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37581 | The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's page tracking the number of COVID-19 cases in the United States stopped disclosing the number of people tested between March 1 and 2 2020. | Did the CDC Stop Disclosing How Many People Were Tested for Coronavirus in the United States? | unproven | Fact Checks, Viral Content | On March 2 2020, journalist Judd Legum published a tweet claiming that the website for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had been updated between March 1 and 2 2020, and that after the update the CDC was no longer disclosing the number of Americans tested for COVID-19:BREAKING: The CDC has stopped di... |
21832 | Only seven of 18 federal food assistance programs have been associated with positive health and nutrition outcomes, while the remaining 11 have not been effective. | Rep. Jim Jordan says 7 of 18 food programs check out, but 11 were deemed ineffective | mixture | Ohio, Federal Budget, Jim Jordan, | "Duplication and wasteful spending in federal welfare programs are targets near and dear to Rep. Jim Jordan. The Ohio Republican chairs an influential group, the Republican Study Committee. The group’s political beliefs generally intersect with those of the Tea Party, and they include a desire to stop wasteful governme... |
3985 | Romania reports 500 outbreaks of African swine fever in pigs. | Romanian authorities have reported more than 500 separate outbreaks of African swine fever in pigs, mainly in the Danube Delta and near the Hungarian border. | true | Health, Romania, Animal health | In the eastern county of Tulcea, the region worst hit by the disease, an official told The Associated Press on Monday that a state of emergency had been proclaimed. Mihai Pagal, a spokesman for the Tulcea prefect’s office, said 48,000 pigs had been culled since June after they came down with the disease. He said two la... |
9545 | Bloodsucking parasitic hookworms could help make millions of people healthier | Credit: The Korean Academy of Medical Sciences This story reports on a group of researchers who have derived a compound from hookworm spit that they have tested with some success as a treatment for asthmatic mice. Scientists have observed for several years now that rates of autoimmune disorders and allergies are lower ... | false | asthma,worms | The story speculates at length about potential benefits of this treatment, before ever establishing that this is preliminary research. Our guideline is “if it’s not too early to talk about benefits, then it’s not too early to talk about costs.” This story didn’t do so. The heading of the article is eye catching: blood-... |
14453 | Gun violence is by far the leading cause of death for young African American men, outstripping the next nine causes of death combined. | "Clinton said, ""Gun violence is by far the leading cause of death for young African-American men, outstripping the next nine causes of death combined."" As long as you define ""young"" as being between the ages of 15 and 24, Clinton’s statement is accurate, according to CDC data." | true | National, Race and Ethnicity, Guns, Hillary Clinton, | "In a speech posted on Medium, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton offered a striking statistic about gun violence and minority youth. ""Gun violence,"" she wrote, ""is by far the leading cause of death for young African-American men, outstripping the next nine causes of death combined."" We wondered whet... |
9772 | FDA OKs second test to see if Essure contraceptive is placed right | This article describes FDA approval of transvaginal ultrasound (TVU) as an alternative test method to confirm the proper placement of the Essure permanent contraception device. The test, like the currently used hysterosalpingogram (HSG), must be performed three months after placement of the device. The announcement by ... | false | Essure device | The article does not mention the cost of a TVU or whether a separate charge will be applied for this procedure. In general, TVUs can be costly if not covered by insurance. Depending on the insurance status, who does it, or where (geographically) it is done, the procedure could cost between $250-1,000. It is in interest... |
37748 | As of July 2020, Britney Spears is subject to the rigors of a conservatorship, limiting her freedom. | Although the #FreeBritney movement seemed to exist in some form as early as 2010 and 2011, it didn’t really pick up until the spring of 2019, when a podcast caused the hashtag to go viral on Twitter. Fans of Spears maintained that the conservatorship controlling her life in some form or another since 2008 was improper ... | true | Fact Checks, Viral Content | In July 10 2020, a Facebook post appeared about the #FreeBritney movement (evidently aimed at liberating Britney Spears), becoming hugely popular within just a few days:The Text of the PostThe post — which was lengthy and full of details — began with an interpretation of Spears’ purported signals for help:PSA on Britne... |
9071 | Lose fat, preserve muscle: Weight training beats cardio for older adults | This news release describes a recent study on the effect different exercises combined with calorie restriction had on older adults. The researchers found that, unsurprisingly, exercise combined with diet was more effective at promoting weight loss than diet alone. The researchers also reported that the type of exercise... | mixture | older adults,Wake Forest University,weight training | The news release does not make any mention of costs. Although weight training isn’t like a medication with a certain price, the release could have added information about the cost of local weight training classes at senior centers, YMCA classes, etc. There are also many articles online that discuss tips on weight train... |
34203 | An infant who survived abortion in a Polish hospital screamed for an hour while left alone to die. | We reached out to the Holy Family Hospital in Poland for comment but have not received a response. | unproven | Politics, abortion | A story reporting that a screaming baby was left to die after a failed abortion has circulated on a number of pro-life web sites since 2016. For example, in 2016 the web site LiveAction.org reported it under the headline “Infant who survived abortion screamed for an hour while left alone to die,” while in 2019, Life Si... |
9615 | Prozac May Be the Only Drug That Effectively Treats Depression in Kids | This story covers a meta-analysis led by a researcher at the University of Oxford (UK) that examined peer-reviewed studies on the effects of 14 antidepressants on children and adolescents diagnosed with major depressive disorder. Published in the Lancet, the study found that only fluoxetine, marketed in the U.S. under ... | false | antidepressants | The story does not discuss the cost of antidepressants, though does mention that the alternative, cognitive behavioral therapy, “is a high-cost intervention in terms of both dollars and time invested.” A cost comparison would have been useful since the study encourages a shift away from drugs and toward therapy. Seeing... |
22349 | "The ""House-passed budget proposal could cut funding for programs that help keep local neighborhoods safe, slash more than $1.7 million in anti-terror funds for Ohio." | Sen. Sherrod Brown says cuts proposed by House GOP could hurt police, terror prevention efforts | true | Ohio, Criminal Justice, Federal Budget, Crime, Sherrod Brown, | "The House of Representatives passed a bill in February that would keep the United States government operating through this fiscal year while making a small dent in the federal debt. Democrats say it's a bad bill that slashes important programs; Republicans say the cuts are necessary. We're not going to pick apart the ... |
37872 | Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer required protection from armed protesters at the state house on April 30, 2020. | Did Michigan Gov. Whitmer Need Protection From Armed Right-Wing Protesters? | false | Fact Checks, Viral Content | As armed demonstrators descended on the Michigan statehouse in Lansing on April 30 2020, the footage became a point of contention online.The video, first posted by WDIV-TV business editor Rod Meloni, shows a group of protesters demanding to be let into the state House chambers. It was shared on Twitter thousands of tim... |
7531 | Snow day? No, it’s illness _ again _ in school district. | Illness — not snow — canceled classes Monday for a fourth time at a school district in Michigan’s northern Lower Peninsula. | true | Health, Lake Huron, General News, Flu, Michigan | “I hope that this is the last of it,” Rogers City Superintendent Nick Hein told The Alpena News. Bad weather hasn’t scratched classes this year in Rogers City, which is along Lake Huron, 60 miles southeast of the Mackinac Bridge. But illness is another story. The district has roughly 510 students. A quarter of them wer... |
9050 | Migraine surgery produces 'dramatic improvements' in functioning, study finds | Getty Images This news release discussed a study from the journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery which claims that migraine surgery can lead to “dramatic improvements” in patients’ functionality and quality of life. Migraine surgery entails decompressing nerves around the face and head of migraine sufferers. The... | false | migraine surgery,Wolters Kluwer Health | The news release did not include the cost of this migraine surgery — nor did it really say what a migraine surgery entails, except for briefly comparing it to a cosmetic forehead-lift. According to the website linked in the news release, a cosmetic forehead-lift (also called a “brow lift) costs an average of $3,403. Ho... |
26270 | Speaking about border apprehensions, said “We have some of the best numbers we've ever had. Southern border, the best numbers we've ever had.” | Year-to-date apprehension numbers are the lowest the Trump administration has seen so far, but are higher than in some past administrations. In terms of monthly data, it is not the lowest the Trump administration has seen. Experts said the numbers are down because the global pandemic that has caused lockdowns in foreig... | mixture | Immigration, Border Security, Homeland Security, Donald Trump, | "Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo asked President Donald Trump if he’d use the ""same playbook"" to get the United States economy back on track after disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Trump answered that he’s always being an ""America First"" person and pointed to his administration’s work on Southwest b... |
31120 | A man in Argentina died from peritonitis after holding in gas during a visit with his girlfriend's mother. | This further demonstrates that the fictional plight of “Jorge” is just a tall tale with a moral lesson (a man killed by his own shame in the presence of his girlfriend’s mother) rather than an accurate description of events that actually took place — in Mexico, Argentina, or anywhere else. | false | Junk News, argentina, fake news, farting | On 3 August 2017, the satirical web site 8Shit published appeared to claim that a man in Argentina had died after holding in gas during a visit with his girlfriend’s mother. Jorge Caradeculito went to visit his girlfriend at lunch and had lunch with her and her mother. Unfortunately, the food was not was he was used to... |
3969 | Brazil suspends beef exports to China due to ‘mad cow’ case. | Brazil is suspending beef exports to China after confirming a case of “mad cow disease,” describing it as an isolated instance with no evidence of any widespread outbreak. | true | Brazil, Global trade, Health, General News, Animal health, Caribbean, China, Latin America | A spokesperson for Brazil’s agriculture ministry said Monday the suspension of exports was implemented automatically after the case was confirmed. Such a step is required under the two countries’ bilateral agreement. Ministry spokesperson Regina Peres said the case detected Friday in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso ... |
33359 | George Washington told of an angel who revealed a prophetic vision of America to him at Valley Forge. | At what point shall we expect the approach of danger? By what means shall we fortify against it? — Shall we expect some transatlantic military giant to step the Ocean and crush us at a blow? Never! — All the armies of Europe, Asia and Africa combined, with all the treasure of the earth (our own excepted) in their milit... | false | History, American History, george washington | “Washington’s Vision” (reproduced as the example below) is a narrative presented as the 1859 reminiscences of 99-year-old Anthony Sherman, who was supposedly present with George Washington’s army at Valley Forge during the winter of 1777 and overheard Washington tell an officer that an angel had revealed a prophetic vi... |
5463 | Rauner now plans to raze vet dorms where Legionnaires’ found. | Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration announced on Monday that it plans to replace residence halls at the Quincy veterans’ facility which housed victims of a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak responsible for the deaths of 13 people and making dozens more ill since 2015. | true | U.S. News, Quincy, Health, Legionnaires disease, Illinois, Disease outbreaks, U.S. News, Veterans, Bruce Rauner | The plan, revealed by Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs Director Erica Jeffries at a legislative hearing in Chicago, comes after a pledge by the Republican governor less than two months ago that he would replace antiquated plumbing which could provide harbor for the bacteria that causes the deadly, pneumonia-lik... |
11051 | Stem cell treatment used for diabetes | "The story we reviewed was a 724-word version that the Boston Globe published, taken from an original Los Angeles Times story that had 1,253 words. While our overall review is quite favorable, the shorter Boston version left out important context for the story – most notably on the potential harms of the procedure in q... | true | "The story does not mention any costs of the experimental procedure. The story states that the new therapy eliminated the need for injections for months or years in 14 of 15 patients, thereby describing absolute benefits. The story states the new treatment is not without risks and that patients are prone to infection. ... | |
6177 | Bird flu infects 7 people in China this month, killing 2. | China has reported at least seven cases of bird flu in humans across the country this month, including two deaths, as authorities take steps to guard against an outbreak. | true | Health, Shanghai, Flu, Bird flu, China, Asia Pacific | Five cases of H7N9 bird flu infections have been diagnosed in central Anhui province since Dec. 8, and two people have died, state media reported. In Shanghai, officials said this week that a man was diagnosed with H7N9 and is being treated in a city hospital. Another case has been reported in Xiamen in coastal Fujian ... |
10540 | Doctors suggest that women hit pause button on osteoporosis drugs | This story about drug treatments for osteoporosis positions itself as a careful re-analysis of the benefits and harms of a class of drugs known as bisphosphonates. So we were surprised to find that this story suffers from some of the same deficiencies that typically plague boosterish puff pieces. Particularly problemat... | mixture | Los Angeles Times,Osteoporosis,women's health | There was no discussion of costs, and we think there always should be. The story suggests that there are women who will clearly benefit from taking bisphosphonates and for whom these benefits will outweigh the harms. However, the story never provides any detailed accounting of how often these benefits occur. We are ass... |
9254 | KVK Tech Announces FDA-Approval of Lomaira™ (phentermine hydrochloride USP) 8 mg tablets, CIV, A Low-Cost, Low-Dose Phentermine That Can Be Used Up To Three Times Daily for Weight Reduction | This release describes a new low-dose, low-cost form of the drug Lomaira (phentermine hydrochloride USP) for use in weight control along with exercise and a controlled diet. While it gets points for addressing the issue of costs and it is exuberant in its information on possible side effects and other medical concerns,... | mixture | KVK Tech,phentermine | This release makes the specific point that this newly approved dosage of the drug Lomaira (phentermine hydrochloride USP) will cost eligible patients “no more than 50¢ per tablet for the duration of treatment” if they qualify for the manufacturer’s assistance program. It makes the point that many insurance plans will n... |
3130 | Putin says Trump was impeached for ‘far-fetched’ reasons. | Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that U.S. President Donald Trump was impeached for “far-fetched” reasons, calling the move by Democrats a continuation of their fight against the Republican leader. | true | Ukraine, Russia, AP Top News, Climate change, Robert Mueller, International News, Moscow, Elections, Politics, Impeachments, Vladimir Putin, Business, Science, Europe, General News, Donald Trump | “It’s simply a continuation of internal political struggle,” Putin said at his end-of-year news conference in Moscow. “The party that lost the (2016) election, the Democratic Party, is trying to achieve results by other means.” He likened Trump’s impeachment to the earlier U.S. probe into collusion with Russia, which P... |
9469 | NO LAUGHING MATTER: NITROUS OXIDE REAPPEARS IN US AMBULANCES | This story on the use of nitrous oxide in ambulances seems to come out of nowhere, which is often a good starting point for a news story. It covers the costs of the drug. It quotes multiple sources. It discusses the harms of the drug. But it also fails to answer too many questions. Deep in this story about nitrous oxid... | mixture | nitrous oxide,pain | The story touches on costs, saying: Stowe, a largely volunteer squad, is adding a unit to a second ambulance this fall at a cost of about $3,800, plus costs for disposable supplies and some cleaning agents, as well as the nitrous cylinders, which cost about $14 to refill. Brinkman estimates the drug costs less than $10... |
10121 | Benefits of Spine Surgery Affirmed | "This news story presents a summary of a major new study comparing surgery to nonoperative treatments for lumbar spinal stenosis. However, its explanation of the nature of the new evidence and the apparent advantages of surgery is incomplete, and could leave a reader with a lopsided view of the benefits of surgery. Bec... | mixture | The article reports the costs of surgery ($10,000-12,000) though it does not mention the cost of nonoperative care or compare the costs of the two treatment regimens. It’s unclear from the article whether the surgery costs encompass all aspects of surgery, from surgeon fees through hospitalization. The story used absol... | |
855 | Thailand unveils first batch of medical marijuana for hospital distribution. | Thailand delivered 4,500 bottles of cannabis oil to treat hospital patients on Wednesday, its first official use of marijuana for medical purposes since a measure legalizing such use took effect this year. | true | Health News | Thailand, which has a tradition of using cannabis to relieve pain and fatigue, legalized marijuana for medical use and research last year to help boost agricultural income. The Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO) delivered the 5-ml (0.17 fl. oz) bottles to the public health ministry to distribute to hospitals... |
4178 | Mississippi Coast beaches open, contact advisories lifted. | All 21 beaches along the Mississippi Gulf Coast are open after being closed this summer for a harmful algae bloom. | true | Environment, Mississippi, Algae | The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality late Friday lifted water contact warnings that were issued Aug. 6. Warnings also were lifted for Pass Christian Harbor, Long Beach Harbor and Bay St. Louis Harbor. All summer long, harmful blue-green algae blooms have plagued the coast. MDEQ says recent results indica... |
4045 | CDC warns Mainers to beware of Lyme as warm season starts. | Public health officials in Maine say now is the time for residents to start taking precautions to avoid Lyme disease in the state. | true | Health, Ticks, Maine, Lyme disease, Public health | The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention says most residents of the state are at risk for the tick-borne infection every day. Ticks also carry pathogens that can cause other diseases, such as babesiosis. The agency says providers reported more than 1,400 confirmed and probable cases of Lyme disease in Maine ... |
35423 | Asheville police officers destroyed a medic tent and its supplies while enforcing a curfew during a protest against police brutality. | Sean Miller, one of the organizers of the medic tent, told a local CBS affiliate that the statement was “shocking.” | true | Medical, George Floyd Protests | During a June 2, 2020 protest against police brutality and racial injustice in Asheville, North Carolina, police in riot gear destroyed a medic tent operated by an “all-volunteer team of doctors, certified nurses, EMTs, military combat medics, and citizens with CPR and first-aid certifications.” According to the Ashevi... |
6993 | In the Seychelles, coral reefs face climate change threat. | Beneath the crystal-clear waters of the Indian Ocean island nation of the Seychelles, a fight is growing to save the coral reefs that shelter a range of creatures, from tiny invertebrates to the sprawling octopus, from climate change. | true | Africa, Climate, Seychelles, Climate change, Oceans, Environment, Corals, Indian Ocean, Coral reefs | The fragile reefs act both as a protective barrier for coastlines and an attraction for the tourists who keep the country’s economy going. But the reefs are also one of the first victims of rising ocean temperatures. The Seychelles in some areas lost up to 90 percent of its coral reefs in 1998 in an environmental event... |
845 | Indonesia president makes moratorium on forest clearance permanent. | Indonesian President Joko Widodo has issued a permanent moratorium on new forest clearance for activities such as palm plantations or logging, the environment minister said on Thursday. | true | Environment | While likely to be welcomed by green groups, some do not think it goes far enough to protect remaining forests in the tropical archipelago. The moratorium, which covers around 66 million hectares (254,827 square miles) of primary forest and peatland, was first introduced in 2011 and has been renewed regularly as part o... |
34343 | Energy drinks caused an expectant father to lose a large portion of his skull. | However, in the lack of additional information we cannot know if doctors did indeed diagnose a man named Austin with a brain hemorrhage, if they attributed the hemorrhage to an energy drink, and if they were correct in doing so. If events did indeed occur this way, they would be — based on the scientific literature — e... | unproven | Food, brain injury, energy drink, hemorrhaging | More than a week after it was published, a 3 October 2017 Facebook post purporting to depict the aftermath of an expectant father’s brain hemorrhage and surgery went viral. The post, which was subsequently deleted from the Facebook page of photography company Endres Photography, described the testimony of a client name... |
28494 | In 35 states, it's legal for police officers to have sex with unconsenting detainees. | In short, the original item published by BuzzFeed pertained not to laws “allowing” police officers to rape with impunity, but an absence of laws that explicitly defined any sexual contact between a detainee and officer as non-consensual in many states. | mixture | Crime, buzzfeed, rape, sexual consent | In February 2018, two articles led to various iterations of a claim that 35 states allow police officers to rape individuals in custody: Examples: [Collected via e-mail and Twitter, February 2017] Someone shared a map on facebook, saying that laws in 35 states allow police officers to rape detainees and get away from i... |
2108 | Female sex pill flops with U.S. advisers. | A pink sex pill offered little help to women and came with unacceptable risks, U.S. government advisers agreed on Friday, another setback in the search for a drug to boost female libido. | true | Health News | Western tourists kiss during sunset near Kuta beach on the Indonesian resort island of Bali in this May 28, 2005 file photo. REUTERS/Darren Whiteside German drugmaker Boehringer Ingelheim failed to convince an expert panel that its pill increased sexual desire enough to win approval. “The efficacy was not sufficiently ... |
10532 | Saltwater therapy helps ease cystic fibrosis | This is a succinct article outlining an additional treatment that can be used by individuals with cystic fibrosis in additional to their currrent treatment that may help them avoid the serious complications of the disease. While it is clear that this treatment has the potential to provide some benefit, the story’s desc... | true | An estimate of the treatment cost, $13/month was obtained from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation The absolute benefit, 41% of those using the treatment avoided complications, is compared with the 16% of those not using the salt water treatment. The treatment was noted as having potentially limited benefit because the pros... | |
32445 | "The headstone of the late U.S. Army Capt. Humayun Khan (son of DNC speaker Khizr Khan) references his ""dying as an apostate." | Dabiq, the militant group’s online magazine, showed a picture of U.S. Army Captain Humayun Khan’s tombstone in Arlington National Cemetery with a caption, “Beware of Dying as an apostate.” | false | Politics | On 28 July 2016, Democratic National Convention (DNC) speaker Khizr Khan became the center of controversy after delivering an impassioned speech about his late son, U.S. Army Capt. Humayun Khan, and decrying Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s suggestions that he would enact a ban on Muslims entering the U... |
11309 | Scientists Testing Vaccines to Help Smokers Quit | This story announces that NicVax (Nicotine Conjugate Vaccine) has been fast-tracked for approval by the FDA. This story clearly describes the current stage in the drug-approval process: The company must conclude several trials before even applying for final FDA approval. However, the story’s enthusiasm for the vaccin... | mixture | The story does not provide even an estimate of the cost of the vaccine. There is the suggestion that if the vaccine were approved it could be a financial boon for Nabi Biopharmaceuticals. Consumers want to know what it may cost them. The story claims that this vaccine will help smokers quit by producing antibodies that... | |
4566 | Brazil authorities zero in on ship suspected of oil spill. | After oil mysteriously washed ashore on some 2,100 kilometers (1,300 miles) of Brazil’s coastline for two months, authorities on Friday identified a suspect: a Greek-flagged ship belonging to Delta Tankers Ltd. | true | Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Caribbean, Venezuela, General News, Latin America, Environment, Oil spills | The Delta-owned NM Bouboulina vessel was navigating through Brazilian waters at the time and location of the spill, Brazilian police and prosecutors said. Brazil’s government has been striving to investigate the cause of the spill that has hit 286 beaches along the northeast coast and hurt fishing and tourism. Authorit... |
36480 | Arkansas state legislator Alan Clark sponsored a bill punitively cutting free lunch programs for impoverished students in February 2019. | Did an Arkansas Republican Propose Cutting Free Lunches to Punish Students? | false | Fact Checks, Politics | On February 26 2019, the Facebook page “Occupy Democrats” shared the following meme (archived here), alleging that state legislator from Arkansas Alan Clark proposed cuts to school lunch programs for disadvantaged children:Text around a photograph of Clark read:Idiot Politician of the Day – February 26, 2019America, me... |
5946 | Rhode Island gets $17M to fight opioid addiction, overdoses. | Rhode Island has been awarded $17.1 million in federal funding to combat opioid addiction and overdose deaths. | true | Rhode Island, Opioids, Health, Jack Reed, General News | U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, a Rhode Island Democrat, announced grants totaling $17.1 million from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These grants aim to help the state reduce overdose deaths through prevention, treatment and recovery efforts, ... |
5802 | China to allow some drugs based on foreign approvals. | China will allow use of some drugs and medical devices based on approval by foreign regulators, the government said Monday, in a move that could help to ease access to its health care market. | true | Beijing, Access to health care, Medical technology, Technology, Health, China | The step was one of a series announced by Chinese drug regulators to improve access to treatments and streamline an approval process that foreign suppliers complain is too slow and complex. The communist government is in the midst of a marathon effort to expand access to health care for China’s 1.4 billion people. At t... |
30003 | The U.S. Department of Justice admitted that the flu shot is the most dangerous vaccine in America. | "The FBI issues a ""Most Wanted Fugitives"" list, but the DOJ has no equivalent for supposedly ""Dangerous Vaccines.""" | false | Medical, vaccines | Among the most abused sources of data in the anti-vaccine blogosphere (outside of perhaps, retracted papers) are records regularly released by the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP), a federal claims court that settles cases of alleged vaccine injury. The court was established in 1986 as part of a com... |
5021 | Gambians embrace new freedoms with environment activism. | Hundreds of Gambians were grateful for the jobs created by a Chinese-run fish processing plant that arrived in 2014. Then they were shocked when dead fish began washing up on a nearby shore. | true | Environment, Banjul, Gambia, Fish, Africa, West Africa | Residents of the coastal town of Gunjur reported chemical residue on their skin after swimming that made them itch. Environmental activists blamed the Chinese-owned company, Golden Lead Import & Export. After activists said the company had failed to remove a pipe accused of spewing toxic waste into the sea, local youth... |
15482 | "Jeb Bush Says Hillary Clinton ""insists that when the progressive agenda encounters religious beliefs to the contrary, those beliefs ‘have to be changed.’ " | "Bush said, ""Secretary Clinton insists that when the progressive agenda encounters religious beliefs to the contrary, those beliefs ‘have to be changed.’ "" During a speech about women’s rights worldwide in April, Clinton talked about the rates of maternal mortality, domestic violence, lack of access to education and ... | mixture | Religion, Women, Florida, Jeb Bush, | "As he tries to appeal to religious conservatives, Jeb Bush has portrayed Hillary Clinton as the enemy of those who believe in religious freedom. ""These have been rough years for religious charities and their right of conscience, and the leading Democratic candidate hinted of more to come,"" Bush said during his annou... |
10208 | Short stint of Herceptin holds promise for breast cancer | This story discusses the results of a recent study involving women with high-risk early breast cancer (node positive or >2cm, age younger than 66 – there were 25 year olds on the trial). One aspect of this trial focused on the short-term use of Herceptin with chemotherapy. Women with overexpression of the HER2/neu gene... | true | Mentions cost for one year of Herceptin as $40,000-$50,000. Mentions quantitative benefit of 9 weeks of Herceptin vs. no Herceptin with certain chemotherapy. Also, while no women in the Herceptin group had cardiac failure at 3 years, the follow-up period may not be long-enough to determine the effects of chemotherapy a... | |
4357 | 41 children to be tested after worked tests positive for TB. | A county health department in southwest Ohio says children, staff members and others will be tested for tuberculosis because of concerns that a former day care center worker may have exposed them to the infectious bacterial disease. | true | Health, Ohio, Cincinnati, Tuberculosis | WCPO-TV reports Hamilton County Health Department spokesman Mike Samet said Friday there are concerns that 41 children, seven day care workers and four other people could have been exposed to tuberculosis through interactions with the former employee who is receiving treatment and recovering. Samet says each household ... |
37556 | "The website ""coronavirusmap.com"" contains a type of malware that can steal users' personal information." | Are Hackers Using Fake ‘Coronavirus Maps’ to Import Malware? | true | Disinformation, Fact Checks | In March 2020, as global fears about the COVID-19 pandemic continued to grow among a morass of disinformation and state-sponsored propaganda, security experts warned about websites using their fear of the novel coronavirus to infect their machines and subject them to information theft.According to the cybersecurity com... |
8531 | Using his own 'metrics,' Trump says ending U.S. shutdown is biggest decision yet. | President Donald Trump said on Friday he faced his biggest decision yet with regard to when to re-open the U.S. economy from its coronavirus shutdown and pledged to listen to health experts when making that determination. | true | Health News | Speaking at a White House coronavirus briefing, Trump said he would unveil a new advisory group next week that would focus on the process of economic opening. The president, who faced criticism for playing down the threat from the virus in its early stages, has chafed at the devastating economic impact of the strict so... |
29485 | The red-bellied pacu, an invasive species related to the piranha but with human-like teeth, is known to have bitten off men's testicles, killing at least two victims. | What's true: The pacu is a cousin of the piranha; its teeth look somewhat human-like; in 2001, one male swimmer was reportedly bitten on the genitals and one female swimmer on the leg by pacu fish in in Papua New Guinea, but both survived. What's false: There are no documented instances of Pacu fish biting men's testic... | false | Critter Country, Lethal Lurkers, pacu, piranha | It’s probably safe to say that most people had never heard of the red-bellied pacu before press reports came out in 2013 warning Scandinavian men not to swim nude in the strait of Oresund (a body of water between Denmark and Sweden) at the risk of losing their testicles to a “fish with human teeth.” The lurid warnings ... |
41087 | US-Patent 8835624 is for the H1N1 virus. | The patent with this number was for a strand of DNA that binds to the H1N1 virus, not the virus itself. | mixture | online | US-Patent 8835624 is for the H1N1 virus. The patent with this number was for a strand of DNA that binds to the H1N1 virus, not the virus itself. US patent number 20120251502 is for Ebola. This application number was for a strain of the Ebola virus but the application has now been abandoned. The virus was not created by... |
31111 | "Senator John McCain said that he accidentally voted ""no"" on repealing the Affordable Care Act." | It is bizarre and deeply unfortunate that Senator Johnson would question the judgment of a colleague and friend. Senator McCain has been very open and clear about the reasons for his vote. | false | Junk News, american news 88, americannews88.com, empire news | In July 2017, Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona) cast the decisive “No” vote to kill a bill that would have repealed key parts of the Affordable Care Act, also known as the ACA or Obamacare, seemingly stopping a years-long push to take down the health care law in its tracks. Not long after that, disreputable web sites with n... |
32926 | Bristol Palin said all black actors look alike, making Oscar nominees difficult to diversify. | Previous Newslo, Religionlo, and Politicalo articles that prompted similar social media confusion included items claiming Marco Rubio said women should be placed in custody if it was suspected they were considering an abortion (and that Zika was a punishment from God), Pat Robertson said gay people should wear specific... | false | Junk News, bristol palin, newslo, oscars | On 27 January 2016, Newslo published an article about the #OscarsSoWhite controversy, claiming that blogger Bristol Palin said that Oscar nominations excluded people of color because all black people look alike: Abstinence advocate and culture war blogger Bristol Palin recently lashed out at black actors who have compl... |
10689 | Controlling Blood Pressure | This story on an implanted pacemaker to control previously uncontrolled high blood pressure called it a “breakthrough” a “game-changer,” and said it has “proven highly effective” and could help millions. Strip away the hyperbole and the story failed to: Give any evidence – any data – on how well it worked; Include ... | false | "There was no discussion of estimated price for this device and treatment. If it’s not too early for the network to say this is ""proven highly effective"" and a ""game-changer,"" then it’s certainly not to early to discuss costs. There was no information provided about the extent to which this device might be expected... | |
3509 | Green gaming: Video game firms make climate promises at UN. | Gaming is going green — and some of the biggest game companies hope players will, too. | true | Lifestyle, Technology, General News, Environment, Games, United Nations General Assembly, United Nations, Video games, U.S. News, Birds | The companies behind PlayStation, Xbox, Angry Birds, Minecraft, Twitch and other video games and platforms pledged Monday at the U.N. to level up efforts to fight climate change and get their throngs of users involved. The promises range from planting trees to reducing plastic packaging, from making game devices more e... |
38975 | A viral email claims that pricking a stroke victim’s fingers with a needle can indicate whether or not they are having a stroke and can reverse the effects of a stroke. | New Stroke Indicator Can Help Save Lives – Fiction! | false | Health / Medical | Claims made in this email about new indicators for strokes are false, and following the instructions could jeopardize a stroke victim’s life. The email, which first circulated in 2006, says to prick the fingers of a person who may be having a stroke with a needle until they regain consciousness. If they don’t come to a... |
6363 | State awards contract to boost hepatitis A vaccination rate. | Missouri health officials have signed a contract designed to boost the rate of people vaccinated against hepatitis A as the number of cases of the liver disease increases. | true | Michael Brown, Health, General News, Hepatitis, Liver disease | The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services awarded a no-bid contract to the Missouri Primary Care Association. The agreement will pay the organization $125,000 a year to focus on getting more adolescents to receive at least five vaccines, including influenza, hepatiti... |
3561 | With Trump rollback, school lunch could get more white bread. | Is white bread about to make a comeback on school lunch menus? | true | Nutrition, Vermont, Health, Politics, Oregon, Lifestyle, AP Top News, U.S. News | After complaints about taste and costs, the Trump administration rolled back a rule that required foods like pasta and bread be made with whole grains. The cafeteria directors who lobbied for the change say they just want greater flexibility to serve foods like white bread — which are more processed and have less fiber... |
14231 | "John Kirby Says President Barack Obama never said, ""No boots on the ground"" in Syria." | "Kirby said that Obama never said, ""No boots on the ground"" in Syria. We accept that there are legitimate reasons for differentiating between a large ground force and a smaller number of special operations forces. Still, it’s clear that Obama repeatedly used the term ""no boots on the ground,"" sometimes with extensi... | false | National, Foreign Policy, Military, John Kirby, | "On April 25, 2016, President Barack Obama announced that he would be sending an additional 250 special-operations troops to Syria to counter the Islamic extremist group variously known as ISIS, ISIL or Daesh. ""Just as I approved additional support for Iraqi forces against ISIL, I've decided to increase U.S. support f... |
4989 | Pittsburgh-based Magee-Womens institute to offer $1M prize. | The Pittsburgh-based Magee-Womens Research Institute is planning to offer a $1 million prize for innovative research into women’s health when it holds its inaugural summit next October at the city’s David L. Lawrence Convention Center. | true | Pittsburgh, Health, David L. Lawrence, Womens health | The charity’s board chair, Carrie Coghill, says the idea is for the award to be seen as similar to a Nobel Prize for women’s health. The Richard King Mellon Foundation is funding the effort. The group’s efforts are built around three goals. The 9-90 program focuses on identifying and curing illnesses originate while a ... |
21173 | Lloyd Doggett Says the main Central Texas food bank is delivering 50 percent more food to the poor than three years ago. | Lloyd Doggett says Central Texas food bank deliveries up 50 percent from three years ago | true | Economy, Poverty, Texas, Lloyd Doggett, | "In a September 2011 floor speech, Democratic U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett of Austin spoke of two concerns he said are growing in the Lone Star State: poverty and hunger. Doggett said that in tough times, more families are turning to food banks, creating ""immense"" demand. Among his examples: The Austin-based Capital Area ... |
33639 | Electric fans left running overnight kill persons sleeping in the breeze they generate. | Do electric fans left running overnight kill persons sleeping in the breeze they generate? | false | Horrors, ASP Article, electric fans, freakish fatalities | Although many folk beliefs take root worldwide, some remain peculiar to specific cultures. Such is the case of the South Korean conviction about “fan death,” a deadly fate said to await those who sleep nights in rooms where electric fans are left running. There are three primary theories as to why leaving a fan running... |
26592 | “All schools in Canada are closed for the rest of the school year, each family will receive $950 every two weeks for the next 15 weeks, banks were notif(ied) to suspend mortgage payments for at least 6 months, and student loans deferred.” | All 10 Canadian provinces have closed schools either indefinitely or for a specified length of time. None have shut down schools for the school year. New employment insurance benefits will send money to Canadian workers who have lost income as a result of the coronavirus. Not every family will benefit. Canadian borrowe... | mixture | Economy, Public Health, Workers, Facebook Fact-checks, Coronavirus, Facebook posts, | "Facebook users are sharing a post that credits Canada with responding to the novel coronavirus in ways the United States has not. But the post muddles some details of Canada’s response. ""All schools in Canada are closed for the rest of the school year, each family will receive $950 every two weeks for the next 15 wee... |
34214 | Two dozen children went home from St. Jude's hospital cancer-free in a single week. | It’s unclear what message the meme maker was trying to send. However the false notion that a cure for cancer exists but is being suppressed by the pharmaceutical industry is a popular and persistent conspiracy theory. | unproven | Viral Phenomena | On 18 January 2019, a Facebook user employed the platform’s feature that creates large-font statuses with brightly-colored backgrounds to report a unverified yet widely-shared claim: The meme didn’t include any source or details related to its claim that two dozen children were sent home from St. Jude — a research hos... |
30788 | The daughter of U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer recently spoken out about her father's supposed affair with one of her high school classmates. | On 12 December 2017, reports emerged about an attempt to frame Schumer in a sex scandal, one involving forged documents. The Senator reported the alleged to plot to law enforcement, according to the news web site Axios. | false | Junk News, america's last line of defense, chuck schumer | On 8 December 2017, the “America’s Last Line of Defense” web site published an article reporting that the daughter of U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer (D.-NY) had recently spoken out about her father’s supposed affair with one of her high school classmates: Things just keep getting worse for the Democrat party. As Republican... |
10098 | Prostate drug may work as a preventive | "This story just didn’t deliver vital context, analysis and independent perspect ive on this study. Taking these drugs would not necessarily reduce the risk of dying from prostate cancer–the ultimate goal of a prevention drug–because they appear to reduce the risk for only the moderately aggressive cancers. Men could s... | mixture | "The $3.23 cost of Avodart is mentioned. But we would have preferred an analysis of the NNT or number needed to treat in order to prevent one case of prostate cancer – an analysis that would show this to be a very costly proposition. An AP story, for example, stated: And/or we would have liked to see a cost effectivene... | |
36450 | "A ""bizarre"" new strain of strep is causing sinus infections and a characteristic bright red facial rash in March 2019." | Is a ‘Bizarre New Strain of Strep’ Causing a Rash and Infecting Sinuses? | unproven | Fact Checks, Viral Content | On March 3 2019, a Canadian Facebook user shared a “public service announcement” about a purportedly bizarre and new strain of streptococcus aureus going around (post archived here. )The poster referenced a second post of hers (archived here) about the purported strain of strep, as well as a February 26 2019 post by a ... |
16293 | "The CDC is ""spending money on things like jazzercise, urban gardening and massage therapy"" that could be redirected to Ebola." | "Gardner said the CDC is ""spending money on things like jazzercise, urban gardening and massage therapy"" that could be redirected Ebola. We weren’t able to document such expenditures, but given the agency’s spending parameters, it’s certainly possible they’ve been made. However, by cherry-picking three chuckle- (or o... | false | National, Ebola, Health Care, Public Health, Cory Gardner, | "As fears over Ebola reached a crescendo, Rep. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., took a shot at the federal government’s handling of the disease during a debate with Democratic Sen. Mark Udall. Gardner has been gaining ground in the closely watched Colorado Senate race, and that contest is just one of many around the country in w... |
6467 | NYC joins cities around the world marching to defend science. | Thousands of people showed up Saturday at New York’s March for Science, including a retired high school teacher who warned that climate change, if ignored, will be America’s “Armageddon.” | true | Climate, Climate change, New York, Environment, Environmental concerns, Science, March for Science, Manhattan | New York joined cities around the world where activists marched to defend science from attacks and reduced federal funding. In Manhattan, scientists and supporters first gathered at a late-morning rally at Central Park West. Participants, including some wearing lab coats, then walked down Broadway to midtown Manhattan,... |
33498 | Venomous 'two-striped telamonia' spiders are lurking beneath toilet seats in public restrooms. | Venomous 'two-striped telamonia' spiders lurking beneath toilet seats in public restrooms is one of the hoariest Internet japes. | false | Inboxer Rebellion, Insect Infestations | A scare story about venomous “South American Blush Spiders” supposedly lurking under toilet seats and delivering fatal bites to the posteriors of several victims first surfaced on the Internet during the summer of 1999 and has since become firmly entrenched in the realm of urban legendry — nearly two decades since its ... |
23860 | Right now every single one of the (oil) companies here today and dozens of others are drilling for free in the Gulf of Mexico on leases that will cost American taxpayers more than $50 billion in lost royalties. | Markey says oil companies pay nothing for Gulf drilling, costing taxpayers $50 billion | mixture | National, Energy, Environment, Federal Budget, Legal Issues, Oil Spill, Edward Markey, | "The ongoing oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has focused attention on a wide range of problems with the nation's regulation of how oil and other natural resources are extracted. One of those issues has to do with how much oil companies are paying the federal government for the right to drill offshore.At a hearing of th... |
981 | French court holds state responsible for Paris air pollution. | The French state is responsible for the air pollution in the Ile-de-France region around Paris, a local court said in a ground-breaking ruling, although it did not award damages to a mother and daughter who had suffered respiratory ailments. | true | Environment | The administrative court of Montreuil, a suburb of Paris, ruled the state was responsible for failing to prevent heavy air pollution in and around Paris in the 2012-2016 period, when a local resident contracted bronchitis and her daughter asthma. “The state was deficient in not taking sufficient measures to remedy the ... |
37901 | "Comedian George Carlin wrote the essay ""The Paradox of our Age,"" often misidentified as ""The Paradox of Our Time." | George Carlin and ‘The Paradox of Our Age’ | false | Celebrities, Fact Checks, Viral Content | An essay that has spent years mistakenly attributed to comedian George Carlin circulates in perpetuity in a popular “copypasta” post shared via email and on Facebook posts.The essay, “The Paradox of Our Age” (which has also been called “The Paradox of Our Time”), has been framed as a message from the comedian about the... |
3448 | Paris child at risk of lead poisoning after Notre Dame fire. | Health officials in Paris said Wednesday that a young boy needs medical monitoring because tests conducted after the Notre Dame Cathedral fire showed that he was at risk of lead poisoning. | true | Lead poisoning, Paris, General News, Notre Dame Cathedral, Health, Poisoning, Europe, International News | The child, who was tested last week, doesn’t need treatment yet, the Regional Health Authority said in a statement late Tuesday. Checks are being conducted to determine whether the lead came from the April 15 fire or another source. The child’s school, near the cathedral, was closed in July due to high lead levels foun... |
32346 | Mylan CEO Heather Bresch as attacked by a bee swarm whilst strolling in a park and no one nearby had an EpiPen on hand to assist her because they're too expensive. | In August 2016, Mylan came under public scrutiny after raising the price of EpiPens more than 600 percent since acquiring the brand from Merck in 2007. EpiPens deliver an often lifesaving dose of epinephrine to patients suffering anaphylactic shock, a dangerous condition caused by severe allergies that can range from b... | false | Humor, bees, epipen, god | On 22 August 2016, a satirical web site supposedly run by a very snarky, sunglasses-wearing God reported that Mylan CEO Heather Bresch was stung by a swarm of bees as she walked through a park on her lunch break: Bresch, who is apparently allergic to bee stings, immediately suffered a severe anaphylactic reaction. Howe... |
34804 | Prayers are requested for a 22-month-old boy who accidentally shot himself with a nail gun. | The little girl (not a little boy) survived, and was released from the hospital without incident. No prayers were reported. | mixture | Inboxer Rebellion, Prayer Requests | An entreaty for prayers on behalf of a 22-month-old boy in critical condition after accidentally shooting himself in the chest with a nail gun first hit our inbox in August 2010, spread in large part by Facebook and Twitter postings. The appeal took on new life in August 2011 when it once again spread through Facebook ... |
10692 | Got Low Back Pain? Massage Therapy May Rub It Out | Given the aggressive treatments that some people pursue for chronic low back pain, it is important for journalists to report research that points to a benefit from non-surgical therapies as well. This isn’t the first study of massage for low back pain. Prior studies haven’t shown much benefit for low back pain that is ... | mixture | Back pain,NPR | Massage, too, has a cost, and could have been ballparked at the very least. What do 10 sessions of massage therapy cost? The study reported that the massage treatments “would have cost about $540 in the community.” The study goes on to state, “There is no evidence that these treatments reducted costs of back pain-lreat... |
26443 | Hospitals get paid more to list patients as COVID-19. | It’s standard for Medicare to pay a hospital roughly three times as much for a patient who goes on a ventilator, as for one who doesn’t. Medicare is paying a 20% add-on to its regular hospital payments for the treatment of COVID-19 victims. That’s a result of a federal stimulus law. The claim’s suggestion is that the n... | mixture | Ethics, Medicare, Public Health, Facebook Fact-checks, Coronavirus, Facebook posts, | "An article shared on Facebook questions whether the count of COVID-19 patients is inflated, saying hospitals have a financial incentive to claim that a patient has the virus. ""Hospitals get paid more to list patients as COVID-19 — 3 times as much if put on ventilator,"" the story’s headline states. The article was po... |
2505 | Second U.S. family urges change to children's organ transplant policy. | A second family has stepped forward in the public fight to change a donor-organ policy that places sick children younger than 12 years of age at the bottom of the adult transplant list, regardless of the severity of their illness. | true | Health News | The mother of Javier Acosta, 11, who suffers from cystic fibrosis and needs a lung transplant, urged policymakers on Saturday to adopt new rules to make a life-saving adult lung more readily available to her gravely ill son. “If Javier does not receive a transplant, he will die,” Milagros Martinez said during a news co... |
28958 | The CDC quietly removed pages from their web site that admitted a link between Simian Virus 40 (SV40), the polio vaccine, and cancer. | What's true: A virus that has been found in certain types of cancer in humans was also present in polio vaccines administered in the U.S. at one time. What's false: No evidence establishes that anyone ever contracted cancer from a polio vaccination, nor did the CDC 'admit' such had happened or remove pages about the to... | mixture | Politics, cancer, cdc, conspiracy | Thanks in part to a long-discredited (but deeply entrenched) assertion that the MMR (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella) vaccine has been linked to increased rates of autism, fear of vaccination has been rife on blogs and social media groups devoted to the discussion of alternative medicine. A common, uniting element of such ... |
10655 | Switch in Breast-Cancer Drugs Shows Benefit | The story reports on a recent meta-analysis that demonstrated switching from tamoxifen to anastrozole (trade name Arimidex) can decrease the risk of breast cancer recurrence in women with estrogen-positive tumors. Switching hormone therapies mid-course would be a novel approach to hormone therapy treatment. However, th... | mixture | The story does not provide the cost of either anastrozole or tamoxifen. Hormone therapy is a regimen of daily medication for 5 years, so whether switching medications or continuing with tamoxifen has major cost implications is debatable. Instead of just giving sales figures for Astra-Zeneca, the story should have expla... | |
1777 | U.S. to require tougher Ebola screening at airports: senator. | U.S. health officials are preparing to require tougher Ebola screening at American airports this week to keep the deadly virus from spreading to this country, Senator Chuck Schumer said on Tuesday. | true | Health News | The new measures may include screening air travelers for fever when they arrive in the United States from the worst-stricken countries in West Africa, on direct or indirect flights, Schumer said in a statement. He said U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Dr. Thomas Frieden told him the agency... |
29358 | “Slime,” a do-it-yourself gooey craft project containing borax, white glue, and shaving cream, comes with serious health risks. | What's true: Respiratory, skin, or eye irritation from borax is possible, as is skin irritation from components of shaving cream. What's false: Fear-mongering claims about carcinogenicity, reproductive toxicity, and neurotoxic harm are either irrelevant in the concentrations present in a ‘slime’ recipe or are patently ... | false | Medical, borax, slime | On 3 March 2017, a blog titled “This Talk Ain’t Cheap” published an account of a family’s experience with the DIY craft phenomenon known as “slime,” a goo made from white glue, borax, shaving cream, and water. In the piece, titled “Beware of Homemade Slime,” the author recounted how her daughter had come down with a se... |
28459 | Rep. Mike Kennedy claimed that access to hospitals kills at least a million Americans per year. | "What's true: Rep. Mike Kennedy said ""I’ve heard from National Institutes of Health and otherwise that we’re killing up to a million, a million and a half people every year in our hospitals."" What's false: We could not find a source supporting the claim that 1M to 1.5M people are ""killed"" every year in hospitals." | mixture | Politics, Health Care, mike kennedy, Mitt romney | In April 2018 Utah Republican Mike Kennedy made national headlines as he faced off against Mitt Romney for a Senate seat in that state, prompting the circulation of a meme asserting that the Kennedy had once made a statement about access to hospitals and patient deaths: Although the meme dated to at least 2015, its fe... |
10728 | Study Questions Prostate Cancer Screening | The uncertainty of prostate cancer screening with PSA blood tests and/or digital rectal exams to reduce prostate cancer deaths is not new, although this report describes the latest study to find no mortality benefit with screening. Overall, the story does a great job of discussing the real issues – that despite the pop... | true | The story made no mention of costs, societal, personal, or otherwise. Benefits, or lack thereof in this case, were not quantified. Instead, the journalist reported that men who were alive were no more likely to be screened for prostate cancer than men who were deceased. But, the actual numbers of men alive and deceased... | |
13715 | The mosquito population in South Florida is larger than it is in many other communities in the country. | "Earnest said, ""The mosquito population in South Florida is larger than it is in many other communities in the country."" There’s little doubt about that. Mosquito populations can go up or down anywhere, but experts said the conditions in South Florida sustain a large and diverse collection of the insects essentially ... | true | Environment, Public Health, Florida, Josh Earnest, | "The Zika outbreak in Miami has pointed out what Floridians and vacationers have known for years: There is no shortage of mosquitoes in the Sunshine State. White House press secretary Josh Earnest told reporters at an Aug. 3 briefing that the region’s experience in fighting the bloodsucking insects will help efforts to... |
7330 | Indiana health officials say 11 more deaths from COVID-19. | State health officials reported 11 more deaths from COVID-19 on Sunday, bringing the statewide total to 127. | true | Indianapolis, Health, General News, Indiana, Virus Outbreak | The Indiana State Department of Health announced 464 additional cases with the most in Marion County, which had 191. Overall, there have been more than 4,400 cases. For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. Older adults and people wit... |
7773 | China loosens pig transport ban to ensure supplies amid African swine fever. | China has loosened the rules on the transportation of breeder pigs and piglets in provinces that are affected by the African swine fever, the agriculture ministry said on Thursday. | true | Health News | Breeder pigs and piglets from counties without outbreaks of the disease will be allowed to be transported to other provinces, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said in a statement on its website. Breeder pigs and piglets from infected counties will only be allowed to be moved within the infected province, t... |
36384 | "Image depicts ""Tiffany blue"" roses grown from seeds purchased on Etsy." | Can You Grow ‘Tiffany Blue Roses’ from Seeds? | false | Fact Checks, Viral Content | On May 5 2019, the Facebook page “Crafty Morning” shared a photograph of and affiliate link to purported “Tiffany Blue” roses (archived here), urging page fans to click through and purchase seeds to grow the stunning flowers:The post was captioned “Have you ever seen a Tiffany Blue Rose? 💙” and it was shared more than... |
11267 | Heart Score: New Treatment for Heart Failure | The piece presents a new invasive technology that is undergoing current research for congestive heart failure. But it did so by profiling a dramatic improvement in one individual patient. The procedure itself is described as requiring a 1.25 inch incision that could be done in an hour and which resulted in the benefit ... | false | "Our rule of thumb: if it’s not too early to talk about how ""exciting"" and ""fascinating"" this is, then it’s not too early to project how much it will cost patients. The only quantification of benefit given was the story of one patient. Anecdotal information is an inadequate presentation of treatment benefits. The ... | |
3990 | Alaska Airlines tightens emotional support animal policy. | Alaska Airlines has updated its policy on emotional support animals following an increase in incidents involving them on planes and in airports, including some customers and employees suffering bites. | true | Horses, Animals, Health, Animal health, North America, Travel | Starting May 1, customers flying with psychiatric service animals must provide animal health and behavioral documents and a signed document from a medical professional at least 48 hours prior to departure. The airline also will stop allowing amphibians, goats and animals with hooves, tusks or horns. Alaska Airlines spo... |
2306 | The state of senior health: It depends on your state. | What are the best and worst places to stay healthy as you age? For answers, take out a map and follow the Mississippi River from north to south. The healthiest people over 65 are in Minnesota, the sickest in Mississippi. | true | Health News | That’s among the findings of the America’s Health Rankings Senior Report released in May by the United Health Foundation. The report ranks the 50 states by assessing data covering individual behavior, the environment and communities where seniors live, local health policy and clinical care. Minnesota took top honors fo... |
1692 | Workplace workouts can snag on stressful corporate culture. | As evidence mounts that fit employees are productive workers, companies have slotted into the corporate routine an array of workplace workout initiatives, from in-house gyms to lunchtime yoga. | true | Health News | But fitness experts say even the best-intentioned get-fit efforts can founder before the demands of a corporate culture that is stressful, sedentary and increasingly round-the-clock. “This demand for 24/7 access, this idea that I can always access you and you should intensely, immediately respond, is a stressor, and we... |
28449 | "Donald Trump called undocumented immigrants ""animals,"" just as Adolf Hitler called Jewish people ""animals." | "What's true: Adolf Hitler and Nazi Party officials consistently described Jewish people as animals. What's false: Neither of the quotes offered in a popular meme featuring Hitler and Trump was a literal one, and Trump's quote more specifically described MS-13 gang members as ""animals.""" | mixture | Politics, donald trump | On 16 May 2018, U.S. President Donald Trump provoked controversy in the course of a public round-table discussion about immigration, crime, and sanctuary cities when he reportedly said (in reference to immigrants), “You wouldn’t believe how bad these people are. These aren’t people, these are animals”: We have people c... |
2770 | Scientists hail breakthrough in embryonic-like stem cells. | In experiments that could open a new era in stem cell biology, scientists have found a simple way to reprogram mature animal cells back into an embryonic-like state that allows them to generate many types of tissue. | true | Science News | The research, described as game-changing by experts in the field, suggests human cells could in future be reprogrammed by the same technique, offering a simpler way to replace damaged cells or grow new organs for sick and injured people. Chris Mason, chair of regenerative medicine bioprocessing at University College Lo... |
37892 | "Photographs and video taken of a COVID-19 anti-lockdown/""Reopen Tennessee"" protest shows one participant holding a sign reading ""sacrifice the weak." | COVID-19 ‘Sacrifice the Weak’ Reopen Tennessee Protest Sign | true | Fact Checks, Viral Content | "On April 22 2020, what appeared to be a screen capture of a WKRN-TV segment about a “Reopen TN (Tennessee)” anti-lockdown protest went viral on Twitter, showing a protester with a sign that read, “Sacrifice the weak, re-open TN”:""Sacrifice the Weak"" – imagine not just thinking of this but actually writing it out AND... |
6032 | On cyclone-shattered island in Mozambique, shock and debris. | Cyclone Kenneth in northern Mozambique ripped the island of Ibo apart. Nearly a week after the storm roared in, Associated Press journalists found widespread devastation. | true | Health, Cholera, Storms, Africa, International News, Mozambique | The aerial approach to the island showed communities flattened. The overwhelming majority of homes had their roofs peeled away. Contaminated wells have made safe drinking water an immediate health concern. Mozambique’s government on Thursday night reported more than a dozen cases of cholera, a disease caused by contami... |
8482 | South Africa coronavirus cases rise to 2,415, China donates equipment. | South Africa’s health minister on Tuesday reported a rise in coronavirus cases of 143 over the past day, taking the total to 2,415. | true | Health News | Health Minister Zwelini Mkhize provided no update on the number of deaths, which a day earlier stood at 27. The total number of tests conducted so far was 87,022. “We still have a long way to go,” he told a news conference at Johannesburg airport. “This is not a sprint, this is a marathon.” He added that a donation of... |
28087 | The Environmental Protection Agency will allow new asbestos products to enter the market. | "What's true: The EPA had proposed a new rule for asbestos that would (at first) block some currently unregulated but inactive uses of asbestos while (later) providing a framework for those unregulated uses’ formal approval should they pass a safety review. What's false: The EPA is not allowing what that agency legally... | true | Politics Environment, asbestos, carcinogen, environmental protection agency | On 1 June 2018, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics announced a proposed “Significant New Use Rule” (SNUR) for asbestos, a mineral once widely used in the construction of buildings due to its flame-retardant properties but now uncontroversially considered a carcinogen. Th... |
41899 | Claimed the U.S. has “thousands of judges — border judges — thousands and thousands.” | During the ongoing family-separation controversy, President Donald Trump and others have made false or misleading statements on several immigration issues. | false | Illegal immigration, immigration, | During the ongoing family-separation controversy, President Donald Trump and others have made false or misleading statements on several immigration issues:In adopting a “zero tolerance policy” for those crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally, Trump is choosing to detain and criminally prosecute border crossers, rath... |
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