Health

Is "divoc," which is "covid" spelled backwards, a Hebrew word that means "possession by an evil spirit"? No, that's not true: "Divoc" is not Hebrew, two experts told Lead Stories. There is a word in Hebrew that connotes an evil spirit that can possess people but that word is "dybbuk" -- which is not "covid" spelled backwards. The claim appeared…

Does the vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella cause measles? No, that's not true: The claim on social media ignored basic principles of how these vaccines work. It failed to distinguish between potentially deadly strains of the virus and its weakened version, used in the shots to help healthy populations build immunity against this disease. The claim appeared in a…

Did Dr. Ben Carson, retired neurosurgeon and former Department of Housing and Urban Development secretary, endorse a cure for dementia that can make this condition go away in "7 days"? No, that's not true: Lead Stories found no credible reports about this, and Carson's spokesperson described the claim as "completely fake." There is currently no cure for dementia -- existing…

Does massaging the cheeks provide relief for shortness of breath? No, that's not true: Physiology and massage experts told Lead Stories that there's no connection between the two things. Shortness of breath is typically related to respiratory or cardiovascular issues, and massaging would not address the underlying causes of the symptom. The claim appeared in a video (archived here) posted…

Does a recording of Amazon's virtual assistant reciting a conspiratorial answer to "Alexa, What are they spraying in our skies?" prove the "chemtrails" theory of a global conspiracy to depopulate the planet with chemicals sprayed from above? No, that's not true: While Amazon confirmed on January 18, 2024 that the recording of Alexa was authentic, a spokesperson said Alexa has…

Is meningitis proven to occur frequently after the administration of seven U.S. vaccines? No, that's not true: According to the Institute of Vaccine Safety at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, most vaccines from the list on an Instagram post are not known to be linked to meningitis. Varicella and measles vaccines "very rarely" cause this condition. An image shared…

Did the "zombie deer virus," officially known as chronic wasting disease, spread after Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's foundation vaccinated deer across the country? No, that's not true: The foundation, better known as the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, told Lead Stories it doesn't "fund such a program." Additionally, the U.S. Department of Agriculture clarified that its only "semi-widespread vaccination program" involving wildlife…

Can "unnatural chemtrails" be differentiated from an airplane's "normal condensation trails" because "contrails never last more than a minute" as asserted by a former pilot in a video? No, that's not true: The amount of time a plane's contrail is visible is dependent on the atmospheric conditions present where the plane is flying, the temperature and the humidity at that…

Does a meeting about "Disease X" at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, prove the existence of some sinister plan to start a pandemic intentionally? No, that's not true: The panel discussion to be led by the World Health Organization's director general can be viewed online. The planned agenda is a discussion of preparedness for the next pandemic, not…

Did American physician and author Dr. Steven Gundry discover three "completely natural ingredients, and as a result, blood pressure disappeared forever"? No, that's not true: Gundry's publicist said that this post is a "total scam" and was not produced by his team. At the time of writing people who clicked the post's "Learn More" tab were taken to a page…

Did Bill Gates say in early 2008 that he wanted to focus on "population control", implying he wants to reduce the population? No, that's not true: Gates made a comment in an interview where he said he expected health programs dealing with certain diseases would affect mortality rates, which in turn would reduce growth in population. There is no credible…

Can anyone under 65 years old qualify to claim a $6,400 Affordable Care Act benefit through the Texas Relief Act? No, that's not true: There is no government program resembling what is described in a Facebook ad. The application process to see if you qualify to claim a "subsidy card" is not an official government website but a referral service…

Is there a "2024 Spending Allowance Card" being given to people over age 64 if they fill out an eligibility questionnaire? No, that's not true: There is no evidence that such a card, preloaded with funds, exists. Lead Stories has written fact checks about several false claims of similar cards. The claim appeared in a post (archived here) on Facebook…

Did COVID-19 vaccines kill 17 million people around the world during the pandemic? No, that's not true: Infectious disease experts told Lead Stories that the surge in deaths correlates with surges in coronavirus infections, not vaccination campaigns. The overwhelming majority of adverse events reported after vaccination are mild and temporary, and the benefits of vaccination in preventing severe illness and…

Do contributions from Bill Gates make up 88 percent of the World Health Organization's annual funding? No, that's not true: While notable, the total amount donated by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation every year did not exceed 10 percent of the WHO budget in recent years. The claim misrepresents the structure of WHO's funding. The claim appeared in a…

Did President Joe Biden sponsor a new "health credits" subsidy program in Arizona? No, that's not true: The claim that the government is freely giving out health credits is a scam. Such scams are usually attached to an ad asking whether a person needs federal assistance or insurance. Biden, who purportedly backed the program, did not post such an endorsement.…

Does the childhood vaccine Vaxelis contain "toxic" levels of formaldehyde and aluminum? No, that's not true: While the six-in-one vaccine does contain trace amounts of formaldehyde, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists formaldehyde as a "residual inactivating ingredient" that is used to kill viruses or inactivate toxins during the manufacturing process. Aluminum salts are also used in Vaxelis…

Did the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention detect "alarming viral levels" of COVID-19 in the U.S. water supply? No, that's not true: The CDC told Lead Stories that there's no evidence to suggest that people can get the virus through tap water. The CDC data used to make the claim refers to "viral activity" in wastewater or sewage, not…

Does exposing seeds to human saliva change their DNA structure so that "there will be no disease at all when you eat those vegetables and fruits"? No, that's not true: While scientists can genetically modify plants using genetic engineering or intentional breeding methods, an expert confirmed to Lead Stories that exposing seeds to human saliva will not alter their DNA…

Did the World Health Organization order President Joe Biden to arrest Americans who share "non-mainstream content online"? No, that's not true: Lead Stories found no evidence the organization ever said this. A spokesperson for the WHO denied this claim. The article making the claim links to a story about a plan to develop an approach to curbing misinformation, but it…