Health

Does a new study prove that the Pfizer mRNA COVID-19 vaccine causes "turbo cancer"? No, that's not true: The study cited in the social media post doesn't show that the Pfizer mRNA COVID-19 vaccine induces something called "turbo cancer." Additionally, a cancer expert wrote, "'Turbo cancer' is not a thing." It's not a recognized medical term. The claim appeared in…

Did a preprint paper submitted to The Lancet on July 5, 2023, find that 74 percent of the deaths in the autopsies it reviewed were caused by the COVID-19 vaccine? Additionally, was it also a legitimate study from The Lancet? No, neither is true: The preprint paper never made it past the submission stage with the medical journal because The…

Do "all diseases come from mineral deficiencies"? No, that's not true: While some conditions stem from mineral deficiencies, it is "absolutely not" true that all diseases are caused by not consuming enough minerals, an expert in the study of vitamins and micronutrients told Lead Stories. To say that staying in an "alkaline way of eating" and avoiding "acidosis" is a…

Did the United Nations declare that pedophilia is a "human right"? No, that's not true: The person making the claim referenced a UN report that never says that pedophilia is a "human right" or that it should be legal or allowed. The report discusses the enforcement of criminal law regarding consensual sexual relations between minors. There is no explicit or…

Is lab-grown meat cultivated using cancerous or pre-cancerous animal cells? No, that's not true: Cell-cultured meat is cultivated using animal cells that have been modified to replicate indefinitely. Cell-cultured or lab-grown meat is regulated in the U.S. under the same stipulations as conventionally grown and slaughtered meat, poultry, and seafood. Furthermore, regulatory agencies do not allow for cancerous animal meat…

Did COVID-19 vaccines cause a massive mortality spike in breast cancer female patients below the age of 45, reaching 297,000 deaths during the first six months of 2023? No, that's not true: Posts on social media distorted a report published by the American Cancer Society (cancer.org), conflating the number of projected new cases with expected mortality. The story appeared in…

Did Bill Gates hatch a convoluted plan to create a demand for anti-malaria drugs he funded by also funding malaria-fighting programs while developing a means to introduce malaria to the United States through genetically modified mosquitoes? No, that's not true: Genetically modified male mosquitoes being tested in the U.S. - the type that don't spread malaria and also don't bite…

Did Dutch physicians start to euthanize people with autism and "other minor disabilities" against their patients' will in order "to save the planet"? No, that's not true: The source of the claim distorted the findings of a recent study that concluded that, in some cases, people requesting assisted death do not cite physical suffering. The results did not imply that…

Is batana oil a product that "thoroughly cleanses your organs and repairs any damage done to them"? No, that's not true: Batana oil is primarily used as a cosmetic product rather than for internal consumption. It is derived from the fruit of the American palm and is commonly used for hair and skin care. There is, however, no scientific evidence…

Does a video show a mermaid found in Zimbabwe? No, that's not true: The video shows part of a 2015 festival performance staged by city officials and cultural organizations in Warsaw, the capital city of Poland. The claim appeared in a post on Instagram on June 27, 2023. The post included a video of people in white hazmat suits carrying…

Was the children's show Peppa Pig based on a science experiment where a couple injected pig DNA into their daughter? No, that's not true: There is no evidence that this is a real story or that Peppa Pig originated from it. This claim was first posted on TikTok in 2021 as a joke. Lead Stories could not find any police…

Are "600,000 Americans Per Year Are Dying From COVID Shots"? No, that's not true: COVID-19 vaccines have undergone rigorous testing and monitoring for safety and efficacy before being approved for use. While vaccines can have side effects, the vast majority of them are mild and temporary. Serious adverse events are rare, and the benefits of vaccination in preventing severe illness,…

Does the use of chlorine in swimming pools calcify the pineal gland or contribute to calcification? No, that's not true: Lead Stories found no credible peer-reviewed studies supporting the claim, and a doctor specializing in neurology confirmed to Lead Stories that such causation is not known to the medical community. The story appeared in a post on Instagram on May…

Does margarine cause macular degeneration? No, that's not true: While there is some evidence to suggest the consumption of certain foods and fats may play a role in and are associated with the development of macular degeneration and other forms of vision loss, Lead Stories found no peer-reviewed scientific evidence to support the declaration that eating margarine specifically will "cause…

Do TLOPA™ Ultra Eye Therapy Drops cure cataracts, presbyopia, glaucoma and other eye conditions? No, that's not true: There is no evidence that these eye drops cure any eye issues. It is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Vuity are the only eye drops that can treat presbyopia. Glaucoma and cataracts require surgery to restore eyes to…

Has the LGBTQIA2S+ community officially added a purported symbol of the autism community to the Progress Pride flag as of June 18, 2023? No, that's not true: There is no such thing as an "official flag creator for prides and LGBT" organizations, and there are numerous versions of such flags. The claim was made in a post on Twitter (archived…

Does a cold compress of tofu poultice applied to the back of the head "starve" and "get rid of" brain tumors? No, that's not true: While there are health benefits associated with eating tofu, searched for and did not find publicly available credible evidence that external cold tofu compresses applied to the back of the head can "starve" or "get…

Is California considering a bill that will send children "as young as 12" to be sent "to group homes without the parents permission," potentially allowing minors to receive gender-affirming medical or surgical care? No, that's not true: AB665 is a proposed bill to align two existing state laws that define the circumstances under which a minor 12 and older may…

Does a video on social media show an extremely long protein string from a vaccine being removed from a person's body? No, that's not true: The video shows a tapeworm being pulled out through a person's nostril. Vaccines work by triggering an immune response to a particular pathogen, like a virus, rather than by producing long protein strings in the…

Were "30 tons of stolen ammonia nitrate ... taken to Canada to start" the wildfires that began burning in Quebec in May 2023 and blanketed the northeastern United States in early June 2023? No, that's not true: There is no credible information or evidence to support the assertion that, first, 30 tons of ammonium nitrate were stolen; and second, if…