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9195 | Laparoscopic anti-reflux operation for GERD linked to fewer postoperative complications | A new study by the American College of Surgeons, a professional organization, compared records for 75,000 patients who underwent surgery for GERD, or gastrointestinal esophageal reflux disease. The study looked at two different surgical procedures and found the less invasive one seemed equally effective, but kept patie... | true | GERD,laparoscopic surgery | The story focused on costs, including information about the relative cost comparison between what are called “open” surgeries and those done laparoscopically (with a thin flexible tube.) The release summarized how minimally invasive techniques reduced the length of hospital stay and complication rates for patients. “Re... |
42092 | CDC Caught Flying Diseased Caravan Migrants Into U.S. for Medical Treatment | The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is not flying sick migrants from the caravan into the country, as a story that originated on a self-proclaimed “alt-news” website claims. | false | immigration, | The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is not flying sick migrants from the caravan into the country, as a story that originated on a self-proclaimed “alt-news” website claims.A viral story shared on social media falsely purports that the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is “flying diseased ca... |
35433 | A photograph shows one petri dish that was coughed on by a person not wearing a mask and another petri dish coughed on by the same person wearing a mask. | The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) told us: | true | Science, COVID-19 | In May 2020, a photograph started to circulate on social media supposedly showing a petri dish that was coughed on by a person not wearing a mask and a petri dish coughed on by the same person wearing a mask: As the Twitter user noted, this image reportedly was taken by lab technician Katie Corley and shared to her pu... |
4617 | Stricter liquor rules give Lithuanians a severe hangover. | One of the heaviest drinking nations in the world is facing a severe hangover. | true | AP Top News, Health, Legislation, Lithuania, Europe, Vilnius | Lithuania’s new liquor law has increased the legal drinking age from 18 to 20, banned alcohol advertising, and drastically curtailed opening hours for liquor stores. The law, in effect since Jan. 1, has stirred major controversy in this Baltic nation of 2.9 million people. According to the World Health Organization, Li... |
5437 | Indonesian police arrest hundreds linked to forest fires. | Indonesian police said Thursday they have arrested 230 people suspected of starting some of the fires that are spreading health-damaging haze across a large part of Southeast Asia. | true | Malaysia, General News, Indonesia, Singapore, Asia, Environment, Arrests, Asia Pacific, Thailand, Southeast Asia | Among those arrested are three men who were caught Monday while trying to clear land to plant crops in Tesso Nilo National Park, which is home to about 140 endangered wild elephants, said Dedi Prasetyo, the national police spokesman. Those arrested could be prosecuted under an environmental protection law that provides... |
10792 | FDA finds increase in suicide symptoms for patients using seizure medications | The focus of this story is recently published data showing a slight increase in the absolute risk of suicide and suicidal symptoms in patients treated with certain anti-seizure medications compared with placebo. The story appropriately provides context for this new information–and educates the health consumer in the pr... | true | The story does not mention the average cost of these drugs. This is important information, especially for epileptic and bipolar patients who often take medications for most of their life. The drugs under discussion are fairly expensive drugs (approximately. $150-200/month for the newer drugs). There are older, and less... | |
22573 | "The government will ""go out and buy my breast pump for my babies." | Michele Bachmann says the government will buy you a breast pump for your baby. | false | National, Health Care, Women, Taxes, Michele Bachmann, | "The Democrats are at it again, said Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn.: Trying to get the government to solve all our problems. ""I’ve given birth to five babies, and I’ve breast-fed every single one of these babies,"" Bachmann said on The Laura Ingraham Show. ""To think that government has to go out and buy my breast pum... |
33717 | The charred remains of a scuba diver were discovered in a tree after a forest fire. | Sightings: Look for mention of this urban legend early in the 1999 film Magnolia. Also, the 1997 Mordecai Richler novel Barney’s Version and the 1989 Peter Mayle novel A Year in Provence make use of the legend. An episode of CBS’s CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (“Scuba Doobie-Doo,” original air date 25 October 2001) ... | false | Horrors, freakish fatalities, scuba | The tragic tale of the unfortunately scooped diver has been with us at least since 1987: Example: [Collected on the Internet, 1996] Fire Authorities in California found a corpse in a burnt out section of forest whilst assessing the damage done by a forest fire. The deceased male was dressed in a full wetsuit, complet... |
11250 | Coconuts are busting out all over | This story seems to want to be many things. It wants to explain the rising number of products with coconut-related ingredients being sold to customers. It wants to describe the potential money to be made from these products. And it wants to tell readers whether these products actually have any health benefits. It does ... | false | The Denver Post | For a story that attempts to wow readers with unsupported claims from third hand sources about the big money to be made in coconuts, this story is very light on any cost information for consumers. The story says, for example, that while the coconut water market sits at “$100 million annually right now,” one company alo... |
40244 | Faith Hoemspine is a 5-year-old who is fighting a losing battle with cancer. She’s in the Shriner’s hospital in Cincinnati and wants to receive the most get well cards anyone has ever received. | Five-year-old Faith Hoemspine has cancer and wants all the greeting cards she can get | false | Medical, Pleas | This eRumor has several variations and all of them are wrong. Most of the eRumors list her name as Faith Hoemspine. The actual spelling of her name is Hoenstine. Some of the eRumors say she is 5-years-old. Some say she is 9-years-old. She was actually a 15-year-old high school ... |
9531 | Ingredient in magic mushrooms is shown to ease anxiety and depression in cancer patients in one dose | The story focuses on two recent studies that find a single application of the hallucinogen psilocybin is effective at providing meaningful relief to cancer patients suffering from severe depression or anxiety. The studies were published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, and can be found here and here. In some ways,... | true | hallucinogens,mental health,psilocybin | Given that this is an illegal substance banned by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, cost as a therapeutic would be difficult to ascertain. We liked that the story took pains to explain that approval of this drug faces many hurdles. This is a tough one. While the story tells us what percentage of patients benefited from... |
10842 | Three tests may foil artery-disease deaths | "This story reports on a recent recommendation about vascular screening by the Society for Vascular Surgery. These are tests to screen completely asymptomatic people with some cardiovascular risk factors in order to detect vascular disease. While the surgeons offer interventions for these conditions, the jury is out on... | false | "The story provided a price range (free to $1000) for the trio of tests mentioned. The story confuses the potential benefit of treatment for advanced vascular disease with the potential benefit of screening for these conditions. The story says ""Three simple tests that can potentially save thousands of lives from strok... | |
20950 | If Congress does not pass the renewal of the payroll tax cut before the end of the year, nearly 160 million working families will see their taxes go up by roughly $1,000. | E-cigarette maker Juul Labs Inc funded a “holistic health education” camp as part of efforts to market directly to school-aged children, members of a U.S. congressional panel said on Thursday, citing internal company documents. | mixture | Jobs, Taxes, Texas, Charlie Gonzalez, | Democrats on a subcommittee of the House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Reform released a cache of internal Juul emails and other documents that committee staff described as early attempts to “enter schools and convey its messaging directly to teenage children.” Juul’s use of social media influencers t... |
36193 | A video proves that a Starbucks Venti cup (20 ounces) is suspiciously similar in volume to a Starbucks Grande cup (12 ounces.) | Starbucks 20-Ounce Venti vs. 12-Ounce Grande Video Experiment | unproven | Fact Checks, Viral Content | On August 11 2019 the Facebook page Mercadotecnia Total shared the following video (translated title: “Effective Marketing: Venti vs Large @ Starbucks”):That iteration racked up more than five million views in just one month, and a copy shared by a user on August 29 2019 received a further 2.6 million views as of Septe... |
10466 | Panel calls for vaccine for adult smokers | This report on an advisory panel recommendation that all adult smokers be vaccinated for pneumococcal disease is competently done, and accurate as far as it goes. But it doesn’t go far enough. The report correctly describes the actions of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). It adequately cite... | mixture | "The story reports per-dose price: $30 per dose for the most common form of the vaccine. It might have been useful to do the math: If 50 percent of adult smokers got the recommended vaccine, it would cost about half a billion dollars annually. The report leaves the most fundamental questions unanswered: How vulnerable ... | |
10368 | Foot wrap offers alternative to medication for patients with restless legs syndrome | This news release about a foot wrap device to treat symptoms of restless leg syndrome tries to portray study results as newer, more novel and more distinctive than they really are. While the study was just published in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, the results were submitted to the FDA more than ... | false | Association/Society news release | The release does not mention that this foot wrap sells for $350 per pair. This may be less expensive than the cost of medicines used to treat RLS, something that could have been pointed out as a favorable thing. The release reports summaries of two types of measures of restless leg syndrome. However, the release would ... |
37580 | Artist Pablo Picasso died in 1973. | ‘Picasso Died in 1973, Surprising the Internet Every Year’ | true | Fact Checks, Viral Content | On March 1 2020, a Facebook user shared a Twitter screenshot about Pablo Picasso having died in 1973, which appeared somewhat in the style of “I was today years old when I learned” memes. On Facebook, the post racked up 40,000 shares and counting within 48 hours. On Twitter, the original February 28 2020 tweet was even... |
17789 | Wendy Davis opposes any limits on abortion. | "Texas Right to Life said, ""Wendy Davis opposes any limits on abortion."" Although Davis has spoken and voted against certain abortion limits, her campaign statement and her stated support for the Roe v. Wade decision indicate she opposes late-term abortions except in extreme circumstances. The group did not provide, ... | false | Abortion, Texas, Texas Right to Life, | "The day state Sen. Wendy Davis announced her run for governor, Texas Right to Life announced it would air a radio ad calling her an ""abortion zealot."" Audio that the anti-abortion group released Oct. 3, 2013, of its ad said, ""Wendy Davis opposes any limits on abortion."" That’s a clear-cut statement, which the grou... |
22210 | We are the most generous in New England and New England is known for its generosity toward its welfare recipients. | R.I. Tea Party founder says Rhode Island is the most generous state in New England when it comes to welfare | mixture | Rhode Island, Poverty, State Budget, Taxes, Colleen Conley, | "In the ongoing debate over how and where to cut the state budget, social services -- particularly welfare -- are popular targets. After all, social service spending costs residents nearly $1.1 billion a year and makes up nearly 40 percent of the general revenue budget. So when Colleen Conley, founder and president of ... |
10544 | Accutane Linked Heart, Liver Woes | Sanofi SA said on Monday it would end its research efforts in diabetes and cardiovascular diseases as part of a revamp that will narrow the number of its business units in the hope of bolstering growth and profit. | true | The French drugmaker, whose pipeline has disappointed investors in recent years, poached new chief executive Paul Hudson from Swiss pharma group Novartis in September to revitalize the company. Its move to ditch diabetes research - announced alongside cost savings targets - marks a major turning point for a firm whose ... | |
26209 | “For the World Health Organization, the international entity whose sole responsibility it is to alert the world of global pandemics like this, to miss this, is a huge problem.” | A Jan. 14 tweet saying that Chinese authorities found no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission of the coronavirus led a Pennsylvania congressman to accuse the World Health Organization of failing to alert people about the pandemic. Later in January, the WHO announced that in fact there was evidence of human-to-... | false | National, Coronavirus, Pennsylvania, Brian Fitzpatrick, | "Speaking on the ""Fox Across America"" radio show, U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick accused global health officials of failing earlier this year to warn the world about the coming coronavirus pandemic. ""For the World Health Organization, the international entity whose sole responsibility it is to alert the world of global... |
2988 | Aviation experts puzzled after airliner dumps fuel over city. | Some aviation experts said Wednesday that they were puzzled after the crew of a commercial airliner decided to dump fuel at low altitude during an emergency landing, causing a vapor to fall on schoolyards and neighborhoods east of Los Angeles International Airport. | true | Los Angeles, Health, General News, Business, AP Top News, Travel, U.S. News | “No one is going to dump fuel where these guys did it over populated areas and schools. It’s a pretty outrageous thing,” said Ross Aimer, CEO of Aero Consulting Experts and a retired United Airlines pilot. “They should have gone over the ocean or landed heavyweight.” Delta Air Lines said Flight 89 to Shanghai had an en... |
16569 | "Ponzi schemer Scott Rothstein ""gave hundreds of thousands of campaign cash to control Crist’s appointments of key state judges." | "The Republican Party of Florida ad said that Ponzi schemer Scott Rothstein ""gave hundreds of thousands of campaign cash to control Crist’s appointments of key state judges."" Rothstein and his firm spent huge sums donating to the Republican Party of Florida back when Crist was a Republican, and they also gave directl... | mixture | Campaign Finance, Ethics, Florida, Republican Party of Florida, | "Florida’s famous Ponzi schemer Scott Rothstein now lives in a federal prison, but Republicans hope that he can help smear the reputation of former Gov. Charlie Crist. Back when Crist was a Republican, Rothstein and his Fort Lauderdale law firm donated generously to Crist and the Republican Party of Florida, as well as... |
3808 | In taking on high drug prices, Trump faces a complex nemesis. | Before taking office, President Donald Trump railed against the pharmaceutical industry and accused it of “getting away with murder.” | true | AP Top News, Health, Politics, North America, Prescription drug costs, Prescription drugs, Prices, Donald Trump | The populist rhetoric appears to be giving way to a more nuanced strategy focused on making the pharmaceutical market more open and competitive, with the aim of lowering costs for consumers. It’s an approach that could avoid a direct confrontation with the powerful pharmaceutical lobby, but it could also underwhelm Ame... |
26428 | “Even President Trump’s own EPA has admitted that this rule (on air pollutants) threatens to cause serious health problems including brain damage and death and to inflict billions of dollars of economic damage on our struggling economy.” | Trump’s EPA changed how it evaluates the benefits and costs of regulating air pollutants from power plants fired by coal and oil. An EPA science advisory board raised issues with the EPA’s approach and recommended doing a new assessment, but that recommendation wasn’t binding. Advisory board members are considered spec... | mixture | Environment, Public Health, Nancy Pelosi, | "House Speaker Nancy Pelosi claimed that as Americans grapple with the coronavirus pandemic, President Donald Trump’s administration has weakened public health protections. ""While tens of thousands of Americans are dying from the coronavirus pandemic, the president is yet again seeking to unleash toxic pollution and d... |
11573 | Prostate cancer being overtreated, study shows | The story describes a study which quantifies the number of men who might be overtreated with surgery or radiation for prostate cancer. The story does a nice job of describing the natural history of prostate cancer, that is, that many prostate cancers are slow-growing and that many men don’t need treatment, which can ha... | true | No costs of treatment–any treatment–are described. The study measured how many men with low-risk prostate cancer (who would be appropriate candidates for watchful waiting) had either surgery or radiation. While the aim of the study was to quantify and report an estimated figure for “overtreatment,” the story doesn’t re... | |
16650 | "Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. advised citizens to ""point that barrel center mass and pull the trigger"" because ""911 is not our best option." | "A Greater Wisconsin Committee ad said Sheriff David Clarke advised citizens to ""point that barrel center mass and pull the trigger"" because ""911 is not our best option."" Clarke did just that in an interview, and made similar comments in an earlier radio spot and in comments to PolitiFact Wisconsin." | true | Criminal Justice, Legal Issues, Crime, Guns, Wisconsin, Greater Wisconsin Committee, | "A new TV ad by a liberal group uses Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr.’s own words to suggest he’s encouraging gun violence by discouraging use of the 911 emergency response system. ""I don’t dial 911,"" Clarke says in a clip featured in the ad. ""I will afterwards, to say ‘Come get this dead guy out of my h... |
11146 | A Touch of Massage Therapy: Reiki Used for Cancer Patients | We give the online version of this column credit for being merely descriptive in its headline: “Reiki used for cancer patients.” Yes. This method of light massage is indeed being used for cancer patients. But there isn’t much evidence to support it. The story tries to make this point clear, but the point is muddied by ... | true | Wall Street Journal | We give the story high marks here for at least addressing the costs at a couple of centers. It says, “At Memorial Sloan-Kettering, treatment for inpatients is available at no extra charge; outpatients pay $90 to $110 a session. At Norris Cotton, trained volunteers administer treatments free of charge—often while patien... |
3970 | Seoul: North Korea confirms African swine fever outbreak. | South Korea said Friday that it is scrambling to prevent the spread of the highly contagious African swine fever on its pig industry after North Korea confirmed an outbreak at a farm near its border with China. | true | Seoul, Health, South Korea, General News, North Korea, Animal health, China, Asia, Asia Pacific, Agriculture | South Korea’s agriculture ministry said North Korea reported to the World Organization for Animal Health that 77 of the 99 pigs at a farm in Jagang province died of the disease and another 22 pigs were culled. The outbreak in North Korea comes after the disease in past months ravaged farms in China, where more than a m... |
9322 | 3-Drug Therapy Might Be Cystic Fibrosis 'Breakthrough' | This story reports on two trials that showed adding adding one of two new drugs to standard therapy possibly improved short-term lung function in cystic fibrosis patients who fall into two common categories of gene mutations. The story wisely included the high cost of some of these compounds, known as CFTR (cystic fibr... | mixture | cystic fibrosis | The story brought up the “real-world issue of price” if the drugs are approved. It reported that the company that makes them — Vertex Pharmaceuticals — markets the combination of two other CFTR modulators — tezacaftor and ivacaftor — for a list price of $292,000 a year. Additional cost comes from the continued need for... |
7331 | Coronavirus pandemic disrupts Appalachian Trail dreams. | When Alexandra Eagle first mentioned plans to hike the entire Appalachian Trail alongside her new husband, her sister told her they’d either be divorced in five months or married forever. | true | AP Top News, Hiking, Health, Outdoor recreation, Lifestyle, Pandemics, Travel, General News, Virus Outbreak, U.S. News | Eagle, 33, and Jonathan Hall, 36, had just moved out of their Brooklyn apartment when they married on March 2, the third anniversary of the blind date that brought them together. They had talked about the Appalachian Trail in their first conversation and, when it came time to plan a honeymoon, they decided to make the ... |
26057 | “Of course I will always protect those with preexisting conditions. Always.” | McSally has opposed the Affordable Care Act, the national law that serves as the basis for preventing health plans from discriminating against people with preexisting medical conditions. Her stance hasn’t changed. Her campaign pointed to a Republican bill she supports. But its mechanism for maintaining the ACA protecti... | false | Arizona, Health Check, Martha McSally, | "Trailing Democratic challenger Mark Kelly in one of the country’s most hotly contested Senate races, Arizona Sen. Martha McSally is seeking to tie herself to an issue with across-the-aisle appeal: insurance protections for people with preexisting health conditions. ""Of course I will always protect those with preexist... |
28120 | Star football player Brian Banks was convicted of raping a woman who confessed on Facebook that she fabricated her accusation -- after he served six years in prison. | What's true: Banks was convicted of rape in 2002 and served five years in prison as part of a plea agreement before his accuser recanted and he was set free. What's false: Banks served five years and two months in prison, not six years. The woman involved in the case did not recant on Facebook, but she did attempt to c... | true | Politics, sexual assault | Southern California football player Brian Banks was a rising star in 2002 when his career was abruptly derailed by a rape charge that sent him to prison. Banks entered into a plea agreement after a former high school classmate of his told a grueling story about Banks’ having dragged her into a stairwell and raped her —... |
26117 | In a very real sense, (Oklahoma has) flattened the curve. ... The number of cases in Oklahoma — it's declined precipitously. | Oklahoma’s daily caseload has risen consistently in June, and to levels higher than at any point in the pandemic. | false | Public Health, Coronavirus, Mike Pence, | "President Donald Trump is receiving criticism for his decision to restart in-person, indoor rallies with an event in Tulsa on June 20. During a White House roundtable on June 15, Vice President Mike Pence defended Trump’s decision by praising Oklahoma’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. At a discussion of issues a... |
5279 | Duchess of Cambridge pool-playing skills deemed ‘dreadful’. | The Duchess of Cambridge has shown off her pool-playing skills — though one teenager was not impressed. | true | Kate Middleton, Queen Elizabeth II, Entertainment, Mental health, Health | Visiting a mental health center for children in South Wales on Wednesday, the former Kate Middleton spent time talking to children and teens with mental health issues before picking up a pool cue. Kate, who wore a burgundy suit paired with knee-high boots, impressed in the style stakes — but her pool skills left much t... |
6485 | Caregiver of Indian girl found dead in Texas wants answers. | A toddler whose body was recently found in a drain in suburban Dallas was cheerful, healthy and eating well a year ago when she met her new parents, according to the manager of the Indian orphanage from where Sherin Mathews was adopted. | true | Mother Teresa, Dallas, Health, Orphans, India, North America, Asia Pacific, U.S. News, Texas | Babita Kumari said she wants to know what happened to the 3-year-old girl, whose father has been jailed after telling police that Sherin had choked to death while drinking milk in the middle of the night. Wesley Mathews has told police Sherin needed a special diet involving meals at odd hours because she was malnourish... |
2372 | Maker of Four Loko flavored malt liquor accepts marketing limits. | The maker of Four Loko has agreed with 20 U.S. state attorneys general and the city of San Francisco to a series of reforms to resolve allegations that it improperly marketed flavored malt beverages to young people and encouraged alcohol abuse. | true | Health News | Phusion Projects LLC, which is based in Chicago, agreed not to sell caffeinated alcoholic drinks, agreed not to promote binge drinking or other misuses of alcohol, and accepted marketing limits designed to keep people under 21 from buying alcoholic products. Among these limits are a ban on promoting flavored malt bever... |
3727 | German doctor fined again over abortion advertising ban. | A German doctor has been convicted for the second time of violating a ban on advertising abortions in a case that has become a rallying point for opponents of the law. | true | State courts, Constitutions, Angela Merkel, Europe, General News, Abortion, Health, Germany, Courts, Frankfurt | News agency dpa reported Thursday that Kristina Haenel was fined 2,500 euros ($2,775) by the state court in the central city of Giessen. Alongside the fine, it made clear that it wasn’t convinced the law is in line with Germany’s constitution. In 2017, Haenel was fined 6,000 euros after stating on her website that she ... |
7975 | European labs to receive control material to spot false negative coronavirus tests. | Laboratories across Europe can now access control material to enable them to avoid mistakenly telling people they are free of the coronavirus when in fact they are infected, the European Commission said on Wednesday. | true | Health News | The material was developed by the Commission’s Joint Research Centre in Italy to fill a gap in the market. A German biotech company has now made enough to spot false negative results in up to 60 million coronavirus tests. “This is a major achievement by our researchers, which will be crucial for our exit strategy when ... |
7200 | Jimmy Carter: To beat Trump, Dems cannot scare off moderates. | Former President Jimmy Carter sees little hope for the U.S. to change its human rights and environmental policies as long as Donald Trump is in the White House, but he has a warning for his fellow Democrats looking to oust the current administration: Don’t go too far to the left. | true | Health care reform, Universal health care, North America, Environment, Immigration, Elections, Politics, Atlanta, Donald Trump, Jimmy Carter, Presidential elections | “Independents need to know they can invest their vote in the Democratic Party,” Carter said Tuesday during his annual report at his post-presidential center and library in Atlanta, where he offered caution about the political consequences should Democrats “move to a very liberal program, like universal health care.” Th... |
16806 | 13 percent of Americans, the lowest ever, are without health care. | Uninsured rate lowest ever, Donny Deutsch claims | mixture | Health Care, Polls and Public Opinion, Public Health, PunditFact, Donny Deutsch, | "Morning Joe guest host Donny Deutsch, discussing House Speaker John Boehner’s refusal to vote on immigration reform, called out the GOP for being wrong about, well, just about everything. ""Once again the party of no,"" Deutsch said on July 1, 2014. ""The country’s will was for immigration reform, they're against it. ... |
1967 | Twig tea, anyone? Study says labels often mislead. | Herbal teas often contain unlisted extra ingredients such as weeds, ferns or bits of tree, according to a study by New York high school students that could help tighten labeling rules. | true | Environment | Tea is brewed in a traditional Japanese tea pot in Otsuchi March 15, 2011. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj “A third of the herbal teas had things in them that are not on the label,” Mark Stoeckle, of the Rockefeller University who helped oversee the project, told Reuters by telephone. The students collected dozens of teas and her... |
20878 | Chris Abele Says Milwaukee County buses are no less safe now than a year or two ago. | Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele says county buses are no less safe now than a year or two ago | false | Crime, Transportation, Wisconsin, Chris Abele, | "A spate of diametrically opposed claims about safety on Milwaukee County buses is the latest product of the increasingly bitter battle between Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. and County Executive Chris Abele. The sheriff, whose agency helps police buses, released videos of student fights to dramatize that, as he put it, "... |
24102 | With this reform, every insured American gets valuable consumer protections, and every uninsured American can become insured. | Young children should not spend more than an hour a day watching television and videos or playing computer games and infants less than one year old should not be exposed to electronic screens at all, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday. | true | Health Care, Texas, Lloyd Doggett, | The United Nations agency, issuing its first such guidelines, said under-fives should also be physically active and get adequate sleep to help develop good lifelong habits and prevent obesity and other diseases in later life. “What we are cautioning on is over-use of those electronic screen times with young children,” ... |
8003 | Facing shortages, India bets on China for swift ramp-up of protective health gear: sources. | India will buy ventilators and masks from China to help it deal with the coronavirus, a government official said on Tuesday, even though some countries in Europe had complained about the quality of the equipment. | true | Health News | "India has recorded 1,251 cases of the coronavirus, with 32 deaths, but health experts say the country of 1.3 billion people could see a major surge in cases that could overwhelm its weak public health system. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government said it was trying to procure medical gear, including masks and body... |
10020 | Got High Blood Pressure? Kiwi Fruit May Help | To its credit, the story included some excellent balancing quotes from independent sources. However, there was no discussion of the fact that the blood pressure drop was small and the participants had pre-hypertension, not hypertension. The story does not make this distinction or provide information about it, though it... | mixture | health food claims,HealthDay | Not applicable. No discussion of costs. Shoppers probably have a ballpark idea. The story quantified the benefits but didn’t put them in any meaningful perspective. What difference does it make to lower systolic blood pressure by 3.6 points? Is this truly newsworthy? Enough to raise the question in the story, “So is ki... |
3236 | As California thins forests to limit fire risk, some resist. | Buzzing chainsaws are interrupted by the frequent crash of breaking branches as crews fell towering trees and clear tangled brush in the densely forested Santa Cruz Mountains south of San Francisco. | true | Mountains, Climate change, General News, Trees, Controlled burns, Fires, California, Science, U.S. News, Shrubs | Their goal: To protect communities such as Redwood Estates, where giant redwoods loom over the houses of tech workers who live in the wooded community just 20 miles from the heart of Silicon Valley. With California’s increasingly warm, dry and overgrown landscape, wildfire has become a perpetual danger. Among the most ... |
28149 | Crystal Griner, the officer who saved Steve Scalise, is a lesbian (and the congressman is anti-gay rights). | What's true: Griner is married to a woman, and Scalise has not supported marriage equality measures during his political career. What's false: Griner was not simply a responding officer, but rather a part of Scalise's security detail. | true | Politics Sexuality, capitol police, crystal griner, david bailey | On 15 June 2017, a post circulate claiming via social media asserting that police officer Crystal Griner (who had been wounded during the shooting of House Majority Whip Steve Scalise one day earlier) was a lesbian, and she risked her life to save a man who was opposed to her own marriage: The post maintained that Gr... |
11336 | Pacemaker-like device combined with defibrillator reduces deaths in mild heart failure by 29% | Strong point: use of the number needed to treat or NNT. Weaker point: seemed to be more boosterish, less balanced than competing Wall Street Journal story. Because defibrillators are a significant investment, stories like this also need to provide readers the context of how much additional benefit individuals and soci... | mixture | Devices,Los Angeles Times | The story provides this great detail when discussing costs: “Fourteen patients had to be treated with the $35,000 device to prevent one death.” More context around costs and a better explanation of the $40 billion price tag attached to heart failure would have been welcome. By using the NNT, as mentioned above, and pro... |
361 | Roche sues U.S. executives in fight over diabetes test strips. | Roche is seeking damages and compensation in a U.S. lawsuit against former executives of a Utah-based company, the Swiss drugmaker’s latest case targeting what it calls fraudulent schemes involving its diabetes test strips. | true | Health News | Roche has filed several lawsuits in U.S. federal court in which it alleges individuals and companies obtained low-priced diabetes test strips meant for mail-order customers, only to re-direct them for sale via pharmacies where higher prices allowed them to profit from the difference. “Defendants caused Roche to wrongfu... |
9635 | Magic mushroom ingredient may ease severe depression, study suggests | This is a story about a small study of the use of psilocybin—the active ingredient in “magic mushrooms”—among 12 people suffering from treatment-resistant depression. Given that this was a “proof of principle” study–designed only to explore whether the intervention is safe–the real story here is not that the chemical s... | mixture | depression,mental health,psilocybin | Costs are not broached in this story. The story signals an early phase of research with phrases like “pilot study,” but this is overshadowed by the headline and the lead sentences, which create an expectation of benefit. Even at a very high level, for example, the story could have told us whether this is something that... |
7797 | Doctors warn of demand for 'vaginal seeding' despite thin evidence. | British doctors say more parents are requesting so-called “vaginal seeding”, when a swab from the mother’s vagina is wiped into a newborn’s mouth after caesarean-section birth, despite a lack of evidence for its medical benefits. | true | Health News | The practice, also known as microbirthing, involves wiping the swab over the baby’s mouth, eyes, face and skin to bring it into contact with bacteria from the birth canal. The hope is this may boost their gut bacteria, and reduce risk of conditions such as allergies or obesity, experts explained in a report in the BMJ ... |
31714 | Lady Gaga's halftime performance at the 2017 Super Bowl took the form of a Satanic ritual. | Some observers claimed they saw elements of a 'Satanic ritual' in Lady Gaga's halftime performance at the 2017 Super Bowl. Do they even know what a Satanic ritual looks like? | false | Entertainment, lady gaga, satanic ritual, satanism | Easily the most-watched annual sporting event in the United States, the Super Bowl has grown, from its inception as a championship football game in 1967, into an all-day, nationwide entertainment extravaganza. Today’s Super Bowl viewer is as likely to tune in for a glimpse of the most expensive TV advertising on Earth,... |
27912 | Chick-fil-A has donated money to organizations that oppose same-sex marriage. | As we have stated, the Chick-fil-A culture and service tradition in our restaurants is to treat every person with honor, dignity and respect — regardless of their belief, race, creed, sexual orientation or gender. We will continue this tradition in the over 1,600 restaurants run by independent Owner/Operators. | true | Politics Sexuality, chick-fil-a, same sex marriage | Chick-fil-A is a Georgia-based fast food restaurant chain specializing in chicken entrées that opened its first outlet in suburban Atlanta in 1967 and has since grown to encompass over 1,600 restaurants in 39 states. The operations of the chain reflect the religious values of Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Offic... |
5667 | European Medicines Agency recommends licensing Ebola vaccine. | The European Medicines Agency has recommended that the world’s first Ebola vaccine be approved, after it was administered to hundreds of thousands of people in Africa. | true | Health, General News, Africa, Science, Europe, Ebola virus | The agency on Friday described licensing the vaccine as “an important step toward relieving the burden of this deadly disease.” The Ebola vaccine was originally developed in Canada and is now marketed by Merck as Ervebo. More than 270,000 people in Africa have received it as officials try to stop Congo’s ongoing outbre... |
11056 | Drug Extends Prostate Cancer Survival | The data were reported inaccurately. There was no discussion of cost or of potential harms – two huge oversights. There was no meaningful comparison with other approaches. And the story appeared to rely largely (perhaps solely) on a news release. Better luck next time. This isn’t a good example of how to report on data... | false | "No mention of costs. The competing Wall Street Journal story, by comparison, reported: ""Cost could be a factor. The three-treatment Provenge regimen has been controversial partly because of the $93,000 cost. Dendreon has said treatment costs are comparable with chemotherapy if total costs of care are taken into accou... | |
36470 | "The last line of an October 1886 Statue of Liberty dedication speech read: ""There is room in America and brotherhood for all who will support our institutions and aid in our development. But those who come to disturb our peace and dethrone our laws are aliens and enemies forever." | ‘There is Room in America and Brotherhood for All’ Statue of Liberty Dedication Speech | mixture | Disinformation, Fact Checks | On March 3 2019, Texas politician Sid Miller shared “An important reminder!”, a meme (archived here) purportedly providing the last line in a Statue of Liberty dedication speech from October 1886:Atop a bronze Statue of Liberty, the meme’s text stated:The last line in the speech at the unveiling of the Statue of Libert... |
9795 | Mammograms Can Save Lives of Women in Their 40s: Study | Although the article presents some interesting new findings regarding mammogram for women in their 40s, the article lacks a strong critical analysis to point out the weaknesses with the current study. Since the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force published their revised recommendations in November of 2009, many women b... | true | breast cancer,mammography | No discussion of costs regarding mammograms. Stories should not assume that every woman in the 40s who chooses to get a mammogram will have this covered by their insurance. We’ll give the story the benefit of the doubt for presenting lots of numbers – in contrast with the WebMD story that included NONE. However, more c... |
2895 | Fad diets can work, but experts find no magic slimming bullet. | Resolutions to lose weight are often made in January yet almost as frequently abandoned as heavy hopefuls find diets that demand fasting, virtually no carbs or liquid food shakes notoriously hard to stick to. | true | Health News | But even “fad” diets can lead to a slimmer, lighter New Year for those whose resolve remains robust, according to doctors and nutritionists analysing them. Gathering for a London conference to review evidence behind popular weight loss diets - at just the time of year when slimming ideas are in peak demand - specialist... |
14809 | Mike Morell testified and told Congress that the reason Obama has not bombed ISIS' oil fields is they're concerned about global warming. | "Cruz said, ""Mike Morell testified and told Congress that the reason Obama has not bombed ISIS' oil fields is they're concerned about global warming."" We found no instances of Morell testifying before Congress on this point. He did talk about Obama’s ISIS strategy on PBS, but Cruz misquotes what he said. Morell said ... | false | National, Climate Change, Energy, Foreign Policy, Terrorism, Ted Cruz, | "Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz tore into President Barack Obama’s strategy against ISIS in an NPR interview. Cruz, who vowed to ""utterly destroy ISIS"" and ""carpet bomb them into oblivion,"" said Obama is not serious about defeating the jihadists. The Texas senator brought up Obama’s former CIA deputy di... |
5538 | Britain’s young royals promote conversation on mental health. | Britain’s Prince William, his wife, Kate, and his brother Prince Harry are spearheading a campaign to encourage people to talk openly about mental health issues. | true | Tony Blair, Mental health, Health, Alastair Campbell, Prince Harry, Celebrities, Prince William, Europe | The young royals released 10 films Thursday as part of their “Heads Together” campaign to change the national conversation about mental health. The videos feature celebrities and members of the public talking about the breakthrough conversations that helped them come to terms with their mental health problems. The form... |
33987 | People have died laughing. | Yet even if there may have been an occasional death from guffawing, it’s still possible merriment is far more healthy than harmful (at least for the ones who survive). Some studies assert laughing produces beneficial effects on physical health, including decreasing the secretion of serum cortisol (a stress hormone) and... | true | Horrors, freakish fatalities | In recent decades, laughter has been touted as a possible cure for many ills, including cancer and heart trouble. But could mirth also be deadly, making the phrase “I just about died laughing” as much about accuracy as it is hyperbole? On 24 March 1975, 50-year-old bricklayer Alex Mitchell of King’s Lynn in Norfolk, En... |
6668 | Metaphorical Washington ‘swamp’ overrun by actual vermin. | Andre Pittman and Gregory Cornes are on a mission to rid Washington of opportunistic vermin. | true | AP Top News, Rats, Health, Politics, North America, U.S. News | But their target isn’t corrupt officials or shady political fixers; it’s Rattus Norvegicus, the common Norway Rat. The nation’s capital is facing a spiraling rat infestation, fueled by mild winters and a human population boom. Washington’s government is struggling to keep pace, with the pest control department fielding... |
5737 | 4 hepatitis A cases found in Denver; vaccinations stepped up. | Denver public health officials say four homeless people have been diagnosed with hepatitis A this year, so the city is stepping up free vaccinations. | true | Immunizations, Health, General News, Hepatitis, Denver, Bills, Public health | KDVR-TV reported Monday that three of the cases were diagnosed within the past three weeks. Denver Public Health executive director Dr. Bill Burman says his agency will set up vaccine clinics almost every day in day shelters, syringe access programs, Civic Center Park and other places where people at risk of contractin... |
27115 | In April 2019, when the U.S. House of Representatives voted to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, the NRA opposed the move due to the addition of amendments that would lower the criminal threshold required to bar someone from buying a gun. | (10) who has been convicted in any court of a misdemeanor crime of stalking. | true | Politics | The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), a series of laws affecting multiple areas of the Federal Code, was first signed into law in 1994. The act provided federal funds for services offered to survivors of domestic and sexual violence, created the Office on Violence Against Women within the Justice Department, enhanced ... |
29375 | "President Trump lifted sanctions against Russia as a ""gift"" to Putin." | "What's true: The United States Treasury announced an adjustment on sanctions against the FSB that would allow technology goods to be imported to Russian consumers. What's false: The move was a routine update to the Obama administration's sanctions meant to ease the effects on American companies, not a ""gift"" to Puti... | false | Politics, russia, Treasury Department, trump administration | On 2 February 2017, a public notification of an OFAC general license published by the United States Treasury Department noting that sanctions against the Russian security agency Federalnaya Sluzhba Bezopasnosti would be tweaked to ease the burden on U.S. tech companies selling goods inside Russia caused some (including... |
9384 | Marijuana legalization could help offset opioid epidemic, studies find | Health professionals—from doctors to policy experts—are exploring strategies for controlling the opioid crisis gripping the U.S. Advocates for legalizing marijuana for medical or recreational purposes have suggested that increased access to marijuana could curb opioid use. The two studies published in JAMA Internal Med... | mixture | medical marijuana,opioids | The article did not mention how much it costs to use marijuana to treat pain or whether medical marijuana is covered by private health insurance, Medicare or Medicaid. The article quantified the findings this way: The researchers found that states that allow the use of cannabis for medical purposes had 2.21 million few... |
26561 | “Queen Elizabeth tests positive for COVID-19.” | There are no credible reports Queen Elizabeth II tested positive for COVID-19. Buckingham Palace recently said she remains in good health. | false | Facebook Fact-checks, Coronavirus, Bloggers, | "Prince Charles tested positive for COVID-19, but there is no indication that his mother, the queen, did, too. A March 28 post on a website called Gossip Blend claims otherwise. ""Earlier today it was rumoured that Queen Elizabeth II tested positive for the novel coronavirus while many UK media outlets have kept silent... |
8141 | Swedish PM tells Swedes to take responsibility in national address on coronavirus. | Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven in a rare live television address to the nation on Sunday evening called on all Swedes to play their part in stopping the spread of the coronavirus. | true | Health News | Sweden on Sunday had 1,906 confirmed cases of the respiratory disease - or 17 per 100,000 citizens - and 21 deaths. “We all now have great individual responsibility,” Lofven said. “There will be a few decisive moments in life when you must make sacrifices, not only for your own sake but also to take responsibility for ... |
29605 | Castoreum, a secretion produced by beavers, is commonly used as a food additive. | Castoreum does still have a significant market even today, but almost exclusively for the use of the perfume industry, not the food industry. | false | Food, beavers, castoreum, food additives | Castoreum (or castor, not to be confused with the oil of a castor bean) is a yellowish-brown, unctuous substance with a strong, penetrating odor which beavers secrete from castor sacs located in skin cavities between the pelvis and the base of the tail and spray when scent-marking their territory. (The location of the ... |
11545 | New Study Shows Ketamine May Regenerate Brain Cells, Relieving Depression with Lasting Benefit | This news release cites findings from a physician’s “real world experience” in using the anesthesia drug ketamine for the treatment of depression, and promotes the Neuro-Luminence Ketamine Infusion Centers, which the study author Dr. Theodore Henderson, co-founded. Acknowledged in the release as “controversial” and in... | false | Independent research center news release,mental health | The news release makes no mention of the cost of the infusions, nor does it say whether insurance pays for them. Given that they are not approved as safe and effective by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), any cost would likely be borne by the patient. The only person cited in the release, Dr. Theodore Hender... |
5831 | Fewer babies born with syphilis in Louisiana, more across US. | The number of babies born with syphilis in Louisiana fell 22% last year, while national numbers rose 40%. | true | Chlamydia, Health, General News, Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Louisiana | A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows 46 fewer cases of congenital syphilis in Louisiana last year, down 13 from 2017. Nationally, more than 1,300 babies were born with the disease, up from 935 a year earlier. Congenital syphilis can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, infant death and severe li... |
2484 | It's all about the roll when choosing running shoes. | Fitness experts have long advised clients choosing a running shoe to forget fashion and consider the roll or pronation - the way the foot leans inward upon impact. | true | Health News | Analyzing the roll of the foot remains standard practice among fitness and medical professionals in the belief it will lead to a better shoe fit and fewer injuries. “When it comes to shoe choice, the amount of pronation control is extremely important,” said Dr. Jane Andersen, a podiatrist in private practice in Chapel ... |
18797 | Joyce Beatty Says each year approximately 30,000 people in the United States die as a result of gunfire, and about 80,000 people are wounded. | Rep. Joyce Beatty says about 30,000 people die from gunfire each year in the U.S. | true | Ohio, Guns, Joyce Beatty, | "The pre-Christmas slaughter of 20 elementary school children and six adults at a Connecticut elementary school has renewed public debate over how to prevent future mass killings with guns. On Jan. 14, members of the Congressional Black Caucus, now chaired by Warrensville Heights Democratic Rep. Marcia Fudge, weighed i... |
6438 | Ex-day care worker charged in death of 6-month-old. | A former Vermont daycare provider was arrested Monday on suspicion of manslaughter and child cruelty charges in the death of a 6-month-old girl she was caring for in her Rutland home in January. | true | Vermont, Arrests, Health, Vermont State Police, Antihistamines, Rutland | The arrest of Stacey Vaillancourt, 53, came after the final autopsy report on the body of Harper Briar, who was found unresponsive Jan. 24, determined the girl had high concentrations of diphenhydramine in her body, Vermont State Police said. The drug is the active sedating ingredient in over-the-counter antihistamines... |
41065 | Suicide is the cause of death for around 3,000 people per day | Suicide is the cause of death for around 2,000 people per day. | false | online | 26,383 people die of cancer each day. 24,641 die of heart disease every day. This is an underestimate for all cardiovascular disease deaths, but close to the daily figure of those who die from coronary heart disease specifically. 4,300 people die of diabetes every day. Suicide is the cause of death for around 3,000 peo... |
11253 | Confusion surrounds B12 deficiency | This is a story about testing for a deficiency in vitamin B12, which can cause serious problems. It can occur in individuals who are unable to absorb B12 from food (i.e. people with gastritis, people using medication to treat heartburn over a long period, or those who have had gastric bypass surgery) or those who do no... | false | Costs to assess B12 status are provided ($35 for blood test, $90-$200 for urine) as well as a web site where one can order a urine assessment of B12 without a prescription. However, no mention was made of the inexpensive and routine blood count (“CBC”) which can help screen for this vitamin deficiency. (A note of cauti... | |
37596 | 78 percent of women reconsider having an abortion after seeing an ultrasound of their pregnancy. | Do 78 Percent of Women Considering Abortion ‘Choose Life’ After Seeing an Ultrasound? | false | Disinformation, Fact Checks | A September 2019 claim by the anti-abortion group “March For Life” was exposed to online scrutiny in February 2020.The group claimed at the time that “78 percent of women considering abortion choose life after seeing an ultrasound of their babies.” It mentioned — but did not link to — NIFLA, the acronym for another adv... |
25988 | “The spot where they are ‘getting a sample’ for the COVID-19 test is called your Blood-Brain Barrier.” | The swabs used for COVID-19 tests collect samples from the nasopharynx. Doctors say the swabs do not go anywhere near the blood-brain barrier. There is also no evidence that getting a COVID-19 test could cause anything more serious than temporary irritation. | false | Health Care, Public Health, Facebook Fact-checks, Facebook posts, | "With 3 million coronavirus cases in the U.S. and counting, tests for COVID-19 are as important as ever. However, the nasal swab tests that determine if a person is actively infected with the virus have become the target of online misinformation. Social media users are circulating a post that claims the nasal swab test... |
35295 | "U.S. President Donald Trump said ""hundreds"" of governors are calling him amid the COVID-19 coronavorus pandemic." | “So we could give you hundreds of clips like that from governors — including Democratic or ‘Democrat,’ as I call them, governors, which is actually the correct term. We could give you hundreds of clips just like that,” Trump said. “But we could have given you — you saw the statements. We have hundreds of statements. Hu... | false | Politics, COVID-19 | As state leaders and the federal government developed plans for how the country would ease restrictions on social distancing amid the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic in spring 2020, U.S. President Donald Trump repeatedly highlighted in public statements how often — and under what pretense — his administration spoke with ... |
16243 | "We have spent $350 million to deal with sea-level rise"" in the Miami area and ""hundreds of millions of dollars to deal with coral reefs." | "Scott said during the CNN debate, ""We have spent $350 million to deal with sea-level rise"" in the Miami area and ""hundreds of millions dollars to deal with coral reefs."" The state has spent $100 million to help the Keys upgrade to a sewer system, which should improve water quality -- a benefit for coral reefs. Sco... | false | Climate Change, Water, Florida, Rick Scott, | "Gov. Rick Scott has drawn criticism from environmentalists for denying in 2011 that man contributes to climate change and now dodging questions with the reply of ""I’m not a scientist."" The topic arose during the Oct. 21 CNN debate when moderator Jake Tapper asked Gov. Rick Scott why he was ""reluctant to believe the... |
11010 | Experimental TB Test Called Fast and Accurate | "This was a one-sided and potentially misleading story about a rapid new diagnostic test for tuberculosis (TB). The study discussed in the article assessed how accurate the new test was, but it couldn’t tell us whether the test improves treatment or leads to better health outcomes for TB patients. So when the story spe... | mixture | "This story does more than pay lip service to cost, flagging it as the key to making this test available in the developing world. It notes the price tag of the diagnostic machine itself and says that the $63 cost per test may be discounted by more than half in developing world countries. It fails however to compare the... | |
10252 | FDA approves first drug to treat hallucinations and delusions associated with Parkinson’s disease | This news release from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announces the agency’s recent approval of a new drug marketed as Nuplazid (pimavanserin) for the treatment of hallucinations and delusions associated with Parkinson’s disease (PD). The release leaves several crucial questions unanswered. We’re not told how m... | mixture | Government agency news release | The news release makes no mention of Nuplazid’s cost. An online search for the anticipated cost of the drug revealed only that market analysts predict the drug will reach blockbuster status — meaning it will have sales of at least $1 billion. The drug will no doubt be much costlier than competing generic anti-psychotic... |
3126 | 23 states widen challenge to Trump administration car rules. | California on Friday broadened its effort to block the Trump administration from ending its authority to set greenhouse gas emission and fuel economy standards for cars and trucks. | true | District of Columbia, General News, Politics, Environment, California, U.S. News, Lawsuits, Economy | It was joined by 22 states, the District of Columbia and two cities in suing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, building on a similar lawsuit it filed in September a day after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration withdrew California’s waiver. The latest lawsuit challenges the EPA’s attempt to revok... |
40399 | This eRumor includes a series of pictures of what is says is the hand of a man who was bitten by a brown recluse spider. It also claims that the brown recluse is the most dangerous spider in the U.S. | Pictures of a victim of brown reclusive spider bite | unproven | Insects, Warnings | We’ve not found the source of these particular pictures, but they are consistent with what other victims claim to have experienced from having been bitten by a brown recluse spider. CLICK HERE for a site that has hundreds of stories from, and pictures of, alleged brown reclusive bites. Brown recluse spiders are primari... |
12431 | Nearly $2 billion in cash was flown over to Iran, money that the Obama administration has admitted is being used for terrorists and to support further activities there. | Handel said the Obama administration admitted that nearly $2 billion flown to Iran is being used to fund terrorism and various supporting activities. She is more specific than the record supports. One way or another, the United States transferred $1.7 billion owed to Iran. As for what the administration admitted, Kerry... | mixture | Georgia, Foreign Policy, Nuclear, Terrorism, Karen Handel, | "All politics might be local but foreign policy dominated the open of the televised debate in the Georgia congressional race between Democrat Jon Ossoff and Republican Karen Handel. Asked about Iran and the Barack Obama-era deal that was designed to put the brakes on its nuclear program, Handel said, ""Nearly $2 billio... |
26801 | “Corona virus: Florida man arrested for robbery using cough as a weapon.” | This screenshot of “breaking news” is originally from a satirical news site. If you look closely, you’ll see a news generator watermark in the top right corner, meaning the image was created. | false | Florida, Facebook Fact-checks, Coronavirus, Facebook posts, | "The most recent piece of misinformation being spread about the coronavirus disease 2019, also called COVID-19, is that it can be used as a unique robbery weapon. A Facebook post uploaded on Feb. 26, 2020, includes a screenshot of a news story with the headline: ""Corona virus: Florida man arrested for robbery using co... |
34199 | Intravenous drug users commonly clean their needles by sticking them into rolls of toilet paper in public bathrooms. | What's false: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the National Institute for Drug Abuse both said they are not aware of it being a common practice for intravenous drug users to clean needles by stabbing them into rolls of toilet paper. What's undetermined: Whether a photograph shows a roll of toilet p... | unproven | Medical | In March 2019, a number of social media users encountered a piece of text warning them to be extra cautious in public bathrooms because intravenous drug users purportedly were known to clean their needles by sticking them into rolls of toilet paper: I took a HAZWOP class about 6 months ago and ever since then I always... |
4563 | Vegetarians gaining ground in carnivorous Argentina. | A fight is on over the Argentine identity, pitting a growing number of vegetarians and vegans against meat-eaters in a country known for its abundant beef, gaucho cowboys and sacred “asado” barbecues. | true | AP Top News, Animals, International News, South America, General News, Buenos Aires, Latin America, Caribbean, Health, Vegetarianism, Argentina | The weekend “asados” bring together families and friends and are a source of national pride in this South American country, which traditionally battles neighboring Uruguay for world leader in per-capita beef consumption. But this carnivorousness is being threatened by rising support for vegetarianism and veganism among... |
9981 | Study: ADHD Diet Helps Reduce Symptoms | Within the body of the story, some nuggets of solid health information can be found, but they can’t outshine all the cheerleading for a diet that may prove, upon much needed further study, to be bad for kids. ADHD affects, by most estimates, 1 out of every 20 kids, and researchers are not certain what causes it or what... | false | Diet studies,WebMD | This story doesn’t mention specific costs, although it at least makes a passing reference to expense: “It can be time consuming and more expensive than other diets, experts say.” The story explains that if parents are to embark on this diet, they will need to have their kids monitored by “experts” or by “a primary care... |
7384 | EU: Possible virus drug approval ‘before the summer’. | The European Medicines Agency predicted that there could be licensed drugs to treat the new coronavirus in the next few months and that a vaccine might even be approved in early 2021, in a “best-case scenario.” | true | Understanding the Outbreak, International News, Clinical trials, Health, Business, Racing for a Remedy, Virus Outbreak, Europe, General News | Dr. Marco Cavaleri, who heads the European regulator’s vaccines department, told a media briefing on Thursday that approving medicines to treat COVID-19 might be possible “before the summer,” citing ongoing clinical trials. Recent early results for the drug remdesivir suggested it could help patients recover from the c... |
35203 | People with Type-A blood are more susceptible to COVID-19. | Tara Moriarty, an expert in infectious diseases and immunopathology with the University of Toronto, told us by email that the study provides “an interesting observation that may have an impact on how we identify those most at risk of disease, but until it has been fully peer-reviewed and confirmed/disconfirmed by addit... | unproven | Medical | On March 11, 2020, researchers in China released a preliminary draft of a study that collected data on the ABO blood types of 2,173 patients with lab-verified cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus disease from two hospitals in Wuhan and one in Shenzhen. The researchers compared the distribution of blood types in the infect... |
2659 | Crowded, stretched world awaits 7 billionth baby. | The world’s 7 billionth person will be born into a population more aware than ever of the challenges of sustaining life on a crowded planet but no closer to a consensus about what to do about it. | true | Health News | "Newly born babies rest inside a ward at a hospital on the occasion of ""World Population Day"" in the northern Indian city Lucknow in this file picture taken July 11, 2009. REUTERS/Pawan Kumar/Files To some demographers the milestone foreshadows turbulent times ahead: nations grappling with rapid urbanization, environ... |
8107 | French coronavirus death toll tops 1,000, lockdown likely to be extended. | France became the fifth country to report more than 1,000 deaths from coronavirus on Tuesday and a government body dealing with the outbreak suggested the national lockdown imposed last week for an initial 15 days should last at least six weeks. | true | Health News | Health Minister Olivier Veran told a briefing he could not determine at this stage when the lockdown would end. If the government were to follow the scientific council’s advice, France would remain at a virtual standstill until April 28. A statement by the council, which advises President Emmanuel Macron on the coronav... |
9544 | Balloon-in-a-pill helped obese patients lose weight | Credit: FDA safety materials on Obalon This story about a balloon swallowed by people with obesity to help them diet and lose weight is more informative than the associated conference news release we also reviewed. The overall tone of the story balances the positive spin from a researcher with skeptical comments from i... | true | gastric balloon,weight loss | While the story notes that the U.S. price of the Obalon intragastric balloon has yet to be announced, the story could have reported that the device and related care typically cost $2,500 to $4,000 in Europe, where it has been available for almost three years. Costs are also likely markedly higher than working with a be... |
33325 | Doctors have performed the first successful human head transplant. | Dr. Canavero’s plans for effecting a human head transplant on a live patient are still in the future; no such transplant has been undertaken (successfully or otherwise) in the meanwhile. The article about the South African transplant was a just a hoax from the News Examiner, a fake news site. | false | Media Matters, head transplant, Not Necessarily The News, south africa | Coincident with thenm-current news that Italian physician Dr. Sergio Canavero had lined up a volunteer subject for his planned attempt at undertaking the first human head transplant, the News Examiner web site published an article reporting that such a procedure had just taken place at the Charlotte Maxexe Johannesburg... |
32502 | Mike Pence said that if abortion were allowed in cases of rape, then women would try to get raped in order to have abortions. | Newslo and its companion sites most commonly publish articles containing one paragraph of straightforward news and a balance of false information. Prior efforts from the outlets included reports Chris Christie said a female version of Viagra would lead to increased “lesbianism” (and voted down a gender pay parity bill ... | false | Junk News, abortion, mike pence, newslo | On 17 July 2016, the web site Newslo reported that Indiana governor Mike Pence, the newly-announced running mate of GOP candidate Donald Trump, had said allowing rape victims to have abortions would lead to women trying to get raped in order to have abortions: The Republican war on women continues unabated. The same we... |
6366 | Vaccinations offered amid hepatitis worries in Franklin Co. | Health officials in eastern Missouri’s Franklin County plan mass hepatitis A vaccinations Friday and Saturday after another outbreak of the contagious liver infection. | true | Michael Brown, Health, Washington, Hepatitis | The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that an employee at a Bob Evans restaurant in Washington was infected. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services says it is “uncommon” for restaurant patrons to catch hepatitis A from a sick food handler, but urged precautionary vaccinations for those who ate at the resta... |
10114 | Muscle Relaxant May Ease Fibromyalgia Pain | The strong criticism of an independent source should have been front and center, with the promotional statements of the drug company president and researcher pushed lower down. The story includes many of the details we want to see in stories about medical research, and the independent source provided a powerful counter... | mixture | WebMD | The reporter did ask about cost, and since the research is at such an early stage, it may be reasonable to accept the company president’s reply that he cannot estimate the cost. Since the drug is available for other uses, it would have been informative to include a range of prices for the pills already on the market fo... |
29681 | St. Patrick led the genocide of a contingent of Twa 'pygmies' from Central Africa, who were the original inhabitants of Ireland. | We also put the theory to Dáibhí Ó’Cróinín, professor of history at the National University of Ireland in Galway, and the author of a history of early medieval Ireland. His emailed response was unequivocal: “Complete nonsense,” he wrote. | false | History | In the summer of 2019, we received renewed inquiries from readers about an unusual interpretation of the legacy of St. Patrick, one that claimed the patron saint of Ireland was responsible for the genocide of an African tribe who were purportedly the original inhabitants of that island. The theory has given rise to man... |
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