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30571 | A worker at Cadbury plant was arrested for contaminating the company's products with HIV-infected blood. | Rumors that a worker at Cadbury plant was arrested for contaminating the company's products with HIV-infected blood are a variant of an old and false rumor. | false | Food, aids, cadbury, Food Contamination | Claiming that various company’s food products have somehow become contaminated with HIV/AIDS has been a prevalent form of hoax for many years, targeting foodstuffs from pineapples to canned goods to soft drinks. A more recent wrinkle in that decades-old trope posited in 2018 that an employee of Cadbury, a British multi... |
3560 | Who gets to give dietary advice? Health coach fights law. | In California, Heather Del Castillo offered tips on natural eating as a health coach. But in Florida, the title didn’t qualify her to give nutrition advice. | true | Nutrition, AP Top News, Health, Florida, Lifestyle, U.S. News | After getting a complaint that she was working without a license, Florida officials sent a cease-and-desist order and fined her $750. Del Castillo sued, saying her free speech rights were violated. Now, a federal court is expected to rule on her lawsuit as other states weigh regulations on professional dietary advice. ... |
10753 | The U has developed a test vaccine for CMV, which can cause babies to be born deaf or retarded | "The story reports on an animal trial of a cytomegalovirus (CMV) vaccine in pregnant guinea pigs. The story does not mention that CMV is species-specific, so results from a guinea pig trial are not directly applicable to humans. CMV infection in newborns is an under-appreciated problem and the story did provide some us... | mixture | "Two aspects of health care costs were ignored in this story. There is no discussion of the expected cost of a CMV vaccine. (This is significant, as the researcher is quoted saying the ""best strategy for eradicating CMV would be universl immunization of young children."") And the story does not discuss the potential c... | |
8806 | Group wants FDA to pull J&J birth control patch. | A U.S. advocacy group is urging the Food and Drug Administration to pull Johnson & Johnson’s birth control patch from the market after studies found an increased risk of dangerous blood clots. | true | Health News | In a petition filed with the FDA on Thursday, Public Citizen’s Health Research Group said the amount of estrogen released from the Ortho-Evra patch varies widely among individual women, and those who absorb too much were at greater risk for blood clots and other painful side effects. “The considerable safety concern o... |
9809 | New European pill works against uterine fibroids | This AP story (the version we reviewed was published in the Denver Post) was superior in the way it clearly explained the researchers’ potential conflicts of interest and described the design of the studies. Uterine fibroids are common, and although not life-threatening, can cause debilitating symptoms in some women. A... | mixture | Associated Press,women's health | Nothing about costs, even though the drug in question is a version of a drug already on the market. We thought it would have fit nicely after the fifth paragraph. Although it may seem intuitively obvious that drug treatment would be preferable to surgery, it is unclear how long women with fibroids would need to continu... |
11542 | Life-Saving Test: How One Minute Can Save Your Life | This morning TV news segment on transnasal endoscopy promises a live, in-studio demonstration of a new, one-minute test that can save lives from a little-known epidemic cancer. Great story–but, alas, not true. The device demonstrated, the TNE, has been the subject of research for nearly a decade and has been in clinica... | false | "The segment fails to report how much the transnasal endoscopy costs, how much the device itself costs, or whether insurance pays for it. As it happens, it appears the TNE costs considerably less than standard endoscopy–$500, as quoted in a 2007 article, vs. $3,000–due to the fact that anesthesia is unnecessary. Howeve... | |
25914 | “I, all the way back in January, warned (President Trump that) this pandemic was coming. I talked about what we needed to do.” | Biden expressed concern about the coronavirus weeks before Trump did, and as early as January, he recommended following the Obama administration’s approach on Ebola, including international cooperation and the use of sound science. In a January op-ed, Biden referred to “the possibility of a pandemic” and said the numbe... | true | Public Health, Coronavirus, Joe Biden, | "When presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden appeared on the July 20 premiere of Joy Reid’s MSNBC show, ""The ReidOut,"" he repeated an assertion about how he was more aware of the risks of the novel coronavirus early on than his opponent, President Donald Trump. Referring to Trump, Biden said, ""I, all ... |
9609 | Exclusive: Doctors to Test a Groundbreaking Treatment for Strokes | This story explains that researchers at the Cleveland Clinic are searching for a first patient for a trial testing whether deep brain stimulation (DBS) might be helpful in improving the outcome of physical therapy in disabled stroke patients. It provides little solid evidence that such a procedure would lead to a posit... | true | deep brain stimulation,stroke | While this story admittedly is announcing a new procedure never tried in human stroke patients, it conveniently glosses over the sheer complexity of what is being proposed–intricate brain surgery for stroke patients–a procedure that inevitably will cost tens of thousands of dollars, and that if successful will actually... |
34102 | A man named Rudolph Fentz who had mysteriously disappeared 74 years earlier turned up alive in Times Square in 1950. | Well, I have lived most of my life; I can be robbed of only a few more years. But it seems too bad — this universal craving to escape what could be a rich, productive, happy world. We live on a planet well able to provide a decent life for every soul on it, which is all ninety-nine of a hundred human beings ask. Why in... | false | Paranormal | In 1950, a New York City police officer who was working missing-persons cases examined the body of an approximately 30-year-old man that was brought into the morgue. The man had shown up in the middle of Times Square at 11:15 p.m. that evening, “gawking and looking around at the cars and up at the signs like he’d never... |
9540 | Scientists develop new type of HIV test on a USB stick | Via Imperial College London and DNA Electronics This Reuters story draws readers in with news that scientists have developed a quick HIV test on a USB stick, which could be useful in the developing world. While the story hints at the underlying method —a unique lab-on-a-chip test to estimate the amount of HIV in a pers... | false | HIV/AIDS | The cost of either test in the study isn’t shared, and it’s a simple question to ask for a ballpark figure on what a mass-produced lab-on-a-chip might cost. Absent that number, a comprehensive HIV viral load test with traditional (and bulky) equipment is about $24.90 to $44.07. Such tests are recommended by the World H... |
7941 | Germany confirms at least 28 new coronavirus infections. | Germany on Monday confirmed at least 28 new coronavirus cases, bringing the number of infections in Europe’s most populous country to 157 from 129 on Sunday, the Robert Koch Institute for disease control said, adding the risk was now “moderate”. | true | Health News | More than half of the cases - 90 - are in the large western state of North Rhine-Westphalia, where several schools and day care centers remained closed on Monday to try to prevent the spread of the virus after staff members tested positive. Lothar Wieler, president of the Robert Koch Institute, said that authorities ha... |
16976 | As unbelievable as it sounds, your tax dollars are funding the federal government's Zombie Apocalypse Plan. I kid you not. | "Palin wrote on Facebook, ""As unbelievable as it sounds, your tax dollars are funding the federal government's Zombie Apocalypse Plan. I kid you not."" People who worry about the zombie apocalypse will not be comforted to hear this, but there is no plan. The CDC played off the zombie apocalypse craze in 2011 as way to... | false | Federal Budget, PunditFact, Sarah Palin, | "Sarah Palin’s Facebook page is a popular venue where her 4.2 million fans can track her political endorsements, follow her reality TV appearances and join in on her outrage about how the country is being run. Recently, the former GOP vice presidential nominee and Alaska governor made an ""unbelievable"" connection bet... |
8538 | Brazil's Amazonas state warns its health system overwhelmed by coronavirus. | Brazil’s Amazonas state warned on Thursday that its health system has been overwhelmed by the coronavirus epidemic, with all intensive care beds and ventilators already taken as a result of the outbreak. | true | Health News | As the virus spreads across the country from its epicenter in Brazil’s wealthiest city of Sao Paulo, it is highlighting the huge discrepancies in healthcare provisions in this continent-sized country. Manaus, a city of 2 million in the heart of the Amazon rainforest and the capital of Amazonas, has been particularly ha... |
2489 | Differences between the sexes stretches to fitness formulas. | When it comes to fitness, experts say men generally want to be bulkier and women want to be trimmer and everyone wants to do what they are good at. | true | Health News | That’s why as more women tackle brawny boot camps and men seek flexible peace on the yoga mat, crossing traditional gender lines, intelligently, can be a good idea. “Women want to lose body fat, men want hypertrophy (bulk),” said Geralyn Coopersmith, national director of the Equinox Fitness Training Institute. There ar... |
9757 | Brain training app could help people with schizophrenia | The story describes study findings regarding an iPad game that appeared to help a small group of schizophrenia patients improve their so-called “episodic” memory — meaning their ability to remember things such as where they may have left their keys. The study discussed in the story evaluated a very small group of peopl... | false | computer app | The story doesn’t discuss cost at all. The relevant iPad game is, presumably, not free. And even if it were, a patient would need to own or have access to an iPad (definitely not free). While these things may be presumed, it’s still worth mentioning. For example, it would be good to know if the game were free, or if it... |
21737 | Michael Doherty Says Planned Parenthood provides about 140 visits for prenatal care in each state. | Sen. Michael Doherty claims Planned Parenthood only provides 140 visits for prenatal care in each state | false | New Jersey, Health Care, Michael Doherty, | "When Democrats and Republicans met on the floor of the New Jersey Senate on July 11 to discuss overriding vetoes handed down by Gov. Chris Christie, the debate ultimately turned to whether $7.5 million for family planning services should be reinstated -- some of which would go to Planned Parenthood centers. Democrats ... |
16083 | "Doonesbury Says 3,000 Americans ""died of gunfire"" between the time of the Ebola scare in Dallas and the midterm elections." | "Garry Trudeau, speaking through his characters in Doonesbury, said that in the time between the Ebola scare in Dallas and the election, ""statistically"" about 3,000 Americans died from gunfire. The latest data from the CDC bears that out. Using a five-year average, we found 3,041 deaths in the relevant time period. G... | true | Public Health, PunditFact, Guns, Doonesbury, | "A day before PolitiFact unveiled that exaggerations about Ebola took top honors as the 2014 Lie of the Year, the comic strip Doonesbury took aim at the very same target. The strip’s author Garry Trudeau imagined an interview between his characters NPR host Mark Slackmeyer, and Fox News correspondent Roland Hedley. Hed... |
40088 | A Halloween warning not to eat Sherwood brand Pirate’s Gold milk chocolate coins because they could contain melamine, a substance that could be toxic. | Melamine Scare In Milk Chocolate Coins | true | Food / Drink, Warnings | This warning is true in Canada only. October 8, 2008 the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) issued a warning that “the public not to consume, distribute, or sell the Sherwood Brands Pirate’s Gold Milk Chocolate Coins described below. This product is being recalled due to positive test results for melami... |
7609 | Nursing home deaths soar past 3,600 in alarming surge. | More than 3,600 deaths nationwide have been linked to coronavirus outbreaks in nursing homes and long-term care facilities, an alarming rise in just the past two weeks, according to the latest count by The Associated Press. | true | AP Top News, Nursing homes, Understanding the Outbreak, Health, General News, Virus Outbreak, U.S. News | Because the federal government has not been releasing a count of its own, the AP has kept its own running tally based on media reports and state health departments. The latest count of at least 3,621 deaths is up from about 450 deaths just 10 days ago. But the true toll among the 1 million mostly frail and elderly peop... |
8461 | Trump administration halts wildfire prevention tool in California over coronavirus. | The U.S. Forest Service has suspended controlled burns on public lands in wildfire-prone California because of the coronavirus pandemic, upsetting officials who see the program as key to preventing seasonal infernos like those that devastated parts of the state in 2018. | true | Environment | The decision comes as forecasters predict yet another above-average year for wildfires in parts of the state because of dry conditions, and follows President Donald Trump’s repeated criticism of California’s own forest management work following the 2018 fires. “Safety of the public and our wildland fire responders is p... |
24719 | "Washing your hands and covering your mouth when you cough ""makes a huge difference"" in reducing transmission of the flu." | Studies show handwashing reduces disease | true | National, Health Care, Barack Obama, | "President Barack Obama was asked about swine flu at a prime-time news conference marking his first 100 days in office. The reporter wanted to know if Obama would consider quarantines or closing the border with Mexico, where the flu appears to have started. Obama said his health advisers were not recommending closing t... |
7198 | A GOP favorite faces a Democratic groundbreaker in Vermont. | In front of a small group of supporters on a chilly fall morning, Christine Hallquist laid out her economic development plan for a state that she feels is being left behind by prosperity in larger states and urban areas. | true | Vermont, Universal health care, North America, Bernie Sanders, Gun politics, Internet access | She reiterates her Bernie Sanders-esque call for a $15 per hour minimum wage, universal health care and paid family leave while adding that high speed internet access is critical for everyone in Vermont, even those who live in the state’s most rural areas. Hallquist, Vermont’s Democratic candidate for governor, argues ... |
4344 | 1 case of tuberculosis confirmed in Mississippi high school. | A case of tuberculosis has been confirmed at a Mississippi high school. | true | Health, Mississippi, Jackson, Tuberculosis | News outlets reported the Mississippi Department of Health has been working to notify students and staff members at Provine High School in Jackson who may have been exposed. Health department officials say they will test about 200 students and faculty in the next few weeks. Tuberculosis is a respiratory infection that ... |
26463 | Donald Trump Says House Speaker Nancy Pelosi deleted a video of her telling people to go to Chinatown. | Bayer AG plans to argue that a $2 billion jury award and thousands of U.S. lawsuits claiming its glyphosate-based weed killer Roundup causes cancer should be tossed because a U.S. regulatory agency said the herbicide is not a public health risk. | false | Public Health, Coronavirus, Donald Trump, | Some legal experts believe Bayer will have a tough time convincing appellate courts to throw out verdicts and lawsuits on those grounds. Bayer has a better shot if a business-friendly U.S. Supreme Court takes up the case, experts said. But that could take years. Bayer has come under intensifying pressure after a third ... |
25777 | “DEVELOPING: Kamala’s sister takes hydroxychloroquine.” | Maya Harris, the sister of Sen. Kamala Harris, announced in April that she takes hydroxychloroquine for lupus, not COVID-19. | mixture | Candidate Biography, Facebook Fact-checks, California, Coronavirus, Paul Sperry, | "In April, appearing on ""The View,"" Sen. Kamala Harris called President Donald Trump a ""drug pusher"" for promoting hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for COVID-19. Hydroxychloroquine is approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat or prevent malaria and to treat autoimmune conditions such as lupus and rheum... |
8789 | Tau drug shows early promise in Alzheimer's. | An Alzheimer’s drug that attacks abnormal tangles in the brain appeared to slow progression of the disease, British researchers said on Tuesday, but doctors cautioned that the results are early. | true | Health News | The drug, made by private biotechnology company TauRX and called Rember, produced a significant improvement in key measures of thinking and memory in people with moderate Alzheimer’s disease, company officials said. The drug is among the first to attack tangles of tau protein in the brain that are strongly associated w... |
8376 | Canadian military town prepares for coronavirus evacuees. | A small town in central Canada that is host to the country’s largest air force base is preparing, with some apprehension, for the arrival of some 200 evacuees from Wuhan, China, the epicenter of a coronavirus outbreak. | true | Health News | Canada plans to fly the evacuees to the base in Trenton, Ontario, the country’s main military hub for air transport, and hold them in quarantine for two weeks. The outbreak has killed 492 people and sickened nearly 25,000 worldwide. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Wednesday the plane was expected to arri... |
28848 | "The Obama administration has proposed revising power guidelines that could affect eagles, but the President hasn't issued a ""kill order"" allowing the slaughter of thousands of bald eagles per year." | What's true: Proposed revisions to wind power guidelines could allow wind power companies to injure or kill more bald and golden eagles per year without penalty. What's false: The revised guidelines are unlikely to lead to thousands of additional eagle deaths because they impose more stringent requirements on wind powe... | mixture | Politics Politicians, bald eagles, barack obama, liberty writers | In early May 2016, a number of alarmist blog posts reported that President Obama had issued a “kill order” allowing more than 4,000 bald eagles to be slaughtered each year for the next 30 years. A popular version published by Liberty Writers was heavy-handed with symbolism, maintaining that President Obama “really hate... |
11401 | High-risk lung cancer patients may not need annual screenings | This news release summarizes a study published in Lancet Oncology which looked at the appropriate frequency of screening using low-dose computed tomography (CT) for lung cancer in former smokers. The 7-year study included more than 19,000 individuals with an initial negative CT scan. These patients were much less likel... | true | Academic medical center news release,Cancer,Diagnostic tests,Screening tests | The release appropriately mentioned that a changed frequency of screening could save millions of dollars in subsequent screenings and “reduced downstream” effects of false positive tests. A thorough discussion of the absolute numbers affected gives a good sense of the magnitude of the benefits. The release noted, “In t... |
1848 | Paralyzed woman uses thoughts to move robotic arm. | Using just her thoughts, a 58-year-old paralyzed woman instructed a robotic arm to grasp a cup of coffee and guide it to her mouth where she sipped from a straw, the first drink she has been able to serve herself in 15 years. | true | Science News | The woman is one of two patients in the ongoing trial of BrainGate neural interface, an experimental brain-computer interface technology that may one day give paralyzed individuals more mobility. “This is another big jump forward to control the movements of a robotic arm in three-dimensional space,” said John Donoghue,... |
12488 | "Greg Abbott Says Travis County Sheriff Sally Hernandez ""declared that she would not detain known criminals accused of violent crimes." | "Abbott said Hernandez ""declared that she would not detain known criminals accused of violent crimes."" That’s a distortion of Hernandez’s statements and her announced policy. The sheriff made it clear she wouldn’t automatically honor all requests to hold suspects for ICE. But the policy specifies several violent crim... | false | Immigration, Criminal Justice, Crime, Texas, Greg Abbott, | "Greg Abbott gave a backhanded howdy (or the back of his hand) to a Democratic sheriff in May 2017 before he approved the Republican-driven proposal intended to keep local communities from shielding unauthorized immigrants from deportation. The governor explained his support of Senate Bill 4 during what may have been t... |
11421 | Spanish flu vaccine late, but welcome | "This article presents interesting scientific work that has resulted in regeneration of the Spanish flu virus of 1918-1919 and two approaches that were successful in producing a 100% effective immune response in mice challenged with the regenerated flu virus. Although this story did mention that the study results were ... | mixture | "There was no estimate of costs for this treatment; however the study reported on work that was proof of concept and it is understandable that costs would not be discussed in such a story. The story mentioned that the two vaccines protected the exposed mice from infection, but failed to mention that research found that... | |
28898 | Bill Maher smoked a joint during a live broadcast of 'Real Time with Bill Maher,' and the FCC imposed a hefty fine. | What's true: Maher maintained the joint (or blunt) was real. What's false: Maher was fined by the FCC. | mixture | Entertainment, bill maher, killer mike, medical marijuana | During 12 February 2016’s episode of Real Time with Bill Maher, host Bill Maher produced and lit what appeared to be a joint as he launched into a talking point about the legality of marijuana. The segment focused on the possibility of a repeal of medical or recreational marijuana laws. The light-up occurred at roughly... |
12206 | Every one of the financial bad management practices that I inherited, every one of them, have either been eliminated or cut significantly. | "Emanuel says his administration has either ended or curtailed ""every one"" of the poor management practices that were in place when he took office in 2011. He described each of those practices in a speech in 2015 and his office provided explanations backed by official data of how each has been addressed. Yet while cl... | mixture | City Budget, Illinois, Rahm Emanuel, | "It’s not easy finding silver linings in the dark clouds that define Chicago city finances, but Mayor Rahm Emanuel and his spin machine are doing their best. Fresh off unveiling a preliminary Fiscal Year 2018 budget that forecasts a deficit of $114 million -- the city’s smallest in 11 years -- Emanuel focused on the su... |
26300 | Janel Brandtjen Says Gov Tony Evers’ administration deemed dentists non-essential | The executive order from Gov. Tony Evers classified dental offices as essential Dentists could individually choose how to operate when the order was in effect, but Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services recommends they follow CDC guidelines, which meant postponing elective procedures and visits. | false | Health Care, Public Health, Wisconsin, Coronavirus, Janel Brandtjen, | Amid the political upheaval over when and how and how fast to reopen Wisconsin, there was a point on May 11, 2020, when Gov Tony Evers relaxed his stay-at-home order to allow small retail establishments to reopen, so long as they limited shoppers to five or fewer. The state Supreme Court later voted 4-3 to toss out Eve... |
11107 | NIH study confirms benefits of intensive blood pressure management among seniors aged 75 and older | This news release reports on new results from an on-going and major clinical trial — the SPRINT (Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial) — that compared the outcomes of two groups of elderly hypertensive people given different systolic blood pressure goals — 140 mm of mercury versus 120 mm of mercury. And while it ... | false | Government agency news release | The release makes no mention of costs associated with the differing strategies. It states that hypertensive elderly patients receive medication to lower their systolic blood pressure to either 140 mm of mercury or 120 mm of mercury, and that, on average, the patients who had a lower targeted blood pressure required an ... |
28599 | "President Trump ordered the White House bathed in blue light to honor fallen police officers, something President Obama ""refused"" to do." | "What's true: President Obama did not order that the White House be lit in blue to commemorate police officers slain in the line of duty. What's false: He did not neglect to honor their sacrifice in other ways, such as flying flags at half-staff; there is no evidence that he specifically ""refused"" to light up the bui... | mixture | Politics, barack obama, donald trump, white house | On the evening of 15 May 2017, the White House was illuminated in blue light to commemorate Peace Officers Memorial Day, a national observance for fallen police officers instituted by President John F. Kennedy in 1962. President Trump noted the occasion in a tweet linking to his 2017 Police Officers Memorial Day procla... |
7369 | Nebraska to require coronavirus plans from nursing homes. | Nebraska will require long-term care centers to develop formal plans outlining how they’ll keep the coronavirus from spreading among the vulnerable residents who live in those facilities, Gov. Pete Ricketts said Friday. | true | Pete Ricketts, Omaha, Health, General News, Nebraska, Nursing homes, Virus Outbreak | Facilities such as nursing homes and assisted living centers will have to submit plans to state regulators explaining how they intend to identify ill people and deal with visitors for the rest of the year. They’ll also have to discuss their disinfection protocols. The announcement comes as state officials scramble to k... |
9756 | A Green Light for Red Palm Oil as Health Aid? Manufacturers cite healthy antioxidants and heart benefits | The “Verdict” of this story on red palm oil may not be what marketers want to read, but this overview story packs a delicious and nutritious serving of information for consumers trying to see through swirling health claims. The story covers a lot of ground, even addressing environmental and human rights concerns, so it... | true | antioxidants,red palm oil | The story mentions some specific brands and prices. Although lots of suggested benefits are mentioned and not quantified, we will still give this story a passing mark, because the “Verdict” is that there isn’t enough evidence to prove red palm oil provides any specific health benefits. To put it another way, readers ar... |
26497 | 45 nations had already moved” to enforce travel restrictions with China “before the president moved.” | Credible estimates say either 36 or 45 countries moved faster than the U.S. to enact various restrictions on travel from China — from the suspension of visa programs to entry denial. Experts say Biden is wrong to say that the U.S. travel restriction was slow. It came shortly after the World Health Organization declared... | mixture | Public Health, Coronavirus, Joe Biden, | "President Donald Trump routinely claims that he went against everyone’s wishes when he decided to restrict travel from China to curb the spread of the coronavirus in the United States. Because he did, and fast, thousands of lives were saved, Trump says. But Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, s... |
29634 | An infographic describing how to amputate a gentleman’s arm is a genuine historical document. | As the graphic at issue was made in 2011, however, claims that it is a historical document are false. | false | Medical | Since 2011, internet users may have encountered a darkly humorous and macabre infographic titled “The Gentleman’s Guide to Amputation.” It’s a popular graphic that does well on social media, but “historical photo” social media accounts have repeatedly published it without context. For example, the popular (but frequent... |
11532 | Beer ingredient may fight prostate cancer | "The story reports that an ingredient found in beer may help prevent prostate cancer or enlargement. While the story provides some details about the history of this ingredient and lets readers know this is still being researched and cautions them not to rush out to buy more beer, there are several areas for improvement... | false | "There is no mention of potential costs of treatment, although this would be difficult to do for a product that is not yet widely available or even well-researched in terms of what amount or dosage would be needed and how often. The story mentions that 17 beers would be needed for an effect, yet readers don't know what... | |
9736 | Panel Says Aspirin Lowers Heart Attack Risk For Some, But Not All | A federal task force has issued a recommendation to limit the daily ingestion of low-dose aspirin among Americans to individuals with a clear risk of heart attack or stroke. This story delivers that message effectively but lacks the quantitative specificity that would have helped readers/listeners fully understand the ... | true | aspirin,Dr. Steven Nissen,US Preventive Services Task Force | Cost is not a component of this story, but it does not appear to be as relevant an issue to this piece compared with other stories. The story is clear about age ranges and health conditions that may make taking aspirin useful but does not offer any quantitative translation of the extent of benefits for these groups. It... |
33386 | A phony carpark attendant collected parking fees outside the Bristol Zoo for over twenty years. | Similarly, in May 2008 a maintenance worker with the Birmingham [Alabama] Parking Authority collected fees from motorists attending a nearby charity event then directed them to leave their cars on a private lot. Many of those vehicles were subsequently towed and their drivers charged $200 to retrieve their cars. | false | Crime | Urban legendry comprises many different tales of swindlers who have managed to take in large amounts of money not through violence, intimidation or overt theft, but by impersonating figures authorized to collect funds from the public. By falsely posing as washroom attendants, sales clerks, toll collectors, bank guards... |
7464 | The week that was: A balance of economy and public health. | As heads of state, local leaders, business owners and individual citizens weighed the costs of re-opening the global economy, fears of new outbreaks grew. A central question emerged: How much infection and loss of life will emerge amid the push to restart business? | true | AP Top News, Religion, Health, General News, International News, Business, Virus Outbreak, Public health, Economy | The scope of economic devastation deepened. The U.S. government reported the worst set of job numbers since record keeping began in 1948. The infection rate is rising in many states as doors reopen. In Waterloo, Iowa, the virus is “devastating everything.” The community is home to a meatpacking plant, and residents are... |
13511 | American Unity PAC Says Ted Strickland supported giving $150 billion to Iranian regime that persecutes women, Christians and gays. | An American Unity PAC digital ad claims that Strickland supported giving $150 billion to Iran without a commitment from that regime to stop its harsh treatment of Christians, gays and women. Strickland said he supported the Iran nuclear deal last year during his campaign, but he didn't hold federal office when the deal... | false | Ohio, Human Rights, Islam, Nuclear, American Unity PAC, | "A conservative group that supports gay rights accused Democratic Senate candidate Ted Strickland of supporting the Iran deal despite the country’s cruelty to women, Christians and gays. As the video flashes images of women wearing hijabs and children in distress, the words ""Ted Strickland: $150 billion for Iran"" app... |
17240 | "Millions of Americans are ""paying more and getting less"" under Obamacare." | "Americans for Prosperity said ""millions are paying more and getting less"" under Obamacare. We found their explanation of ""less"" rather dubious. Most people on the individual market are getting more benefits under the law. At worst, they’re paying more to get more, though in many cases they’re actually paying less.... | false | National, Health Care, Americans for Prosperity, | "Americans for Prosperity has been active on the airwaves already this election cycle. The group, which opposes Obamacare, has run a handful of ads featuring people telling health care ""horror stories"" meant to tug on the heartstrings. We’ve looked at a couple and explained how they can be misleading. But a pair of n... |
27932 | A text reproduces Theodore Roosevelt's words regarding the assimilation of immigrants into American culture. | A copy of this letter, obtained from the Manuscript Division of the Library of Congress, can be viewed here. | true | Politics Quotes, immigrants, theodore roosevelt | Theodore Roosevelt’s ideas on Immigrants and being an AMERICAN in 1907. “In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against an... |
29300 | New research has uncovered that the true cause of fibromyalgia is an excess number of specific nerves found near a specific kind of blood vessel in the hands and feet, ending the controversy over the disease’s cause and mechanism. | What's true: A 2013 study published in Pain Medicine studied the hands of 24 female patients and discovered an excess number of specific nerves surrounding a specific kind of blood vessel, hinting at a possible physical and identifiable cause for the disease. What's false: The study is no longer new, despite its having... | false | Medical, chronic pain, fibromyalgia, medical research | Since at least June 2013, a nearly identical article has appeared on a number of websites with the headline “Fibromyalgia Mystery Finally Solved!” These stories, which continue to appear online, begin with the same claim: Researchers have found the main source of pain in Fibromyalgia patients, and contrary to what many... |
8363 | BP boss Looney sets out to 'reinvent' oil giant with zero carbon goal. | BP set one of the oil sector’s most ambitious targets for curbing carbon emissions on Wednesday as new chief executive Bernard Looney began the biggest revamp in its 111-year history. | true | Environment | While investor groups welcomed the 2050 targets set out by Looney, which put BP ahead of rivals Royal Dutch Shell (RDSa.L), Total (TOTF.PA), Equinor (EQNR.OL) and all of the U.S. oil majors, environmental campaigners criticized a lack of detail. “We have got to change and change profoundly because the world is changing... |
7982 | Trump warns Americans of a tough two weeks ahead in coronavirus fight. | President Donald Trump warned Americans on Tuesday of a “painful” two weeks ahead in fighting the coronavirus, with a mounting U.S. death toll that could stretch into the hundreds of thousands even with strict social distancing measures. | true | Health News | In perhaps his most somber news conference to date about the pandemic, Trump, who has faced criticism for playing down the threat of the outbreak in its initial phases, urged the population to heed guidance to limit groups to no more than 10 people, work from home and not dine in restaurants or bars. “It’s absolutely c... |
37498 | H.R. 5717 would require that gun owners obtain federal licenses for both new gun purchases and their existing firearms. | Does H.R. 5717 Require That Gun Owners Be Licensed by the Government? | mixture | Fact Checks, Politics | A graphic spreading online opposing a gun safety bill misconstrues its origin in an effort to paint it as an attempt at government overreach capitalizing on the COVID-19 pandemic.The meme, which contains a strange spacing gap resembling a copy-and-paste effort, states:House Bill H.R 5717 will add 30% tax on all guns an... |
1782 | Allowing blood donations from gay men could help save over a million lives - U.S. study. | (This story from Sept. 19 has been refiled to correct stated position of medical groups in paragraph 6) | true | Health News | Lifting a ban on blood donations from gay men would increase the amount of available blood by hundreds of thousands of pints (liters) each year and save more than a million lives a year, a California study showed on Friday. The U.S. Federal Drug Administration has banned gay men from donating blood since 1983, when it ... |
2519 | Tabata metes out fitness in short, repeated flashes. | For people who are too bored or busy to spend an hour on a treadmill an exercise regime that was developed for athletes but is being taught in gyms may help to build fitness in less time. | true | Health News | The Tabata Protocol is a four-minute regime that measures fitness in seconds - 20 seconds of full-out work followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated eight times. Although it can boost fitness levels of the healthy and time-pressed, experts say it is not for everybody and should not be done every day. “Tabata is about al... |
1739 | Review of evidence finds e-cigarettes may help smokers quit. | Evidence suggests e-cigarettes help smokers quit, but more research is needed to confirm this and find out if “vaping” nicotine is better than using patches or gum, scientists said on Wednesday. | true | Health News | In an international review of available evidence, researchers found a paucity of robust scientific studies on e-cigarettes and their capacity to help people stop smoking, but said data so far pointed at likely benefits. “Although our confidence in the effects of electronic cigarettes as smoking cessation interventions ... |
27318 | Video captures a woman who thwarted and subdued an armed man attempting to rob attendees of a Mother's Day event. | A compelling video captured an off-duty female Brazilian police officer shooting and subduing an armed robber. | true | Fauxtography | In mid-May 2018, many social media users encountered a video seemingly showing a female onlooker shooting, disarming, and subduing a man who had pulled out a gun and threatened a group of women and children waiting outside the entry to a building: VIDEO: The 2nd Amendment hard at work defending Americans Although so... |
25521 | Rural schools enroll 40 percent of American children, but receive only 22 percent of federal education funding. | In ‘Billions’, a U.S. television show set in the world of hedge funds, traders at the fictional Axe Capital regularly attend sessions with an in-house psychiatrist. | false | National, Education, John Edwards, | In real life, finance professionals are rarely so open about seeking psychological help. On Wall Street and in the City of London, hyperambition and an ‘always on’ attitude are richly rewarded and people are often wary of revealing something that could be perceived as a weakness. Two out of three people working in fina... |
10238 | Two-year, EU-funded Study Reveals a Medical Food in the Form of a Daily Nutritional Drink Can Help to Conserve Memory, the Ability to Think and Perform Everyday Tasks, as well as Reduce Brain Shrinkage in People with Very Early Alzheimer's Disease (AD)[1] (Pre-dementia) | People have been waiting for three years to learn more about a yogurt-based drink that showed some positive results in a memory-loss study by Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers. Coverage of that study mentioned prominently that the nutritional drink was made by Dannon, the yogurt company. Som... | false | Alzheimer's disease,Independent research center news release,industry/commercial news releases | Presumably, the aim here is to make an over-the-counter nutritional drink along the lines of Ensure for people to take as they age to stave off memory loss. If that’s the case, the release should explain what something like this costs to make and what it might cost on the shelf. We had to read the release three times t... |
29752 | "New prohibitions on public drinking and cannabis use ""in every province of Canada"" were scheduled to come into force in July 2019." | In reality, regulations on public drinking and smoking vary from province to province and city to city in Canada, in contrast to Canada-Eh.info’s false claim of a new nationwide crackdown on both behaviors — “new tougher laws in every province” — scheduled for implementation in July 2019. As such, the claim is false. | false | Junk News | A blog with a pattern of publishing false and misleading stories about Canada claimed that a nationwide crackdown on public drinking and cannabis smoking was imminent in that country. In June 2019, Canada-Eh.info published a post with the headline, “Canadians Can Be Fined $1,500 for Drinking or Smoking Weed in Public, ... |
9162 | A potential cure for metastatic prostate cancer? Treatment combination shows early promise | Britain’s Greggs launched a vegan version of its popular steak bake on Thursday, aiming to capitalize on the success of the meatless sausage roll that has boosted the baker’s profits and helped fuel an 80% rise in its share price last year. | false | Elsevier Health Sciences | Greggs said the new product mirrored the original but used meat substitute Quorn instead of steak in its filling. The launch, which was trailed on social media, comes a year after it introduced its vegan sausage roll, which it said was one of its fastest selling products of the last six years. Chief Executive Roger Whi... |
1320 | Scientists devise new, more accurate peanut allergy test. | British scientists have developed a far more accurate blood test to diagnose peanut allergy, offering a better way to monitor a significant food hazard. | true | Health News | Peanuts are the most common cause of fatal food-induced anaphylaxis, or severe allergic reaction, and allergy cases among children have risen sharply in recent years. Britain’s Food Standards Agency estimates up to one in 55 children have a peanut allergy. In contrast to existing skin-prick and other blood tests that p... |
8575 | Indonesia ferry passengers jump ship amid coronavirus fears. | Several passengers on an Indonesian ferry jumped into the sea and swam ashore after authorities sought to block the vessel docking due to fears of suspected coronavirus cases, as tensions rise over the spread of the disease across the archipelago. | true | Health News | The ferry travelling from via Indonesian Borneo and the island of Sulawesi was blocked when trying to make port in Maumere in the eastern island of Flores, amid fears three crew members on board had contracted the novel coronavirus. Passengers flung themselves into the sea in life vests and swam ashore as authorities d... |
27695 | "John Kerry suggested that the media cover acts of terrorism less often, and perhaps people might not ""know what's going on." | It is true that John Kerry said media coverage of terrorist acts might not be beneficial in efforts to reduce terrorism, and that he specifically said people “wouldn’t know [what was] going on.” But those two sentences are part of a larger speech in which Kerry warned wall-to-wall coverage of terror attacks “quickly fe... | true | Politics, dhaka, john kerry, misleading | On 29 August 2016, Secretary of State John Kerry appeared at a press conference in Dhaka, Bangladesh and made statements about terrorism that were widely criticized in the days after his appearance. Kerry spoke about terrorism, the media, and whether coverage of terror acts led to an increase in such events. In America... |
21848 | Rep. Jim Renacci’s plan to end Medicare also puts nursing home care for 3,000 seniors in the district in immediate jeopardy. | DCCC says Rep. Jim Renacci plan would jeopardize nursing home care | false | Ohio, Health Care, Medicaid, Medicare, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, | "The ""Path to Prosperity"" budget document that Republicans in the House of Representatives adopted in April has become a path to propaganda for Democrats who are using the proposals it contains in an effort to discredit its Republican supporters. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee blitzed the media June ... |
4068 | Yakima County reports 18 hepatitis A cases. | Yakima County has 18 confirmed cases of hepatitis A, a number authorities say will likely increase in the weeks and months ahead. | true | Health, General News, Yakima, Hepatitis, Homelessness | The Yakima Herald-Republic reports all cases are all tied to people experiencing homelessness and those using illicit drugs. The Yakima Health District, in partnership with the Union Gospel Mission and Yakima Neighborhood Health Services, has vaccinated 129 people since the outbreak was reported in early November. Heal... |
29451 | Dozens of veterans' bodies were left to rot in a Chicago-area VA hospital's morgue. | "What's true: A Chicago-area CBS affiliate reported that two unclaimed veterans' bodies may not have been buried in a timely fashion due to delays outside the VA's control. What's false: An image that appeared with some versions of the story dated to 2010, had nothing to do with VA hospitals or morgues, and misleadingl... | false | Fauxtography, military, tribunist, veterans affairs | On 30 September 2016, the official-looking Tribunist.com web site published an article reporting that a backlogged Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital morgue in Chicago had left the remains of deceased veterans scandalously “stacked to capacity at times”: The latest scandal to break paints another bleak picture. A whistle-b... |
10016 | Narcolepsy Drug Eyed for Cocaine Users | This story discusses modafinil (trade name Provigil) as a potential treatment for the withdrawal symptoms of cocaine addiction, such as fatigue, depression and lack of concentration. The drug may also blunt some of the desire for a cocaine “high”. While modafinil is listed as “legal”, the drug is not yet approved to tr... | false | No mention of the cost of taking modafinil daily. The story doesn’t give any quantitative evidence of the benefits of this drug over placebo to reduce withdrawal symptoms and cravings for cocaine, though this evidence is provided in the journal article for the small pilot study. Abstinence from cocaine was measured as ... | |
42002 | "Meme claims 7,182 students have been ""killed in U.S. schools"" since 2012." | A meme circulating online claims that 7,182 students have been “killed in U.S. schools” since 2012, but that number is inflated. It likely refers to all firearm fatalities involving children, including suicides and shootings off campus. | false | Memes, military deaths, school shooting, | A meme circulating online claims that 7,182 students have been “killed in U.S. schools” since 2012, but that number is inflated. It likely refers to all firearm fatalities involving children, including suicides and shootings off campus.Dozens of students have been shot and killed on school grounds since the massacre at... |
2804 | No serious side effects with Merck allergy pill: FDA documents. | No serious safety concerns were raised over Merck & Co’s experimental pill for ragweed allergies, according to FDA documents Friday, ahead of a meeting next week of outside medical experts who will discuss whether the drug merits approval. | true | Health News | The Allergenic Products Advisory Committee will meet on Tuesday to review Ragwitek, a pill placed under the tongue that, if approved, would be an alternative to regular injections administered by doctors for ragweed pollen allergies. At the meeting, the panel will be asked to discuss whether available clinical trial da... |
7209 | ‘Veep’ star Julia Louis-Dreyfus says she has breast cancer. | Julia Louis-Dreyfus says she has been diagnosed with breast cancer. | true | AP Top News, Cancer, Health, Media, Entertainment, Social media, Universal health care, North America, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Breast cancer, TV | The star of “Veep” and “Seinfeld” posted word of her illness Thursday on social media. A spokeswoman for Louis-Dreyfus confirmed the posts were authentic. On her Twitter account, the actress wrote that one in eight women get breast cancer. “The good news is that I have the most glorious group of supportive and caring f... |
16263 | Money towards the Ebola vaccine is basically cut in half to what it was. More cuts are coming under the congressional sequester. | "Cutter said, ""Money towards the Ebola vaccine is basically cut in half to what it was,"" and ""more cuts are coming under the congressional sequester."" Whether money for the vaccine was cut in half depends on the metric you use. It’s true if you compare 2010 to the 2014 estimate, when vaccine research spending fell ... | true | Ebola, Federal Budget, Public Health, PunditFact, Stephanie Cutter, | "If you’re tracking news of the Ebola virus, you’ve probably heard accusations that budget cuts are responsible for the lack of a vaccine. National Institutes of Health director Dr. Francis Collins told Huffington Post that ""we probably would have had a vaccine in time"" for the Ebola outbreak were it not for a 10-yea... |
18082 | "Lone Star Project Says Greg Abbott ""converted over $1 million in federal grant money intended for use to prosecute online sexual predators and other cyber crimes and instead used it to harass and prosecute senior citizens who were assisting other senior citizens in applying for mail-in ballots." | "The Lone Star Project said Abbott ""converted over $1 million in federal grant money intended for use to prosecute online sexual predators and other cyber crimes and instead used it to harass and prosecute senior citizens who were assisting other senior citizens in applying for mail-in ballots."" Actually, less than $... | false | Criminal Justice, Elections, Legal Issues, Crime, Texas, Lone Star Project, | "A pro-Democratic group says Attorney General Greg Abbott, a Republican aspirant for governor in 2014, misspent $1 million-plus bothering elderly Texans. The Lone Star Project said in a July 14, 2013, blog post, ""Just a few years ago, Abbott converted over $1 million in federal grant money intended for use to prosecut... |
3956 | City of Richmond offering free flu shots throughout December. | The city of Richmond, Virginia, is offering free flu shots to anyone 6 months or older during the month of December. | true | Health, Richmond, General News, Flu, Virginia | Anyone who wants to receive a vaccine can visit the Richmond City Health District clinic any business day except Dec. 13, Christmas Eve and Christmas. No appointment is necessary, and no payment, insurance or government identification is required. This is an attempt to increase the city’s immunity, according a statemen... |
12905 | "The HIV virus has been ""detected in Walmart bananas after 10 year old boy contracts the virus." | Fake news claims that Walmart bananas have HIV virus are fruitless | false | Fake news, PunditFact, CNNews3.com, | "Fake news is bananas by nature, but one particularly slippery claim is actually about bananas said to be infected with HIV. ""HIV virus detected in Walmart bananas after 10 year old boy contracts the virus,"" reads the headline on a post we first saw on Feb. 6, 2017, from a website called CNNews3.com. Facebook users f... |
7428 | Patient testing for virus in N. Carolina to expand greatly. | North Carolina health officials greatly expanded the scope of COVID-19 testing in the state Friday, encouraging doctors to order tests for higher-risk individuals even when they show no symptoms. | true | General News, Virus Outbreak, Public health, North Carolina | The new protocol from the public health leaders comes as North Carolina has shown a significant jump in completed tests in recent weeks thanks to more laboratory capacity and materials. More than 231,500 tests have been completed in North Carolina since the pandemic began, according to state health data. That marks an ... |
26965 | Tweets Says drinking a bleach solution will prevent you from getting the coronavirus. | "Conspiracy theorists are spreading a dangerous claim that says drinking a bleach solution will ward off the coronavirus. The spray, known as Miracle Mineral Solution, is a bleaching agent that fringe groups falsely tout as a ""miracle cure"" for several ailments. But officials have repeteadly warned consumers against ... | false | Consumer Safety, Fake news, Public Health, Facebook Fact-checks, Coronavirus, Tweets, | "Social media users are spreading a dangerous conspiracy theory that says drinking a bleach concoction will prevent contracting the 2019 coronavirus strain at the center of a current outbreak. Don’t fall for it. We came across the claim in a Jan. 28 tweet by Twitter user ""Chief Police 2"" that urged their followers to... |
11430 | Mixed Result in Treating Schizophrenia Pre-Diagnosis | This story discusses a randomized, double-blind trial of Zyprexa for the prevention or delay of schizophrenia in high-risk young adults experiencing early symptoms of psychosis (schizophrenia is a more severe, chronic psychotic disorder). Due to potentially serious side effects, Zyprexa and similar anti-psychotic drugs... | mixture | No mention of the cost of Zyprexa and no mention of how long this medication would need to be taken to prevent a severe psychotic break in susceptible adults. These drugs cost around $200/month. Add in physician visits and monitoring for onset of diabetes, weight gain, and hyperlipidemia and you can easily come up with... | |
21402 | "Michael Skindell Says that in the recent year homeowners across Ohio have signed mineral rights agreements ""and I understand that over a billion dollars worth of leases have been signed to date." | State Sen. Michael Skindell says oil, gas companies in Ohio have spent $1 billion plus on drilling leases | true | Environment, Ohio, Michael Skindell, | "Ohio Gov. John Kasich has enthusiastically cheered the money-making prospects of hydraulic fracking, a technique used to extract oil and gas from underground shale. Eastern Ohio, with its energy-laden Utica and Marcellus shale formations, is high on the list of targeted areas where companies are looking buy up rights ... |
34116 | "The daddy longlegs is the ""world's most poisonous animal." | In the pantheon of venomous animals, the box jellyfish is a particularly bad creature for humans to encounter. With the realm of venomous spiders, the funnel web spider or the brown recluse spider are among the most dangerous to people. | false | Critter Country, Wild Inaccuracies | This claim has a few ambiguities to it. First of all, “poisonous” and “venomous” are two distinctly different qualities: poisonous animals give off toxins which are absorbed when they are touched or eaten by attackers; venomous animals transmit toxins by injecting them into their victims. Secondly, more than one type o... |
6102 | Groups plan new lawsuit over Fairbanks-area air pollution. | Environmental groups say they are planning another lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to push action in addressing air pollution in the Fairbanks North Star Borough. | true | Clean Air Act, Fairbanks, Alaska, Air pollution, Environment, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Lawsuits, Pollution | The nonprofit environmental law firm Earthjustice sent a 60-day notice Wednesday that it would be suing the EPA “for failing to perform a nondiscretionary duty under the Clean Air Act,” the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reported . The planned suit is over missed deadlines for filing a new plan for reducing elevated levels... |
26096 | “President Obama and Vice President Biden never even tried to fix this (police reforms) during their eight-year period.” | Trump’s claim ignores key initiatives and priorities of the Obama administration. After the 2014 fatal shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., Obama created a task force to specifically identify better policing practices. Law enforcement and criminal justice experts said improving policing was a priority for the Ob... | false | Criminal Justice, Crime, Public Safety, Donald Trump, | "Amid mounting calls from Americans for changes in policing practices and end to excessive use of force, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that he said is intended to encourage police departments to adopt the highest professional standards. Reforming policing practices is difficult, and the Obama adminis... |
1895 | Italy risks worst environmental disaster in 20 years. | Italy risks its worst environmental disaster in more than two decades if the 2,400 tonnes of thick fuel in the capsized Costa Concordia pollutes one of the Mediterranean’s most prized and pristine maritime reserves. | true | Environment | Seven days after the 114,500 tonne liner capsized off the Tuscan coast, its vast wreck is shifting precariously on an undersea ledge, threatening to slide further and undermining plans to pump the oil out safely. The ship keeled over after striking a rock and is now lying on its side on a shelf in about 20 meters of wa... |
14696 | Since John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, more Americans have died by gunfire within our own country than American servicemen and women who were killed in all our wars. | The Virginia Center for Public Safety says that since 1963, more Americans have been killed by gunfire than have been killed in all U.S. wars. Figures going back to 1968 show about 1.5 million firearms deaths have occurred since then. That doesn’t include data from gun deaths from 1963 to 1967, years for which figures ... | true | Guns, Virginia, Virginia Center for Public Safety, | "During a recent rally at Capitol Square in Richmond, gun control advocates handed out fliers with a grisly statistic. ""Since John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, more Americans have died by gunfire within our own country than American servicemen and women who were killed in all our wars,"" says the brochure, dis... |
26664 | "Silver Solution used on strains of coronavirus ""totally eliminate it. Kills it. Deactivates it.”" | "Our ruling Sellman claimed that a Silver Solution used on strains of coronavirus ""totally eliminate it. Kills it. Deactivates it."" Sellman claimed that a Silver Solution used on strains of coronavirus ""totally eliminate it. Kills it. Deactivates it."" No, no, and no. No, no, and no. There are no pills or remedies t... | false | Public Health, Missouri, PunditFact, Coronavirus, Sherill Sellman, | "As the novel coronavirus pandemic continues to spread, so does misinformation surrounding the illness, heightening global anxiety. On March 10, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt (R) filed a lawsuit against televangelist Jim Bakker and his production company for advertising and marketing a silver solution that he ... |
10923 | Keep an ovary, preserve a brain | "There is mounting evidence that removing the ovaries early, prior to menopause, increases a woman’s risk of heart disease, fracture, and now, potentially, neurologic deficits. For these women, using estrogen replacement therapy may be beneficial to block these effects as well as treating symptoms. This story reports o... | mixture | "Because the story discusses the potential harms of oophorectomy, the cost criterion is not necessarily applicable in this case. The story does not adequately quantify the harms of oophorectomy. Specifically, the story provides quantification in relative terms only by stating that ""surgical removal of the ovaries befo... | |
3776 | Top Kenya court dismisses British American Tobacco challenge. | Kenya’s Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a British American Tobacco challenge to regulations that charge the tobacco industry a fee to help compensate people affected by smoking. | true | Supreme courts, Health, General News, Africa, Courts, Kenya, Smoking, Tobacco industry regulation | The regulations conform to the constitution and its goal of protecting the lives of Kenyans, the justices said. “It is not enough for the appellant (BAT) to say that the limitations are not justifiable. The limitation has to be weighed against the larger society. There is no way regulations can be made without consider... |
2627 | Power walking falls between the ramble and the race. | If watching the London Olympics has sparked an interest in race walking, with its singular hip-swinging, rolling gait, but the pace is not right, consider power walking, its more easygoing cousin. | true | Health News | Whatever your fitness level, experts say, there will be perks. “Landing on the heel, rolling to the toes ... using short but fast strides are characteristic of both power and race walking,” said Dr. Dixie Thompson, head of the department of kinesiology, recreation and sport studies at the University of Tennessee at Kno... |
4335 | Cal State San Bernardino student diagnosed with TB. | Health officials say a California State University, San Bernardino, student has been diagnosed with tuberculosis and they’re urging about 400 students and employees to be tested. | true | Health, General News, San Bernardino, California, Tuberculosis | San Bernardino County health officials say they’re contacting those who may have been exposed to the illness from April through August. However, authorities say the risk of infection is low. The student with tuberculosis is receiving treatment and will return to school after being cleared by health authorities. Tubercu... |
9313 | Potential life-saving peanut allergy drug on horizon, scientists say | This Fox News story describes a new treatment for kids with peanut allergy called AR101, which could help protect against severe reactions to peanut ingestion. It’s one of two stories we reviewed about this important and newsworthy study. The other was from CNN. This story does not appear to contain original reporting.... | false | allergies,peanuts | The story does not mention costs — particularly important since the treatment might have to be taken for life. Also, it’s expected to be marketed next year. The story reports the benefits of treatment in two different ways: “two thirds of people in the study were able to tolerate the equivalent of two peanuts per day a... |
7466 | FDA probes accuracy issue with Abbott’s rapid virus test. | Federal health officials are alerting doctors to a potential accuracy problem with a rapid test for COVID-19 used at thousands of hospitals, clinics and testing sites across the U.S., including the White House. | true | Understanding the Outbreak, Health, General News, Politics, Racing for a Remedy, Virus Outbreak, Donald Trump | The Food and Drug Administration said late Thursday it is investigating preliminary data suggesting Abbott Laboratories’ 15-minute test can miss COVID-19 cases, falsely clearing patients of infection. The test is used daily at the White House to test President Donald Trump and key members of his staff, including the co... |
11592 | Strips help snorers (and partners) sleep easier | "This is a review of a column originally published in the Miami Herald but picked up in the Hartford Courant when we found it. Hardly a word is wasted in this 300-word evaluation of Breathe Right nasal strips’ effect on snoring. It’s informative and easy to read. It has clear consumer value and an explicit takeaway mes... | true | "The price appears on the first line. Given the item’s brevity, it does a good job of quantifying benefits for one of studies: ""Some 18 out of 26 patients with sleep apnea and snoring reduced nasal obstruction when they used nasal strips in a 1999 study in Journal of Rhinology."" This lets readers know the study was s... | |
18222 | Wendy Davis Says 92 percent of Texas counties had no abortion provider in 2008. | Davis said that in 2008, 92 percent of Texas counties had no abortion provider. Her statement matched the Guttmacher Institute’s findings, which seem supported by the locations of Texas abortion facility license holders as of late June 2013. But the institute’s study also said it likely undercounted facilities, while p... | true | Abortion, Texas, Wendy Davis, | "A Democrat bent on talking to death a proposal pitched by backers as improving the safety of abortion clinics while imposing other limits bandied a statistic about existing access to abortion toward the beginning of her filibuster. State Sen. Wendy Davis of Fort Worth quoted to Senate colleagues from written testimony... |
26767 | “I certainly supported Barack Obama and Joe Biden. ... I was there both times for them.” | Mike Bloomberg defended Barack Obama in mid 2008 against attacks that Obama was anti-Israel. Bloomberg did not endorse Obama in 2008. Bloomberg endorsed Obama in 2012 in a post that included praise and criticism. | mixture | Elections, Michael Bloomberg, | "The fact that Mike Bloomberg hasn’t been a Democrat his whole life keeps coming up in his 2020 presidential bid. At a CNN town hall, host Anderson Cooper asked Bloomberg why Democrats should trust him to lead their party. Bloomberg acknowledged his past as a Republican and an Independent. But he argued that he isn’t s... |
9300 | Mounting evidence demonstrates improved cognitive function from cocoa flavanol consumption | This content-light release has a lot of persuasive power. For an eight-week, 90-person study, it makes some overly broad claims. Reporters should be wary. The danger is that a vague release like this will be simplified to a misleading message such as, “To improve memory, consider chocolate.” CBC News has a terrific sto... | mixture | chocolate,cocoa,cognitive function | One might say that everyone knows what a piece of chocolate costs. But this study isn’t about chocolate. It’s about a special concoction made out of the flavanols found in cocoa beans. As the release says, “the nutritionally matched drinks were specially prepared” using either “Mars’ patented Cocoapro process” or “a hi... |
10978 | Moms who take folic acid, iron have smarter kids | This story captures most of the good news from this study about the benefits of folic acid and iron supplementation in children in rural Nepal, but it skirts some of the thornier issues, namely the costs associated, the specific benefits and harms involved and the question of availability. We applaud the story for tack... | false | Reuters Health | There is no discussion of costs. This is a problem because even if the individual doses of iron and folic acid are relatively cheap, their application on a large population, including staff time, monitoring and the attendant paperwork, would no doubt become costly quickly. We’re talking about a study of 676 kids, but t... |
11162 | Risk of death higher for prostate cancer patients with heart disease who use hormone therapy | A new study published in this week’s Journal of the American Medical Association supports more conservative use of hormone therapy in men with advanced prostate cancer who also have heart disease risk factors. Although it has been known for some time that hormone therapy increases the risk of heart disease, the new stu... | true | The story mentions the monthly cost of the therapy of $1,400 and that it is taken for 4 months on average. The story does a good job of quantifying the risk of heart disease by providing multiple ways of expressing that risk, that is in both absolute and relative terms. The story clearly describes the side effects and ... | |
35152 | A homemade hand sanitizer made with Tito's Vodka can be used to fight the new coronavirus. | A number of DIY articles on the internet explain how to make homemade hand sanitizer. While some of these articles specified that vodka containing at least 60% alcohol was required to make an effective hand sanitizer, others simply stated that any vodka would do. Good Housekeeping, for instance, published an article on... | false | Medical, COVID-19 | As the coronavirus known as COVID-19 spread around the globe in March 2020, a piece of advice repeated frequently was to wash your hands often. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends using soap and water, but the internet had another suggestion: Tito’s Vodka. A popular rumor on social media hel... |
287 | The obscure advisory committees at the heart of the U.S. drug pricing debate. | Expectations were high last year for three new migraine drugs hitting the market from Amgen Inc, Eli Lilly and Co and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries. | true | Health News | Priced around $7,000 each, the drugmakers called them “breakthrough” treatments designed to prevent migraines when taken year-round, and estimated that millions of patients could benefit. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration said Amgen’s Aimovig – the first of the three drugs approved – was an “important addition” to av... |
5847 | Numbers show jump in STD cases at the University of Kansas. | New numbers show that cases of sexually transmitted diseases are on the rise at the University of Kansas. | true | Sexually transmitted diseases, Lawrence, Health, Kansas, Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Education, University of Kansas | The Lawrence Journal-World reports that recent numbers from KU’s Watkins Health Services show the number of gonorrhea cases diagnosed at KU jumped 39 percent from 2016 to 2017. University health officials say that marked the most dramatic jump on the campus of major sexually transmitted infections. The service’s health... |
11300 | Device’s trial run gets high praise | There’s nothing inherently wrong with a local newspaper story that lets readers know about local medical centers participating in a multi-center trial. But what can be wrong with such a story was seen in this story. It failed to: provide any data on harms or benefits go beyond a single positive anecdote of patient su... | false | "The story didn’t mention any of the costs of treatment involved – not the known nor projected costs of the device, of its implantation, of followup care, nor of battery replacement. No data – no evidence – was provided. The story mentioned the need for periodic battery replacement, but didn’t describe what that entail... |
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