Health

Did former basketball star and current media personality Shaquille O'Neal promote a stimulus check card? No, that's not true: The video making this claim uses a fake voice. O'Neal did not actually contribute his likeness or his voice to an advertisement for the so-called stimulus check card. The claim is the latest effort in a continuing scam to deceive online…

Does a video of a non-laboratory test using the T-Square brand oral fluid drug test prove that Red Bull energy drink contains the drugs buprenorphine and cocaine? No, that's not true: There is no way to confirm that the people featured in a video shared on social media used the drug test correctly and used an uncontaminated cup to hold…

Does a video on social media show a "hack" that will "slash your gas expenses"? No, that's not true: This video fails to deliver what is promised in seven minutes of drawn-out instructions on how to make a nonfunctional contraption. How the gas savings might occur is never disclosed. Furthermore, a safety professional with the National Fire Protection Association advises…

Did actor Anthony Hopkins endorse a Medicare program that allows senior citizens to use a flex card to pay their expenses? No, that's not true: A voice resembling Hopkins was used in a video about a Medicare program that doesn't exist. Lead Stories could not find any evidence that Hopkins has endorsed this on his social media accounts or on…

Does a video on Facebook show actor Michael B. Jordan endorsing a "health spending card" promotion? No, that's not true: Jordan's public relations team confirmed to Lead Stories that this claim is false. Lead Stories previously has debunked fake promotions, such as the one linked to this post, as scams to get social media users' personal information. The claim appeared…

Is a "potato poultice" a proven effective treatment for tissue inflammation? No, that's not true: Though potatoes contain certain antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, Lead Stories found no evidence that externally applied potato poultices are scientifically proven to treat inflammation. A nutrition expert confirmed to Lead Stories that most accounts describing potato poultices are outdated and anecdotal. The claim originated in…

Did a study detect human DNA in many hot dog samples tested with a new type of technology, finding that many hot dogs, even vegetarian hot dogs, are made with human meat? No, that's not true: A startup named Clear Food, which was seeking Kickstarter funding at the time, published a report that identified 14.4 percent of the hot dogs…

Did rapper Lil Wayne endorse a health allowance card in an online promotion? No, that's not true: Lil Wayne, who purportedly backed the plan, did not post such an endorsement on his official social media channels. The claim that the government is freely giving out health benefits worth thousands of dollars is a scam. Such scams are usually attached to…

Did Wolf Blitzer and Dr. Oz endorse a new drug that can cure diabetes? No, that's not true: The video showing the CNN host and the physician uses digitally added sound that does not match their mouth movements and there is no record of them ever making the statements shown on the video. As of this writing, there is no…

Did President Joe Biden say there's now a $2,880 Medicare flexible spending card for all American seniors over the age of 64? No, that's not true: Biden did not make an announcement about a Medicare flexible spending card on any official White House accounts. A spokesperson for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services told Lead Stories the link that…

Did 80 percent of COVID-19 patients put on ventilators during the COVID-19 pandemic die? No, that's not true: A Johns Hopkins public health expert told Lead Stories that "80% is high," adding that the actual number is "around 30-40%." The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention agreed that such deaths are far less than 80 percent. Ventilators are used for…

Did a "survey" find that COVID-19 vaccines "killed 3.5X more Americans than COVID virus"? No, that's not true: A medical professional who treats patients of long COVID told Lead Stories that the so-called survey "lacked scientific rigor" and could not be extrapolated to the broader public -- it was not scientifically sound and included methodological flaws. The claim originated in…

Is castor oil a safe and effective method to cure eye floaters in just a few days? No, that's not true: There is no FDA-approved castor oil treatment for eye floaters, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology. They recommend that people with problems with their eyelids or vision see an eye doctor before self-medicating with unproven and potentially dangerous…

Does a video on Facebook show actress Jada Pinkett Smith endorsing a "health spending card" promotion? No, that's not true: The audio in this post is fake, as she was talking about her health in at least one of the video clips used in this claim -- not a "health spending card." Fake promotions, such as the one linked to…

Did Bill Gates write a 2011 article calling for "depopulation through forced vaccination"? No, that's not true: The article was written by someone else whose byline can be clearly seen on the publication website. The quote attributed to Gates on the website is real, but it was taken out of context and was about carbon emissions, not depopulation or forced…

Did President Joe Biden endorse a plan by the federal government to distribute a "health subsidy" worth up to $6,400, with every American qualifying for the payment after watching a video shared on Facebook? No, that's not true: The claim that the government is freely giving out health benefits worth thousands of dollars is a scam. Such scams are usually…

Is cucumber-and-carrot juice a "100% effective" way to restore vision within a week? No, that's not true: There is no scientific evidence that this drink can improve eyesight or cure any degenerative diseases of the eye, the National Eye Institute told Lead Stories. A clinical nutritionist confirmed that a cucumber-carrot-juice drink would not restore vision loss, particularly in seven days.…

Have 30 people in New Zealand, all allegedly given COVID-19 shots at one clinic on the same day, all died since receiving their vaccinations? No, that's not true: A New Zealand Ministry of Health official told Lead Stories that "There is no evidence to support this claim." Also, only four deaths in New Zealand are possibly linked to reactions following…

Does a "universal health program" give away $2,000 IRS checks each month to those who are enrolled in a "free health plan" that only requires a person's name? No, that's not true: The IRS told Lead Stories that such a promise is a scam. No credible resources had information about the purported incentive. The claim originated in a post (archived…

Does a video show a dispute between pro-Palestinian protesters and police in Barcelona, Spain, during the 2023 Hamas-Israel conflict? No, that's not true: The video dates back to 2020, almost three years before the conflict arising from Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. According to contemporaneous reports, the people shown in the video were actually protesting against COVID-19 restrictions…