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26133 | League of Conservation Voters Says Donald Trump has opposed plans to clean up “Toxic chemicals that cause cancer (that) are in the water …. (and) put Wisconsin at risk.” | The Trump Administration did release a statement opposing the PFAS Action Act But the ad does not take into consideration previous legislation that Trump signed into law, which does combat the chemicals | mixture | Environment, Public Health, Wisconsin, League of Conservation Voters, | "For years, states across the country have waged a battle against the ""forever chemicals"" that have leached into water used for drinking. The technical term is per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances -- or, in the political lexicon, PFAS. Federal lawmakers have been pushing for regulation of the chemicals, despite indica... |
36338 | An X-ray shows hundreds of undigested boba pearls in the digestive tract of a young girl. | Does an X-Ray Show Hundreds of Undigested Boba Pearls in a Young Chinese Patient? | unproven | Fact Checks, Viral Content | In June 2019, a number of websites and news outlets reported that a young girl in China was treated for symptoms related to the discovery of “hundreds” of undigested boba pearls in her digestive tract via x-ray.Notably, headlines for the story often indicated that elements of it were mostly likely unedited and unvetted... |
12232 | Hillary Clinton has third heart attack — docs says she ‘won’t survive’. | Hillary Clinton not dead from heart attack, as fake news site claims | false | Fake news, PunditFact, Bloggers, | "An online story about former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton suffering not just one heart attack, but three, is a fake news story concocted by a parody site run by a liberal troll. ""Breaking: Hillary Clinton has third heart attack — docs says she ‘won’t survive’,"" read the headline on a July 28, 2017, post on Pol... |
33509 | A childless couple discovered the cause of their infertility was a lack of sex. | The woman’s symptoms led Doctor Liu to believe that she may have had some sort of gynaecological disease. But following an examination, the wife was revealed to be a virgin. Doctor Liu then inspected the woman’s anus and discovered that she ‘could fit three fingers’ inside. It was then that the medic is said to have le... | false | Risqué Business, Gallery Of The Gruesome, Infertility, sex urban legends | Sex is a subject which, because it has long been considered an inappropriate topic for public discourse in our society, is a particularly favorite topic of non-public discourse. We gossip about people who are having sex, we gossip about people who aren’t having sex, and we gossip about people who are having too much se... |
35645 | Six police officers were killed in 10 days while working during protests against police violence and racial injustice in the spring of 2020. | The South Pacific island nation of Samoa on Saturday extended a state of emergency due to a measles outbreak which has killed 72 people, mostly infants, as New Zealand announced NZ$1 million ($640,700) to help combat measles in the Pacific. | false | Crime, George Floyd, George Floyd Protests | Samoa said a state of emergency will be extended to Dec. 29 with 5,154 cases of measles now reported since the outbreak started in October. Samoa has a population of only 200,000. Measles started appearing en masse earlier this year in the New Zealand city of Auckland, a hub for travel to and from small South Pacific i... |
4087 | State: 8 cases of severe lung disease from vaping, e-cigs. | New Mexico Department of Health officials say they’re now investigating eight cases of severe lung disease associated with vaping and e-cigarette use. | true | Health, General News, Lung disease, New Mexico, Santa Fe | They say the eight state residents have required hospitalization following the development of respiratory symptoms such as cough and difficulty breathing. Five of them required intensive care during their hospitalizations. State health officials also say all of patients who have been interviewed regarding vaping behavi... |
29259 | Scraping your tongue with a spoon, placing that spoon in a bag, and putting that bag under a light for a period of time will provide useful diagnostic information about your health. | All told, claims made relating the “breath” portion of the spoon test are generally rooted in factual connections between mouth odor and internal health, but are effectively useless as a screening or diagnostic tool. Claims made of the “stain” portion of the spoon test are created by conflating unproven or confused cla... | false | Medical, alternative health, bad breath, david avocado wolfe | In January 2016, NBC News medical contributor Natalie Azar reported a segment for the Today show that highlighted six medical screenings that can purportedly be done at home. One of these screenings, the “bad breath test,” served as the original basis for a series of largely erroneous (but viral) health posts on dubiou... |
9003 | New Phase 3 Data Show Esketamine Nasal Spray Demonstrated Rapid Improvements in Depressive Symptoms in Patients with Treatment-Resistant Depression | This news release focuses on two phase 3 clinical trials that evaluated the use of a drug called esketamine to treat depression. Both trials focused on patients who had not responded to at least two antidepressant drugs, and both trials used esketamine as a nasal spray, in conjunction with an oral antidepressant. One s... | true | depression,esketamine nasal spray,Janssen | Costs are not addressed and they should be. While esketamine spray is a newer version of ketamine, which has been in use as a general anesthetic for 50 years, that drug has been off-patent for many years. A new version of the drug, presented in a nasal spray formula, is eligible for patent protection once it is approve... |
4494 | Ex-PM Sharif leaves Pakistan for medical treatment in London. | Pakistan’s ailing former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who was convicted of corruption, left the country on Tuesday to travel to London for medical treatment. | true | Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif, Health, General News, Lahore, Asia Pacific | The 69-year-old Sharif, who served three times as prime minister but fell from grace after the Supreme Court ousted him from office over corruption allegations two years ago, has had a history of health problems, including heart disease. He departed on a specially equipped medical plane from the Pakistani city of Lahor... |
16657 | 25 percent of all drug-related fatal vehicle accidents in the U.S. involve marijuana. | "Don’t Let Florida Go To Pot said, ""25 percent of all fatal drug-related vehicle accidents in the U.S. involve marijuana."" Some other research backs up that number, although the studies are limited in scope and descriptiveness. Reports usually don’t show whether marijuana use was the cause of the accident or how long... | mixture | Drugs, Health Care, Florida, Don't Let Florida Go To Pot, | "Medical marijuana opponents are taking to the streets to oppose Amendment 2, citing statistics that drugged driving would be a major side effect to legalizing cannabis. Don’t Let Florida Go To Pot, a coalition of more than 40 organizations fighting against the proposed medical marijuana amendment, says on its website ... |
29165 | The Denver City Council recently legalized public urination and defecation. | What's true: In May 2017 the Denver City Council passed a set of reforms that, among other provisions, lessened the penalties for public urination or defecation. What's false: The Denver City Council did not legalize public urination or defecation, as the separate and existing prohibitions on such behavior remained in ... | false | Politics, joe for america | In early 2019, an old story re-emerged online claiming that authorities in the city of Denver, Colorado, had taken the step of legalizing public urination and defecation. On 17 January, the right-leaning web site “Joe for America” — started by the conservative commentator Joe “Joe the Plumber” Wurzelbacher — re-publish... |
4361 | New chief of Global Fund says accountability is ‘imperative’. | The new executive director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria says he is committed to ensuring the group is as transparent as possible about how its billions of dollars are spent to fight the three killer diseases. | true | Health, Malaria, Tuberculosis | The Global Fund’s board appointed Peter Sands to be its new chief on Tuesday. Sands, a Briton, is a former chief executive officer of Standard Chartered Bank. In an interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday, Sands said it was “absolutely imperative” that the fund be able to demonstrate that the $4 billion it giv... |
28431 | Donald Trump donates his entire presidential salary and Melania Trump has a White House staff of only four, while President Obama donated nothing and First Lady Michelle Obama had a staff of 23. | What's true: President Trump has so far donated his whole presidential salary to various agencies, and Michelle Obama's White House staff numbered about 23 in the latter part of her husband's administration. What's false: President Obama donated millions of dollars to charities during his time in office, and Melania Tr... | mixture | Politics, barack obama, donald trump, melania trump | Rarely does a month go by without the emergence of a new Internet meme comparing the presidencies of Donald Trump and Barack Obama, typically favoring the former over the latter. In July 2018, we were alerted to a meme declaring that while President Trump donates all of his salary and First Lady Melania Trump makes do ... |
27252 | Detained immigrant children were strapped to chairs with bags over their heads. | According to the Associated Press, SVJC is “one of only three juvenile detention facilities in the United States with federal contracts to provide ‘secure placement’ for children who had problems at less-restrictive housing.” Roughly half the beds at any time are filled with migrant children aged 12 to 17 wading throug... | true | Politics, immigrant children, immigration, zero tolerance | In mid-August 2018, the state of Virginia made public the findings of an investigation detailing conditions inside the Shenandoah Valley Juvenile Center, several weeks after after the Associated Press reported multiple migrant children detained there had alleged abuse that included beatings and being tied down to chair... |
32252 | A photograph shows an African tribe performing a ritual to reconnect a misbehaving person with his good nature. | It should come as no surprise that the misidentified image is marked with the name of David “Avocado” Wolfe, who is single-handedly responsible for a disproportionate share of the misinformation to be found on the Internet. | false | Fauxtography, david avocado wolfe, People, soccer | A photograph of a young man is frequently circulated online with the claim that it depicts a member of an “African tribe” who practice a unique method for encouraging good behavior from misbehaving tribe members: Of course, additional information — such as the name of the tribe or the part of Africa they inhabit — is s... |
8799 | Study shows RAD001 froze kidney cancer for a year. | Nearly two-thirds of kidney cancer patients taking Novartis AG’s RAD001 had progression of their disease delayed by a year, a significantly better result than in those taking placebo, investigators said. | true | Health News | The disease did not progress for one year in 65 percent of patients taking the once-daily RAD001 tablet, compared to 37 percent in those taking placebo, according to detailed results from a late-stage trial, which was stopped early because it met its main target. The drug is also known as everolimus and works by bl... |
7912 | Thailand warns of coronavirus danger of sharing drinks, cigarettes. | Thailand issued a new coronavirus warning to the party-going public on Friday after a cluster of 13 cases was traced to a group of friends who shared cigarettes and drinks. | true | Health News | Sukhum Kanchanapimai, the health ministry’s permanent secretary, told reporters some friends who met up were responsible for the highest daily jump of 11 new coronavirus cases, reported on Thursday. “There was inappropriate behaviour, sharing drinks, cigarettes and not avoiding social activities after returning from an... |
29417 | A very spicy pepper burned a hole through a man's esophagus. | What's true: A man ended up with a torn esophagus after eating an extremely spicy pepper. What's false: The heat from the pepper did not burn a hole in his throat. | false | Uncategorized, capsaicin, ghost pepper, spicy food | In October 2016, a story cropped up about a 47-year-old man who ate a ghost pepper and then went to the hospital with a one-inch tear in his esophagus. The story was picked up by numerous media outlets from a study published in the Journal of Emergency Medicine titled “Esophageal Rupture After Ghost Pepper Ingestion.” ... |
26298 | Chip Roy Says Wisconsin has not had a spike in coronavirus cases that was “statistically significant related to the fact that they had voting.” | Wisconsin has linked 67 cases to the April 7 primary election in the state, a small portion of the state's overall cases. Health officials said there has not been a spike in coronavirus cases that can be tied to the election. But they said it may be impossible to assess the true impact of the election, given the uncert... | true | Texas, Wisconsin, Coronavirus, Chip Roy, | "During a video interview with the Texas Tribune, U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, a Republican from Austin, discussed the status of coronavirus in the state and spoke about a number of policies under consideration — including whether mail-in voting should be expanded for the general election in November. Citing concerns about vote... |
162 | Big Oil undermines U.N. climate goals with $50 billion of new projects: report. | Major oil companies have approved $50 billion of projects since last year that will not be economically viable if governments implement the Paris Agreement on climate change, think-tank Carbon Tracker said in a report published on Friday. | true | Environment | The analysis found that investment plans by Royal Dutch Shell (RDSa.L), BP (BP.L) and ExxonMobil (XOM.N) among other companies will not be compatible with the 2015 Paris Agreement, which aims to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. “Every oil major is betting heavily against a 1.5 degree Celsius world and inves... |
32007 | Mike Pence credited 'gay conversion therapy' with saving his marriage. | Novartis’s shift into high-tech drugs won praise for providing patients with new options but criticism over prices that may run into the millions of dollars at the Swiss drugmaker’s annual general meeting on Thursday. | false | Junk News, gay conversion therapy, mike pence, nevada county scooper | Shareholders at the event in Basel also approved Novartis’s planned spin-off of its Alcon eyecare unit, due for coming months, with investors with five Novartis shares due to receive one share of Alcon stock. Swiss shareholder group Actares said insurance systems are being “taken hostage” by high prices for life-saving... |
3666 | To battle opioid crisis, some track overdoses in real time. | Drug overdose patients rushed to some emergency rooms in New York’s Hudson Valley are asked a series of questions: Do you have stable housing? Do you have food? Times and location of overdoses are noted, too. | true | Opioids, New York, General News, Technology, AP Top News, Science, Health, U.S. News | The information is entered into a new overdose-tracking system that provides near real-time glimpses into the ravages of the opioid-fueled drug crisis. The Hudson Valley Interlink Analytic System is among a number of surveillance systems being adopted around the country by police, government agencies and community grou... |
10584 | Implant Device Can Treat Clinical Depression | This story reports on vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) as a newer method for treating people with depression; however, it is currently approved only for people with treatment resistant depression, that is, depression that has not responded to trials of at least four medications and/or electroshock therapy. While the story... | false | The story does not provide the cost of the vagus nerve stimulator (VNS) or surgery for implantation of the device, which is $20,000. Patients also typically require regular visits to physicians for adjustments to the device. The cost of these follow-up visits is not mentioned. Even though the VNS candidate in this stor... | |
5578 | Another case of meningococcal disease at Oregon State. | Oregon State University said Wednesday it will fight an outbreak of meningococcal disease by requiring students 25 and younger to be vaccinated against the disease by Feb. 15. | true | Health, Oregon State University, Oregon, Meningitis | The university announced its decision after the Oregon Health Authority reported that an undergraduate has been diagnosed with the disease, the sixth case in an outbreak that began a little more than a year ago. “We’re raising the bar, and that happens today,” university spokesman Steve Clark said. The latest case is a... |
28745 | Watching horror movies increases calorie consumption and reduces the risk of obesity. | What's true: An informal study commissioned by a movie rental service found that watching certain horror movies increased viewers' heart rates and burned more calories in a small sample of adults than simply sitting quietly did. What's false: The study was neither peer-reviewed nor published (nor, apparently, meant to ... | mixture | Medical, calories, horror movies, obesity | The Internet is still abuzz over a 2012 medical study supposedly showing that the average adult burns as many calories while watching a scary movie as he or she would during a 30-minute walk — and the scarier the movie, the more calories burned. Some even go so far as to say that watching horror movies reduces one’s ri... |
463 | Merck says Ebola vaccine to be available at lowest access price for poor nations. | Merck & Co (MRK.N) said on Friday it expects to make licensed doses of its recently approved Ebola vaccine available in the third quarter of 2020 and price the single-dose injection at the lowest possible access price for poor and middle-income countries. | true | Health News | The vaccine, Ervebo, was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday, a month after Europe gave its nod to the vaccine, a move that has been hailed by the World Health Organization. “We have made a commitment to making the vaccine available to GAVI-eligible countries at the lowest possible access pric... |
8840 | Cholesterol scientist balked at delay: lawmaker. | The lead researcher for a study of Schering-Plough Corp and Merck & Co’s controversial cholesterol drug Vytorin had expressed strong concern over the companies’ decision to delay the findings, according to e-mails released on Monday. | true | Health News | In a note to Schering executive John Strony last July, John Kastelein said he was troubled that the drugmakers delayed publication of the results, which found that their jointly sold drug Vytorin failed to reverse heart disease any better than cheaper statin drugs. “This starts smelling like extending the publicati... |
4898 | New Mexico sizes up potential of recreational pot market. | A panel of legislators delved into the uncertain market economics of legalizing recreational marijuana and thorny concerns about public health on Wednesday, in a prelude to a rapid-fire legislative session that could open the doors to recreational cannabis in New Mexico. | true | Michelle Lujan Grisham, Health, General News, Recreational marijuana, Marijuana, Local taxes, New Mexico | A legalization work group assembled by Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is pitching an oversight system that would limit state and local taxes on recreational marijuana to roughly 17% and license producers for as little as $500 a month with additional per-plant fees. Medical marijuana would become tax-free and be... |
7203 | NY Assembly OKs universal health care; bill halted in Senate. | The New York state Assembly has again endorsed a single-payer universal health care system. | true | Health care reform, Legislation, Universal health care, New York, Bills | The Democrat-led chamber passed the measure last week for the fourth year in a row. Passage of the legislation is largely symbolic, however. The Republican-led Senate is not expected to take up the measure before lawmakers adjourn for the year next year. Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie says Democrats in his chamber belie... |
26290 | “Hydroxychloroquine cures this ‘virus.’ It just so happens this is the treatment used for radiation sickness!!” | Amnesty International attacked the electric vehicle (EV) industry on Thursday for selling itself as environmentally friendly while producing many of its batteries using polluting fossil fuels and unethically sourced minerals. | false | Facebook Fact-checks, Coronavirus, Facebook posts, | Manufacturing batteries can be carbon intensive, while the extraction of minerals used in them has been linked to human rights violations such as child labor, a statement from the rights group said. “Electric vehicles are key to shifting the motor industry away from fossil fuels, but they are currently not as ethical a... |
6741 | Indiana teachers learning to spot suicide warning signs. | Teachers in Indiana are learning to spot the warning signs that students might be considering killing themselves and how to help pupils cope with classmates’ suicides or attempted suicides. | true | Mental health, General News, Suicide prevention, Anderson, Indiana | Nearly 30 educators and staff from Anderson Community Schools attended a suicide prevention training session last month where they learned the red flags for suicide and the resources available for prevention. Nancy Smith, a trainer with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, said the training for teachers can ... |
26410 | “We are currently using only around 20% of our testing capacity.” | Vos and Fitzgerald cited capacity while criticizing Evers for waiting on more testing to re-open Wisconsin, implying the state could be doing 5x more tests now. That’s wrong. Half that listed capacity is from a new lab that is several weeks from being able to actually receive that volume of tests. While testing is far ... | mixture | Health Care, States, Wisconsin, Wisconsin Republican Legislative leaders, | "Gov. Tony Evers has said expanded testing capacity is one of the benchmarks needed to begin a phased re-opening of Wisconsin in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Testing has been a key chokepoint in Wisconsin and nationwide, with some people initially unable to get tested despite serious symptoms and officials scr... |
29866 | "In late 2018 or early 2019, the Girl Scouts of the USA gave a Tucson, Arizona, member the ""Gold Award"" for a project that promoted abortion. " | Following confirmation from the Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona that Gopalan’s project “will not cover abortion in any way,” and that it had never been her intention to address that issue in her project, we have changed our rating from “Mixture” to “False” in relation to the claim, reported by LifeNews and the Daily Wi... | false | Politics | In March 2019, right-leaning and pro-life websites criticized the Girl Scouts of the USA in response to reports about a member in Southern Arizona who planned to achieve the organization’s “Gold Award” with a project about women’s reproductive health. On 5 March, the website LifeNews.com published an article with the h... |
30222 | Imam Siraj Wahhaj, the father of a suspect accused of training children to be school shooters at a compound in New Mexico, was the keynote speaker at the 2012 Democratic National Convention. | In partisan hands, this morphed into the rumor that Wahhaj led a prayer at the Democratic National Convention itself, which in turn has morphed into the rumor that Wahhaj was the keynote speaker at the convention, and therefore somehow intimately connected to Democratic Party politics and Obama’s presidency. Those rumo... | false | Politics, barack obama, democratic national convention, Imam Siraj Wahhaj | The arrest of five adults for child abuse in August 2018 at a New Mexico compound where the principal suspect was accused of training children to be school shooters took an unexpected turn when far-right websites declared that the suspect’s father, a well-known Muslim cleric, had been a keynote speaker at the 2012 Demo... |
26623 | “No city in the state can quarantine itself without state approval.” | Cuomo said that cities do not have the power to order quarantines without state approval. Based on the powers of the state to override local orders contained in state Executive Law and in Cuomo’s recent executive order. | true | New York, Coronavirus, Andrew Cuomo, | "Gov. Andrew Cuomo, trying to calm fears amid the spread of the novel coronavirus, told reporters there are no plans to issue quarantine measures for entire cities. And if mayors are talking about that, they can’t do it without state approval, he said. ""Mitigation is continuing and is ramping up,"" Cuomo said on Tuesd... |
218 | AstraZeneca Imfinzi combination fails advanced lung cancer study. | A combination of AstraZeneca’s lung cancer drug Imfinzi and an experimental treatment failed to extend the lives of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and high levels of gene mutations, the drugmaker said on Wednesday. | true | Health News | The late-stage clinical trial was testing Imfinzi, chemically known as durvalumab, along with another treatment tremelimumab and compared the combination to platinum-based chemotherapy to treat patients whose cancer had spread beyond the lungs. London-listed AstraZeneca said that though the trial involved a wide range ... |
9764 | Prenatal Blood Tests Could Detect Cancer in Mothers | This Wall Street Journal story offers a thoughtful and thorough summary of a presentation (and related study in JAMA) about the ability of commercial prenatal blood tests to also uncover hidden cancers in pregnant women. The story makes clear that the study’s finding of “rare cases” of cancer “underscores both challeng... | true | prenatal testing | Although the story does not explicitly note the cost of the two commercially available tests, it does provide substantial context about the rising popularity of the tests among clinicians and pregnant women, as well as cautionary notes about their use from both those involved in the study and an expert who wrote an acc... |
15024 | "HIV/AIDS is ""dramatically on the rise in the U.S. South." | CDC data support the claim of superstar and part-time Atlanta resident Elton John that the South is the region most dramatically affected by the HIV epidemic. Whether that’s because cases are rising in the South or declining in other regions, or a combination of both, is not entirely a clear. Data from 2012-13 shows ne... | true | Georgia, Gays and Lesbians, Health Care, States, Elton John, | "Celebrity just keeps elbowing its way into the 2016 presidential race. It could be argued that it started with Donald Trump. The man known best to many Americans as the star of the long-running ""Apprentice"" reality TV show jumped into the presidential race in June and into first place in the crowded field of Republi... |
11391 | FDA approves first pill meant to end periods | "This story was about FDA approval of another oral contraceptive that also suppresses or stops menstrual periods. The story didn’t include any data and didn’t evaluate the quality of the evidence for Lybrel in any way. So it didn’t disclose that many women dropped out of the trials of Lybrel because of spotting or brea... | false | "There is no mention of the cost of Lybrel, not even a projection from Wyeth of what they may charge. Whatever the cost, the point should have been made that the same result can be achieved using cheaper generics. There was no discussion of data nor of the quality of the evidence for Lybrel – which seems important for ... | |
1567 | U.N. supports 'brelfies' to encourage breastfeeding. | If you’re hesitating about sending a brelfie, the United Nations says go for it. | true | Health News | A social media trend of mothers sharing “brelfies” - pictures of themselves breastfeeding - is a good way to break down any stigma about breastfeeding in public and spread the word about the importance of a mother’s milk, the United Nations said on Friday. “It’s absolutely to be encouraged,” World Health Organization s... |
9560 | Walking Fends Off Disability, And It's Not Too Late To Start | This story focuses on a study showing that elderly persons recovering from a disability get back to normal 25 percent sooner if they participate in a program of physical activity including “150 minutes of aerobic activity as well as strength, flexibility and balance training” per week. It points out that “walking was t... | true | exercise | We’ll rate this category as non-applicable since the thrust of the story and the project it reports about is for elderly persons to adopt a routine of physical activity, the core of which is walking, which costs nothing. Certainly some costs are possible, say if for example a gym membership was desired, but neither the... |
36237 | In the wake of an outrageous proposal by the Trump administration to buy Greenland, Denmark has offered to buy the United States from Russia. | North Korea, one of the world’s most reclusive states, plans to branch out into medical tourism next year, offering foreign visitors, most likely from China, treatments including cataract surgery, dental implants and therapy for tumors. | false | Fact Checks, Politics, Viral Content | The ruling party’s Rodong Sinmun newspaper reported on Friday the recent launch of the “Treatment Tourism Exchange Corporation”, aimed at capitalizing on the “rising demand for tourism, including medical care, in line with an international trend”. The new state entity will operate health clinics near hot springs, whose... |
28825 | Researchers have discovered that octopus genomes contain alien DNA. | "Rsearchers didn't discover that octopus DNA is ""alien,"" or that it originated anywhere but on Earth, although a few have suggested the possibilty." | mixture | Science | In June 2016, a number of web sites reported that, according to recent study, researchers had examined octopus DNA and discovered it was either “alien” or “from space”: The DNA of octopus may not be from this world, scientists revealed. The new study concluded that octopuses actually have alien DNA! According to the st... |
9980 | Method effectivein detecting coronary plaque | "This piece on a new imaging technique to detect noncalcified arterial plaques is described as a Sun-Sentinel ""staff report."" In fact it is a word-for-word replication of a press release issued by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, which employs the lead researchers. It’s difficult to imagine why an editor would t... | false | The news release does not report a price for the imaging technique. The press release fails to quantify the benefit of using this technique for diagnosis of noncalcified plaques. The press release fails to account for the possiblity of false positives or false negatives, or other potential harms of using the diagnostic... | |
36200 | "In September 2019, a pastor died after fasting for 30 days in an attempt to ""equal or break Jesus Christ record of fasting for 40 days." | Did a Pastor Die After 30 Days of Fasting to Beat Jesus Christ’s Record? | unproven | Disinformation, Fact Checks | In September 2019, an article with the headline “Pastor Dies After 30 Days of Fasting To Beat Jesus Record” appeared in several Facebook groups and users’ feeds:A South African pastor, Alfred Ndlovu has died of malnutrition after going without food for 30 days when he tried to emulate Jesus Christ and fast for 40 days ... |
17589 | "Florida’s proposed medical marijuana amendment ""would make Florida one of the most lenient medical-marijuana states, allowing use for limitless ‘other conditions’ specified by any physician." | "Bondi’s office is arguing the proposed Florida Amendment is worded loosely enough in its definitions of what could be treated by the drug that it would put it in league with ""the most lenient medical-marijuana states."" The Florida proposal would allow doctors to make recommendations for marijuana use without getting... | true | Drugs, Health Care, States, Florida, Marijuana, Pam Bondi, | "If there’s one issue sure to spark up a debate in Florida, it’s medical marijuana. United for Care, a medical marijuana advocacy group, is in the middle of a petition campaign to place a medicinal cannabis bill on the November ballot. The campaign has until Feb. 1 to qualify, but Attorney General Pam Bondi isn’t waiti... |
5507 | State’s 1st measles case confirmed in northeastern Indiana. | State health officials have confirmed a case of measles in northeastern Indiana. | true | Angola, Health, Measles, Michigan, Sturgis, Indiana | The Indiana State Department of Health says it’s working with local health departments to identify anyone who may have been exposed to the patient at Cameron Memorial Community Hospital Urgent Care in Angola on March 30. It says the patient also visited three locations in Sturgis, Michigan, on March 31: Holy Angels Cat... |
9932 | Test of “artificial pancreas” offers diabetes hope | If the Times account of the study reviewed here was good, and WebMD’s was bad, then this write-up is just ugly. Misleading description of the experiment. Sensational terms. No independent perspective. They might have served readers better by simply posting a link to a more detailed press release about the study. Advan... | false | "If we’re far enough along to determine that that the ""artificial pancreas"" was better than conventional techniques at managing glucose, we’re far enough along to start talking about what this approach may cost. Many patients with type 1 diabetes are not using currently available pumps and sensors because of the high... | |
10731 | Ankles Gain as Candidates for Joint Replacement | This article reviews ankle joint replacement, a relatively uncommon procedure, when compared with knee or hip replacement. This topic is of interest as ankle replacement surgery is a procedure that may be unknown to many readers. A graphic and overview of an ankle replacement is provided below. This story provides a ge... | false | "This article does not discuss costs – a significant oversight. Potential benefits including, decreased pain, improved physical function and quality of life, are mentioned – but no data is provided. How often do these occur? That’s a pretty important piece of information for readers. The story presents some risks, i.e.... | |
37770 | A nineteen-year-old developed pleurisy because she wore a mask for extended periods at her job in a grocery store. | Many iterations of an anecdote about a healthy nineteen-year-old grocery store worker developing pleurisy specifically due to the fact she wore a face mask during her shifts was repeatedly debunked by doctors and public health experts asked about the story’s plausibility. As they noted, medical professionals have long ... | false | Disinformation, Fact Checks | On May 31 2020, Facebook user Lena Kovacs shared the following screenshot of a redacted post, in which a person claimed their neeninet-year-old daughter developed pleurisy solely due to her use of a face mask in her job at “a huge grocery store chain”:Text-based versions of the post circulated as well, and they read in... |
31860 | Two handfuls of cashews are equivalent to one dose of Prozac in treating depression, and can be safely substituted for prescribed drugs. | While the meme has been circulating on Facebook since at least May 2014, we located no evidence to support the efficacy of using cashews (or anything containing tryptophan) as a treatment for depression. | false | Medical, antidepressants, dangerous memes, david avocado wolfe | In late 2016, a long-circulating claim that cashews could wholly replace prescribed antidepressants like Prozac once again made the rounds on social media. The claim was not new in 2016, but it spiked in circulation after the site Newz Magazine reiterated the rumor on 15 November 2016. According to the newer article, r... |
8010 | Israel to use computer analysis to find likely coronavirus carriers. | Israel’s defense ministry plans to use software that analyses data gathered from mobile phones - produced, according to Israeli media, by the spyware firm NSO - to help locate likely carriers of the coronavirus in order to test them. | true | Health News | Defense Minister Naftali Bennett told reporters that the “coronameter” would need approval from the cabinet - likely to be given - as well as an assessment of privacy issues from the attorney general, who has the power to block it. But it could be operational within 48 hours of getting the go-ahead. Israel already test... |
29919 | The Disney cartoon character Goofy was modeled after a breed of Scottish cow. | We’ve reached out to Disney Animation Studios for more information on Goofy’s background. | false | Humor, disney | Classic Disney cartoons have proved to be a consistent source of conspiracy theories, rumors, and urban legends. For instance, we’ve previously investigated claims that Winnie the Pooh was actually a girl, that the Seven Dwarfs were modeled on cocaine addiction and that a topless woman could briefly be spotted in VHS c... |
10545 | Stem cells may help heart disease | "This story was about an experimental approach using adult stem cells to limit heart damage after a heart attack. The story explained that the evidence came from a small phase I clinical trial, the results of which were presented at the American College of Cardiology annual meeting. It should have mentioned some of the... | mixture | "There was no estimate for the cost of this experimental approach. The story included evidence that fewer patients receiving the treatment had arrhythmias in the months after their heart attack than those who received the placebo. The story mentioned that those receiving the treatment were able to walk farther and had ... | |
8167 | Delayed by sanctions, border checks, first medical aid trickles into North Korea. | The first shipments of international medical aid are due to arrive at North Korea’s borders this week to shore up its defenses against the coronavirus, but strict border controls could mean the stream of supplies remains a trickle. | true | Health News | Some aid organizations had to get emergency sanction exemptions from the United Nations to clear the way for the shipments and are now navigating North Korea’s border controls imposed in a bid to shut out the virus. North Korea has not reported any confirmed cases of the new coronavirus that was first detected in China... |
37504 | The website for the federal Strategic National Website was changed after remarks by White House Advisor Jared Kushner on April 2, 2020. | Was the United States’ Strategic National Stockpile Website Altered After Remarks by Jared Kushner? | true | Disinformation, Fact Checks | Journalists and social media users alike keyed on to a change to a government website after heavily-criticized remarks by presidential advisor Jared Kushner.On April 2 2020, Kushner was discussing the use of the Strategic National Stockpile as part of the government response to the COVID-19 pandemic when he said:You ha... |
41185 | The estimated cost of Brexit is £4.15 per person per day. | U.S. health officials on Thursday reported 805 confirmed and probable cases and 12 deaths so far from a mysterious respiratory illness tied to vaping, with the outbreak showing no signs of losing steam. | false | online | Last week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 530 cases and seven deaths due to severe lung illnesses. U.S. public health officials have been investigating these illnesses, but have not linked it to any specific e-cigarette product. As of Sept. 24, the confirmed deaths were reported in ... |
9555 | Botox Works As Well As Nerve Stimulator for Incontinence - Study | This news story covers a clinical trial that compared two different treatments for severe urinary urge incontinence in women. One treatment, which is more standard, is an electrical stimulator that calms nerves. The other and less well-understood treatment is shots of Botox (also known by its scientific name, onabotuli... | mixture | Botox,urinary incontinence | We hear a lot about costs throughout this story, but see no specific numbers or meaningful discussion. And this is a major oversight, since—at least according to a 2015 study that focused on the UK National Health Service—Botox combined with quality supportive care “appears to be a cost-effective use of resources.” A n... |
1962 | Comfort eating helps stave off the blues: study. | A sweet tooth might not be the only reason why we reach for ice cream and cake in times of stress. | true | Health News | Comfort from the consumption of fatty foods is not derived purely from the pleasurable sensory experience of eating but also through gut-brain signaling, according to a study by scientists at the University of Leuven, in Belgium. The study, which was published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, used MRI scans to... |
22424 | "The American Academy of Pediatrics ""supports banning guns." | Gun lobbyist says doctors play politics with gun question | true | Children, Florida, Guns, Marion Hammer, | "One of the more intriguing subplots so far during the 2011 Florida legislative session has been a fight between two powerful Tallahassee special interests -- the gun lobby and doctors. The bills at issue are SB 432 and its companion HB 155. The measures, being pushed by gun interests, would prohibit doctors from askin... |
4599 | Study: Missouri’s marijuana supply will outpace demand. | Missouri won’t have enough demand for medical marijuana to support the number of businesses the state is required to license by next year, according to a new study. | true | Medical marijuana, Marijuana, Business, Missouri, University of Missouri | Three University of Missouri researchers recently told state officials that Missouri will need fewer than half of the 60 commercial growers that must be licensed by January, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. At most, 29 cultivators could grow enough marijuana for what researchers estimate could be 26,000 qualified ... |
8863 | U.S. FDA Official Says Heart Stent Guidelines Near. | New guidelines for the testing of drug-coated heart stents will be released soon, the Food and Drug Administration’s device chief said on Monday. | true | Health News | The guidelines are meant to address concerns that drug-coated heart stents are more likely than bare-metal versions to raise the risk of blood clots months after the devices are implanted. Dr. Daniel Schultz told reporters the publication of proposed guidelines was “imminent.” Asked to be more specific, he said they wo... |
11458 | Cataract Surgery May Be Safer With Laser | “Cataract surgery may be safer with Laser.” How one could arrive at this conclusion based on a couple of 7 minute presentations is a mystery to us. Based on very preliminary studies that have questionable clinical relevance, these researchers seem all but ready to conclude that laser surgery for cataracts is superior t... | mixture | WebMD | The story notes that cost is an important barrier to wider use of the laser procedure, since the equipment carries a price tag of $400,000 and insurers currently won’t cover the extra cost. We’ll call this satisfactory, but to make the information more meaningful to readers, the story should have broken down how the co... |
34330 | Vegetarians live longer than meat eaters. | While an increasing number of studies are skeptical of a direct correlation between vegetarianism and longevity, the question remains controversial in epidemiological research. Therefore, we rank claims that vegetarians live longer than meat eaters as unproven. | unproven | Medical, death, diet, health | A popular topic of debate on Facebook timelines (and around family dinner tables) is whether or not it is healthy to eschew eating meat. Well-informed advocates of the practice will likely eventually point to scientific research demonstrating that vegans or vegetarians live longer lives than their omnivorous counterpar... |
35319 | "As of April 25, 2020, the rate of people dying from the COVID-19 coronavirus disease in New York City was at least 250 times ""higher"" than Tokyo's — and growing with time." | What's true: Based on available data, New York City's COVID-19 death rate (per population) far exceeded that of Tokyo, as of late April and early May 2020. What's undetermined: Comparing the death rates per population between Tokyo and New York City is thorny for a few reasons: The cities' populations vary depending on... | true | Politics, COVID-19 | In spring 2020, as Americans fought over the duration of government-imposed lockdowns to limit the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus disease, critics of the rules on social distancing drew comparisons between U.S. officials’ response to the outbreak and that of leaders in other countries. Among the critics was John Mc... |
8140 | Greece imposes lockdown after coronavirus infections jump. | Greece announced a lockdown on Sunday, restricting movement from Monday morning with only a few exceptions, to combat the spread of coronavirus. | true | Health News | “It is maybe the last step, one that must be taken promptly and not in vain,” Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in a televised address. “We have to protect the common good, our health.” Greece confirmed 94 new cases on Sunday, its largest single-day jump, taking its total to 624, with 15 deaths, up two. Citing I... |
5234 | Beshear stresses health care, defends Medicaid expansion. | Democrat Andy Beshear offered a vigorous defense of Kentucky’s Medicaid expansion, warning Monday that health care policy is at stake when voters choose between him and Republican Gov. Matt Bevin. | true | Health care policy, Addiction treatment, Health, General News, Steve Beshear, Kentucky, Matt Bevin, Louisville, Medicaid | After touring an addiction treatment center, Beshear said increasing Medicaid rolls made rehabilitation programs available to more people in a state fighting severe drug-abuse problems. The Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act was set into motion in Kentucky by Beshear’s father, former Gov. Steve Beshear, b... |
6685 | Trump launching campaign to end HIV epidemic in US by 2030. | President Donald Trump is launching a campaign to end the HIV epidemic in the United States by 2030, targeting areas where new infections happen and getting highly effective drugs to people at risk. | true | Alex Azar, Health, Politics, North America, Campaigns, Epidemics, United States, Public health, Donald Trump | His move is being greeted with a mix of skepticism and cautious optimism by anti-AIDS activists. State and local health officials are warning the administration not to take money from other programs to finance the initiative, whose budget has not been revealed. Briefing reporters ahead of Trump’s State of the Union spe... |
6645 | UW teaching hospital plan passes Washington House. | The state House approved a plan for a new University of Washington teaching hospital, a prominent part of Gov. Jay Inslee’s plans to address the state’s mental health crisis. | true | University of Washington, Mental health, Health, Washington, Frank Chopp, Seattle, Jay Inslee | Lawmakers unanimously approved the proposal Wednesday. It would charge UW officials with starting a new facility focused on training medical students to enter the broader behavioral health field, which includes both mental health and substance abuse treatment. The bill comes as one part of a broader push from Democrats... |
1934 | Smoking still high in U.S. mining, food service. | Cigarette smoking remains stubbornly high among workers in the mining, food services and construction industries despite dramatic overall declines in the United States in recent decades, a federal study released Thursday showed. | true | Health News | A miner smokes a cigarette during a break at the Gongxigou coal mine on the outskirts of Baokang, Hubei province, December 4, 2007. REUTERS/Stringer Thirty percent of workers in mining, hotel/motel and food services smoke, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which analyzed data from 2004-2010. ... |
3107 | Philippines declares new polio outbreak after 19 years. | Philippine health officials declared a polio outbreak in the country on Thursday, nearly two decades after the World Health Organization declared it to be free of the highly contagious and potentially deadly disease. | true | AP Top News, Health, Philippines, Manila, Asia Pacific, General News | Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said at a news conference that authorities have confirmed at least one case of polio in a 3-year-old girl in southern Lanao del Sur province and detected the polio virus in sewage in Manila and in waterways in the southern Davao region. Those findings are enough to declare an outbre... |
29321 | A meme accurately lists Democrats who have been involved in assassinations, assassination attempts, or mass shootings. | This viral list has been published by a wide range of outlets. However, none of those publications provided any documentation to prove that these individuals were all Democrats. Our investigation found that the majority of people on this list had no official connection to a political party, and that the majority of the... | false | Politics | A list purportedly naming dozens of Democrats throughout history who have shot and killed presidents, politicians, and civilians has been circulating online since at least 2012 along with the argument that it should be illegal for Democrats to own guns. Musician Ted Nugent posted one of the most popular iterations in S... |
2534 | "Let them eat cake later: Americans hosting ""fitness parties""." | From spinning birthday celebrations to pole dancing bachelorette bashes, U.S. gyms are offering fitness parties as new way to mark life’s milestones - with a few friends and a good sweat. | true | Health News | Gyms and fitness studios are often eager to host the festivities, which light up darkened rooms after hours and expose potential new members to their services. “We’ve created bachelorette parties, birthday parties, college reunions and divorce parties,” said Donna Cyrus, senior vice president of programming at Crunch, ... |
7556 | Vanderbilt University gets $20M grant for drug research . | Vanderbilt University announced it received a $20 million gift to support the school’s research into treatments for brain disorders. | true | General News, Science | The grant was given by the William K. Warren Foundation to the school’s Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, the university said Tuesday in a statement. “It is gratifying to support this research at Vanderbilt University, an institution that has made a significant impact on the lives of so many, including my family,... |
3898 | Suspect in counselor’s death not involved in similar crime. | Police say a man suspected of killing a Tennessee counselor is not believed to be involved in a similar stabbing at another mental health facility. | true | Mental health, Health, General News, Nashville, Crime, Tennessee | Police in West Tennessee have been investigating whether 31-year-old Brian Dewayne Conley stabbed a woman outside a Millington facility in October, The Tennessean reports. He was arrested this month and charged in the death of Melissa Hamilton, 50, who was sexually assaulted and repeatedly stabbed at Crossroads Counse... |
7211 | Detective who fought for 9/11 compensation funding dies. | A former New York City police detective who was a leader in the fight for the Sept. 11 Victims Compensation Fund died Saturday at age 53. | true | AP Top News, New York City, Cancer, Health, New York, General News, U.S. News, Jon Stewart | Detective Luis Alvarez’s death from cancer was announced by Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea, who tweeted that Alvarez was “an inspiration, a warrior, a friend.” Alvarez appeared with former “Daily Show” host Jon Stewart earlier this month to plead with Congress to extend the compensation fund. “This fund isn’t a ticket... |
7627 | Vectura drops severe asthma treatment after poor trial results. | Britain’s Vectura Group Plc will stop developing its treatment for severe uncontrolled asthma after a trial showed it failed to have a significant impact on the condition. | true | Health News | The announcement is the latest setback for the loss-making drugmaker, which has faced a rocky two years since its $620 million acquisition of rival SkyePharma, which led to lower royalties and higher costs than expected. Vectura’s shares, down nearly 40 percent this year, fell more than 11 percent to 69.5 pence by 1100... |
24626 | "The health care reform bill ""would make it mandatory — absolutely require — that every five years people in Medicare have a required counseling session that will tell them how to end their life sooner." | McCaughey claims end-of-life counseling will be required for Medicare patients | false | National, Health Care, Betsy McCaughey, | "Republicans have found many reasons to oppose the Democrats' health care proposal, but this is one of the oddest. Betsy McCaughey, chairman of the Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths and former lieutenant governor of New York state, says the bill goes too far to encourage senior citizens to end their lives. On the ra... |
7080 | Zika ‘syndrome’: Health problems mount as babies turn 1. | Two weeks shy of his first birthday, doctors began feeding Jose Wesley Campos through a nose tube because swallowing problems had left him dangerously underweight. | true | Brazil, AP Top News, AP International News, Latin America, Zika virus, Health, AP Science, Recife | Learning how to feed is the baby’s latest struggle as medical problems mount for him and many other infants born with small heads to mothers infected with the Zika virus in Brazil. “It hurts me to see him like this. I didn’t want this for him,” said Jose’s mother, Solange Ferreira, breaking into tears as she cradled he... |
37895 | After Florida opened its beaches on April 17 2020, 1,400 people consequently contracted novel coronavirus and became ill with COVID-19. | ‘They Opened Up Florida Beaches and Now They Have 1400 New Cases Overnight!’ Facebook Meme | mixture | Fact Checks, Viral Content | A controversial decision to open Florida’s beaches on April 17 2020 led to a rash of national criticism, and an April 18 2020 Facebook post warned that 1,400 Floridians became ill specifically because of the newly-opened beaches (archived here):The BackdropOn April 20 2020, we examined claims that photographs published... |
28460 | The body of a notorious pedophile was found dumped on the doorstep of the British Parliament building. | "What's true: A dead man whose remains were found near Parliament had reportedly been deported from the UK years earlier following a child abuse conviction. What's false: The man's remains had not been ""dumped"" anywhere, nor were they discovered on the ""doorstep of the British Parliament building.""" | mixture | Junk News, neon nettle, parliament, pedophilia | In February 2018, the body of a man later identified as Marcos Amaral Gourgel was found in the Westminster area of central London. News accounts subsequently reported that the dead man had apparently been twice deported from the UK, once following a conviction on child abuse charges, and again after re-entering the cou... |
11350 | If at First You Don’t Succeed, Maybe It’s Time For a Different Type of Gastric Surgery | This story discussed the increased use of gastric banding in individuals who had previously had gastric bypass surgery. While indicating that there was not a lot of data about the effectiveness or longevity of this approach for aiding in weight loss, the story missed the chance to include information about several aspe... | false | The story provided no information about the cost of gastric banding or how the increased time that may be needed for the procedure when conducted after gastric bypass affected the costs. The story indicated that gastric banding may re-impose limitations on caloric intake that had initially been established with gastric... | |
2992 | Ex-pharma exec sentenced to nearly 3 years in bribery scheme. | A former executive for a drug company was sentenced Monday to 33 months in federal prison in a bribery and kickbacks scheme that Massachusetts prosecutors say helped fuel the national opioid epidemic. | true | Opioids, Health, Boston, General News, Epidemics, Massachusetts, U.S. News | Michael Gurry, a former vice president at Insys Therapeutics, was also sentenced to three months of probation and ordered to forfeit about $3.6 million and pay restitution, which will be determined later. The 56-year-old Scottsdale, Arizona, resident is the first of seven former leaders at the Arizona-based company bei... |
10457 | Oxytocin has social, emotional and behavioral benefits in young kids with autism | This news release from the University of Sydney describes a published study on a group of 31 young children with autism (ages three to eight years old) who were treated twice a day with oxytocin nasal spray. The hormone oxytocin has been shown in previous studies to play an important role in bonding and establishing so... | mixture | Academic medical center news release | The release doesn’t mention the cost of the oxytocin nasal spray sold as a generic, or under the brand names Pitocin and Syntocinon. Medical-grade oxytocin shouldn’t be confused with the numerous brands of non-medical grade oxytocin sprays that are sold over-the-counter and online. The release headline says that oxytoc... |
6737 | Maryland House Speaker Busch dies, a Chesapeake Bay defender. | Michael Busch, a champion of the Chesapeake Bay and progressive causes during his record-tenure as Maryland’s Democratic House speaker, battled for the environment up until the end of his life. He died Sunday at age 72. | true | Chesapeake Bay, Michael Busch, Health, Annapolis, Politics, North America, Larry Hogan, Maryland, U.S. News | His environmental policies were especially high-profile in his final days as he sponsored a bill to permanently protect five oyster sanctuaries under Maryland law. The measure drew a veto from Gov. Larry Hogan, but the House overrode the veto Friday, and the Senate was expected to vote on an override Monday — the last ... |
4611 | University autism study pairs theater with peer mentoring. | Researchers at the University of Alabama are preparing for a four-year study that pairs theater and peer mentoring to help improve social skills of adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. | true | Theater, Health, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama | “It is really good and healthy experience for the non-autistic peers to be a part of that,” said Susan White, principal investigator for the project at UA. “It is good on that side. It is really good for those kids who have autism to be part of something that is not just therapy.” The heart of the theater exercise is h... |
6557 | Residents near Harvey-damaged chemical plant wary of water. | The skeleton crew at Arkema’s chemical plant knew it was time to go by the morning of Aug. 29. | true | AP Top News, Hurricane Harvey, Fires, North America, Health, Business, Science, Hurricanes, U.S. News, Texas | Flooding from Hurricane Harvey had knocked out power. Thousands of gallons of chemical-laden water had spilled into the floodwaters. Soon, the company’s stores of volatile organic peroxides would overheat and produce fires noxious enough to make first responders vomit. The last workers evacuated by floating over a 6-fo... |
7017 | Selena Gomez opens up on ‘life or death’ kidney donation. | Selena Gomez says her friend Francia Raisa saved her life by donating a kidney to the singer earlier this year. | true | Health, Entertainment, Selena Gomez | Gomez and Raisa sat down for an interview with NBC News that is set to air next week. In a preview clip , Gomez says she didn’t want to ask anyone to be a donor, but Raisa “volunteered and did it.” Gomez announced the procedure last month, saying she needed a new kidney due to her struggle with lupus. Lupus is an autoi... |
36202 | The detective who led investigations into Jeffrey Epstein died mysteriously at the age of 50 in September 2019. | Did the Detective Who Led Jeffrey Epstein Investigation Die after a ‘Brief Illness’ At 50 in September 2019? | false | Disinformation, Fact Checks | In early September 2019, a large number of Facebook users shared an article (archived here), compellingly titled “Detective Who Led Epstein Investigation Died After ‘Brief Illness’ At 50.”Based on the visible shares to Facebook alone, readers found the title and excerpt so convincing they may not have opened the page a... |
6162 | Iowa egg farm sues over damage from bird flu disinfection. | An Iowa egg farm that killed millions of chickens because of a 2015 bird flu outbreak is suing companies hired by the federal government to disinfect barns. | true | Des Moines, Health, Flu, Bird flu, Iowa | Sunrise Farms says the chlorine dioxide gas and heat treatments used to kill the virus destroyed barn equipment, electrical wiring, production equipment and water lines. The company also says the structural integrity of its barns was diminished. Max Barnett, the CEO of Sunrise Farms’ parent company, South Dakota-based ... |
2568 | Fish sold in New York is routinely mislabeled: study. | Nearly three in five New York City grocery stores and restaurants that sell seafood have mislabeled part of their stock, substituting varieties that could cause health problems, according to a new study. | true | Health News | Some 39 percent of the fish obtained for the study by the ocean conservation group Oceana was inaccurately identified, Oceana said. Sometimes cheap fish is substituted for more expensive varieties or plentiful species for scarce ones. Forensic DNA analysis revealed 58 percent of 81 New York retailers and eateries sampl... |
40285 | An email petition nominating Officer Danita Marsh of Nashville for an ABC Extreme Makeover Home Edition. The email says that Officer Marsh was ambushed, critically wounded and left paralyzed from the waist down while responding to a domestic violence call. | Officer Danita Marsh Petition for an Extreme Make Over Home Edition but a Grass Roots Movement! | true | Crime / Police, Pleas | According to a Nashville Government Web Site, police officer Danita Marsh was “ambushed and severely wounded in a callous and cowardly attack on October 27, continues to slowly recover at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.” The attack occurred in 2006 while she was responding to a domestic violence call. The Metr... |
28138 | A jewelry company is making jewelry out of unwanted human embryos. | What's true: An Australian jeweler offers parents jewelry embedded with ashes of unused embryos left over from in-vitro fertilization. What's false: A gruesome image showing a woman with an earring made from an intact fetus is fake. | true | Uncategorized, anonews.co, anti-abortion, bunker buster news | On 9 June 2017, click bait web sites posted stories reporting that an Australian company called Baby Bee Hummingbirds has been selling jewelry made from human fetuses, outraging the anti-abortion community. The story is accompanied by a gory photograph of a model wearing a large earring in the shape of a fetus: Human e... |
33952 | In September 2018, Taya Kyle posted a Facebook message that strongly criticized the tone and slogan of Nike's recently-unveiled campaign with Colin Kaepernick. | Taya Kyle has also criticized the national anthem protests, characterizing them as divisive and angry. | true | Politics, anthem protests, chris kyle, colin kaepernick | In September 2018, Nike’s announcement of an endorsement deal with free agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick prompted a wave of controversy and debate. Kaepernick had become a central figure in ongoing National Football league protests again racial injustice after he first “took a knee” during the playing of the national... |
32254 | A woman had a dead kitten surgically removed from her vagina after inserting it to simulate the feeling of being pregnant. | Previous Now8News hoax articles (often replicated by other “viral news” sites) include similar claims a man had sexual relations with a pig in a Walmart bathroom, aborted fetuses were discovered in McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets, Walmart bananas were contaminated with a deadly parasitic worm, a woman engaged in a sex act... | false | Junk News, now8news | On 20 March 2016, the Now8News web site published an article reporting that a woman claiming to be pregnant and in distress had a dead kitten removed from her vaginal canal in the emergency room: Police were called out to a Las Vegas hospital today after a woman entered the emergency room screaming, “Help my baby.” The... |
26408 | Even with no shutdown, Sweden has a lower COVID-19 infection rate than UK, Italy and Spain. | Graham, who wants to see America reopen quickly, claims the COVID-19 infection rate in Sweden, which has no forced shutdown, is lower than in Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. Sweden’s known infection rate is lower. But the epidemiologist credited with developing Sweden’s COVID-19 strategy said infection rate is no... | mixture | Corrections and Updates, Public Health, Coronavirus, Franklin Graham, | "While cheering President Donald Trump’s ideas for ""opening up America"" amid COVID-19, the Rev. Franklin Graham suggested on Facebook that Trump’s ""enemies and the liberal media"" want a prolonged national shutdown in order to prevent Trump from being re-elected. The Christian minister and son of Billy Graham, the l... |
13044 | It is more difficult to obtain a Costco membership than it is to get a NYC Municipal ID | "Castorina, the assemblyman from Staten Island, claimed in a press release that ""it is more difficult to obtain a Costco membership than it is to get a NYC Municipal ID."" Getting a membership at Costco requires an application and a photo ID on your first visit to the store. A municipal ID in New York City requires mo... | false | Immigration, Terrorism, New York, Ron Castorina, Jr., | "It takes a membership card to shop at a Costco warehouse store. There are 87.3 million Costco cardholders around the world - some of whom shop at the company’s New York City locations. Municipal identification cards are also common in the wallets of New York City residents. The New York City identification card gives ... |
6951 | Matt Every suspended 3 months for drug of abuse. | Matt Every was suspended for 12 weeks Friday for what the PGA Tour said was a violation of its conduct policy on drugs of abuse. Every said it was legal prescription for cannabis to treat mental health. | true | Matt Every, Health, General News, Marijuana, Sports, Golf | “To be clear, I tested positive for cannabis, a drug I do not abuse and a drug that I have a legal prescription for in the state of Florida,” Every said in a statement. Every will be eligible to return Jan. 7 and will miss only three tournaments for which he would have been eligible — the Bermuda Championship, the Maya... |
9114 | World-first ketamine trial shows promise for geriatric depression | This news release does a marginal job of describing what appears to be the first randomized, placebo controlled trial of the anesthetic agent ketamine for hard-to-treat depression in older adults. It offers a baffling, apparently incorrect account of the study findings and skimps on explaining what the alternatives are... | false | depression,ketamine,University of New South Wales | The release didn’t mention the cost of ketamine infusion therapy. Another way to address costs in the release would have been to include a discussion of the medical and social costs of depression. The release’s presentation of study outcomes is baffling. The published paper describes a 5-week randomized controlled tria... |
32006 | "Delayed military absentee ballots would have ""swung"" the presidential election for Hillary Clinton if they had been counted on time." | Prior instances in which Duffel Blog articles were misidentified as genuine news included claims West Point posthumously revoked diplomas of confederate soldiers, the Army adopted a “mandatory divorce” policy to “improve readiness,” Ariana Grande joined ISIS, the USS Gabrielle Giffords would be the Navy’s first “gun-fr... | false | Junk News, absentee ballots, duffel blog, hillary clinton | On 9 November 2016, the Duffel Blog web site published an article reporting that delayed absentee ballots submitted by active duty servicemen and women “would have swung” the election in Hillary Clinton’s favor if they had been delivered in time to be counted: Sources confirmed today that hundreds of thousands of milit... |
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