Cancer

Is a paper by Dr. Drew Pinsky, Dr. Peter McCullough, Dr. Harvey Risch, and nine others claiming that ivermectin and mebendazole improve cancer outcomes in 84.4% of cases a proper medical study? No, that's not true: Research experts told Lead Stories that the paper relies on an uncontrolled, self-reported survey with major bias, no independent verification of diagnoses or outcomes,…

Does a real unmanipulated video show Robert F. Kennedy Jr. saying "conspiracy theorists were right" and the COVID-19 vaccine maybe causes "gayness" and calling Anthony Fauci a "goblin"? No, that's not true: The audio in the video has been altered. An un-altered original video of RFK Jr. originally making the speech shows that he never claims the vaccine causes those…

Does a real image show a wife crying as she hugs her husband goodbye because he is deploying to Iran? No, that's not true: This is an AI-generated image that was published with a request for engagement. The page where this originated posts emotionally charged AI-generated images with captions asking for comments and shares. Other engagement bait themes include children…

Did single dad Michael Torres get 199 points instead of the 200 needed to win $20,000 in Family Feud Fast Money to pay for his daughter's cancer treatment? No, that's not true: The story was generated by artificial intelligence tools by a spam operation Lead Stories has identified as based in Vietnam. There is no credible documentation that this story…

Did Devarjaye "DJ" Daniel, the brain cancer survivor whom President Trump made an honorary Secret Service agent, die on February 23, 2026? No, that's not true: As of Feb. 25, 2026, there was no evidence that DJ had died. Following similar rumors in January 2026, DJ's dad, Theodis Daniel, said, "If any update [does] not come from me, his Dad,…

Did TV host Johnny Carson comfort dying woman Barbara Martinez while taping the March 17, 1983, episode of NBC's Tonight Show? No, that's not true: Social media posts about it did not include the actual recording of the purported event, sharing an AI-generated image instead. Lead Stories found no credible sources ever mentioning the supposed dance, and the Library of…

Does a viral clip show real "transgender Providence Police Department spokesperson Lyle Culpepper" demanding that the public stop saying "the Brown shooter"? No, that's not true: The person in the video is comedian L.E. Staiman. In interviews, Staiman has said that he believes his videos are so absurd that people can easily understand they are parody and satire. The claim…

Did Patti Labelle, Novak Djokovic, Cardi B, James Hetfield, Morgan Wallen or a long list of other celebrities just open "America's first 100% free homeless hospital" because they wanted to leave a legacy behind? No, that's not true: Viral posts on Facebook were the latest variations of the same made-up story being spread by foreign clickbait accounts mostly run from…

Do viral posts about a confrontation between AOC and Donald Trump's son Barron, with the involvement of Louisiana Senator John Neely Kennedy, describe a real-life event? No, that's not true: Contrary to the claim, there is no video recording of an exchange that allegedly happened on the Senate floor. The posts appear to be part of foreign-operated networks that share…

Did former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg open "America's first 100% free homeless hospital"? No, that's not true: The picture purporting to show the opening ceremony was AI generated. No credible news organizations published any reports about it. The claim appeared in a post (archived here) on Facebook, where it was published on November 23, 2025. PETE BUTTIGIEG JUST…