NaturalNews.com is bouncing along through the echo chamber of Facebook. It suggests a connection between the number of vaccines given to babies in the United States over time, and an increase in people diagnosed with autism. Health memes like this are common on social media, and this par... |
23136 | "David Cicilline Says ""John Loughlin voted to let people accused of domestic violence keep their guns." | Cicilline says Loughlin voted to let people accused of domestic violence keep their guns | true | Rhode Island, Criminal Justice, Voting Record, Guns, David Cicilline, | "The new spate of political ads that have flooded the airwaves seem better suited to Halloween than the Election Day that follows it. With haunting music and ominous narration, they sound more like ads for horror movies than political commercials. One example is a radio advertisement from David Cicilline's campaign tha... |
9038 | Extending dosing intervals reduces deadly side effect risk from multiple sclerosis drug | Researchers referenced in this news release presented study findings last week at a national multiple sclerosis (MS) meeting suggesting that giving the drug natalizumab less frequently may dramatically reduce the risk for developing progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a rare but potentially fatal brain in... | false | multiple sclerosis,natalizumab,NYU Langone Health / NYU School of Medicine | The cost of infusing natalizumab is not mentioned, but this study found the 2-year cost to be $72,120. The news release mentions the main benefit of less frequent dosing of natalizumab (infusions every five to 12 weeks, instead of the standard every 4 weeks) as a “risk reduction for PML as high as 94 percent” up to 6 y... |
30691 | "New U.S. Army medics will be treating battlefield injuries with ""alternative medicine"" such as homeopathic dilutions and prayer beads." | U.S. Army medics will not be treating battlefield injuries with homeopathic dilutions and prayer beads. | false | Humor, duffel blog | On 15 January 2018, the Duffel Blog (the “American Military’s Most-Trusted News Source”) published an article positing that new Complementary Medicine Specialists (or “holistic medics”) in the U.S. Army would be treating battlefield injuries with “alternative medical treatments ranging from aromatherapy to intervention... |
7950 | For richer or poorer: coronavirus, cheap oil test climate vows. | Climate change commitments by banks, pension funds and asset managers face their first major test as markets reel from the twin shocks of coronavirus and a sliding oil price. | true | Environment | The challenge looks formidable. When the 2008 financial crisis tipped the world into recession, carbon emissions fell. But as economies grew again, governments proved unable to halt an emissions rebound. The issue now is that at a crucial moment for international negotiations, the latest global economic blow could put ... |
34793 | "Walter Reed Hospital will accept Christmas cards addressed to ""A Recovering American Soldier." | Walter Reed Hospital no longer accepts Christmas cards addressed to 'A Recovering American Soldier.' Alternate programs have been established for sending holiday greetings to hospitalized service members. | mixture | Holidays, christmas, holiday mail for heroes, walter reed | Perennial open-hearted entreaties are circulated online every year just before the holiday season, suggesting that Americans add “A Recovering American Soldier” to their Christmas card lists: A Great Idea!!! When you are making out your Christmas card list this year, please include the following: A Recovering American ... |
10475 | Quality of Life Found Equal With 2 Breast Cancer Drugs | This story follows up on earlier reports released by the National Cancer Institute announcing results of the STAR breast cancer prevention trial, which compared tamoxifen with raloxifene in women at higher-than-average risk. Initial reports from NCI suggested that while the two drugs were equally good at lowering breas... | mixture | There is no mention of the costs of either drug, nor of the overall cost-effectiveness of this approach to preventing breast cancer, including savings on cancers prevented compared with no treatment. This would also have included an estimate of the costs of monitoring and treatment for the possible side effects, partic... | |
30790 | "A photograph shows a ""new hand sign"" that is being used by teenagers to signal that they wish to buy or sell drugs." | The claim that this hand gesture was being used to acquire drugs did not originate with a police department, school, or any other authoritative body — it was simply posted to troll overly worried parents and trick his followers into a digital round of an online game. | false | Crime, circle game, facebook, hand signal | A significant subset of common rumors and legends prey on parents’ concerns about the safety and well-being of their children, because parents are typically prone to a “better safe than sorry” stance and therefore often take any seemingly credible warnings positing danger to youngsters at face value. Due to that tenden... |
14286 | "Statistics show ""you are about nine times more likely to be assaulted by a taxi driver"" in Austin than a driver for a ride-hailing service." | "Troxclair said statistics show ""you are about nine times more likely to be assaulted by a taxi driver"" in Austin than a driver for a ride-hailing service. This claim shakes out to dividing oranges into apples and getting grapefruits--a ridiculous notion. Vital data, at the least about the number and length of trips ... | false | Crime, Transportation, Texas, Ellen Troxclair, | "An Austin City Council member made a honk-the-horn statement about passenger assaults as she advocated for voter approval of a proposition that would shrink what the city requires in background checks of drivers who work with ride-hailing services. If approved, the proposal on Austin’s May 7, 2016, ballot would rescin... |
39122 | An email is received alleged to be from a seven year old girl who has lung cancer from second hand smoke and a large brain tumor from beatings. The email says she will die without help but that her family can’t pay. Recipients of the message are asked to forward it to others and that the Make-A-Wish Foundation has a... | Amy Bruce, a sick little girl, will get help from forwarded emails | false | Computers, Medical, Pleas | This is a hoax that has caused no end of wasted time and energy for the folks at the Make-A-Wish Foundation. No evidence has been found of a child named Amy Bruce with cancer. The Make-A-Wish Foundation says it does not participate in these kinds of fund appeals. They primarily try to grant a special wish to a child wi... |
3639 | Former nicotine research monkeys now at primate sanctuary. | More than two dozen monkeys that were test subjects in nicotine addiction research denounced by British primatologist Jane Goodall have been moved from an Arkansas lab to a Florida primate sanctuary. | true | Jane Goodall, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Gainesville, Florida, Health, Science, Primates, Monkeys | The Gainesville Sun reported Wednesday that the squirrel monkeys are now at the city’s Jungle Friends Primate Sanctuary. The nicotine addiction study by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration started in 2014 and was suspended last year after the agency learned four research monkeys had died. The FDA has said three of th... |
1963 | TV product placements termed junk food ad loophole. | Companies that have pledged not to market unhealthy food and drinks directly to children may be turning to product placement on television shows instead of traditional ads to target youngsters, a new study showed. | true | Health News | Children watch television in the living room of an apartment that is for sale for $4.5 million in New York in this January 13, 2011 file photo. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson This type of disguised advertising, including high exposure to sugary soft drinks on prime-time TV, is a major contributing factor to childhood obesity, a... |
26815 | High levels of sulfur dioxide in Wuhan “may be a sign of mass cremations of victims of the coronavirus. | The photo shows sulfur dioxide projections. It is not a real-time satellite image. While it can be produced by burning organic matter, sulfur dioxide mostly comes from burning coal and oil. | false | Public Health, Facebook Fact-checks, Coronavirus, Facebook posts, | "A popular Facebook post is taking an image out of context to promote a hoax about the cremation of coronavirus victims. The post, which was published Feb. 15, includes an image that claims to show a ""spike in sulfur dioxide emissions just outside Wuhan."" The image cites Instagram user @conspiracyplots, who published... |
1681 | A space odyssey: cosmic rays may damage the brains of astronauts. | It may not be space debris, errant asteroids, supply shortages, thruster malfunctions or even the malevolent aliens envisioned in so many Hollywood films that thwart astronauts on any mission to Mars. It may be the ubiquitous galactic cosmic rays. | true | Science News | Researchers said on Friday long-term exposure to these rays that permeate space may cause dementia-like cognitive impairments in astronauts during any future round-trip Mars journey, expected to take at least 2-1/2 years. In a NASA-funded study, mice exposed to highly energetic charged particles like those in galactic ... |
4894 | Chicago teachers’ strike highlights support staff shortages. | Demands by striking Chicago teachers for more nurses, librarians and social workers are highlighting concerns that resonate in high-poverty school districts nationwide, where shortages of support staff leave educators feeling stretched. | true | AP Top News, Health, General News, Strikes, Chicago Schools, Poverty, Ohio, U.S. News | Unions and professional groups for such employees say those jobs often are lower priority when budgets are tight, but their absence can have profound effects on student learning and teachers’ work. They contend support staff is vital to properly address everyday student issues such as physical and mental health problem... |
7559 | In clamor to reopen, many black people feel overlooked. | Many African Americans watching protests calling for easing restrictions meant to slow the spread of the new coronavirus see them as one more example of how their health, their safety and their rights just don’t seem to matter. | true | AP Top News, Race and ethnicity, Health, General News, Politics, Lifestyle, Business, Science, U.S. News, Virus Outbreak, Weekend Reads, Pandemics | To many, it seems that the people protesting — who have been predominantly white — are agitating for reopening because they won’t be the ones to suffer the consequences. So far, the facts are proving them right: The consequences of keeping some businesses open have been falling disproportionately on the shoulders of bl... |
8872 | J&J, FDA warn of liver risk with HIV drug patients. | Johnson & Johnson and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned of reported liver damage and death in patients taking the company’s HIV drug Prezista, according to a letter released on Wednesday. | true | Health News | The letter, sent by J&J’s Tibotec Therapeutics unit to doctors this month, cited cases of drug-induced hepatitis as well as liver injury and death. “We are issuing a new warning on our labeling,” Tibotec Therapeutics spokeswoman Pam Van Houten told Reuters. The company said in its letter that the problems have not been... |
2976 | California gorilla treated for cataract. | A team of eye experts has operated on an unusual patient — a gorilla. | true | San Diego, Health, General News, Oddities, California, Gorillas | A cataract was removed on Dec. 10 from the left eye of a 3-year-old western lowland gorilla who lives at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, the park announced Monday. The gorilla, named Leslie, was given a muscle blocker to keep her still while a team that included vets along with anesthesiologists and an ophthalmology tea... |
8378 | Researchers identify two coronavirus strains as China cases dwindle. | Scientists in China studying the outbreak of disease caused by the new coronavirus say they have found that two main strains of the virus are circulating in humans and causing infections. | true | Health News | The researchers, from Peking University’s School of Life Sciences and the Institut Pasteur of Shanghai under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, cautioned that their study looked only at a limited range of data, and said follow-up studies of larger data sets were needed to better understand the virus’s evolution. The prel... |
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