Ivermectin

Did the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approve ivermectin as a treatment for COVID-19 in April 2025? No, that's not true: We found no mention of any such approval on the website of the FDA or Department of Health and Human Services, or on either entity's social media accounts. An FDA guide stipulating that the agency did not recommend ivermectin…

Is ivermectin a more effective cancer treatment than chemotherapy? No, that's not true: The Food and Drug Administration says ivermectin is approved to treat parasitic worms, head lice and skin conditions like rosacea, but does not list it as a treatment for cancer. The National Cancer Institute told Lead Stories that it has no information "supporting the claim" about ivermectin…

Is a 2024 article on mRNA COVID-19 vaccines by Dr. Young Mi Lee, an obstetrician and gynecologist in South Korea, and Daniel Broudy, an applied linguistics professor at Okinawa Christian University in Japan a valid, well-done scientific study? No, that's not true: The article -- titled "Real-Time Self-Assembly of Stereomicroscopically Visible Artificial Constructions in Incubated Specimens of mRNA Products Mainly…

Should everyone routinely take dewormer medication, as a post on X suggested? No, that's not true: In certain parts of the world, the World Health Organization recommends periodically giving deworming medication to preschoolers, school-age children, women of reproductive age and those working in high-risk professions. These recommendations are specific to certain regions, primarily sub-Saharan Africa, China, South America and Asia.…

Is COVID-19 vaccine shedding real, meaning it can spread from person to person? No, that's not true: The COVID-19 shots authorized for use in the United States do not contain the live virus and therefore cannot replicate in the body or be shed. Additionally, infectious disease experts told Lead Stories that there's no credible scientific evidence supporting the claim. The…

Did Texas Children's Hospital announce in December 2023 that it would "no longer treat unvaccinated children"? No, that's not true: A hospital spokesperson told Lead Stories that this claim is "not true." Even if it were true, it would be illegal. Texas enacted a state law, effective September 1, 2023, that prohibited clinicians from refusing services to patients enrolled in…

Did Joe Rogan discuss a "scathing documentary" about an impending attack on the United States during an episode of Rogan's podcast partly shown in a video posted on Facebook? No, that's not true: A transcript of the full episode featuring Russell Brand never mentions Teddy Daniels or his documentary about an attack that supposedly would wipe out 90 percent of…

Did Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Joe Rogan endorse a plan by the federal government to distribute health spending cards worth up to $5,600, with every American qualifying for one? No, that's not true: The claim that the government is freely giving out health spending cards with thousands of dollars on them is a scam. Such scams are usually attached…

Have COVID-19 vaccines "killed 20 million people" since their rollout? No, that's not true: The article making this claim cited a 2022 study that estimated COVID vaccines had saved -- not killed -- nearly 20 million lives in the first year of the pandemic, the study's lead author told Lead Stories. Also, the calculations used to produce the 20 million…

Did the World Health Organization (WHO) say COVID-19 vaccination can cause multiple sclerosis? No, that's not true: WHO has not stated that COVID-19 vaccination can cause multiple sclerosis or any other serious chronic condition. The global public health agency told Lead Stories, "There is no conclusive link between multiple sclerosis (MS) and COVID-19 vaccination." The claim appeared in a post…