Health

Did a drop in vaccine uptake in Japan cause a drastic drop in infant mortality, as a post on Instagram suggested? No, that's not true: While there was a policy change in 1994 that removed government requirements for childhood vaccines, Japanese health authorities and experts still recommend a routine vaccine schedule similar to those implemented in the U.S. Japan has…

Has rabies "never been proven to exist"? No, that's not true: Rabies is a viral disease that affects mammals, including humans, and is typically transmitted through the saliva of infected animals, often through bites. The existence of rabies is well-documented in medical and scientific literature, and extensive efforts worldwide are made to prevent and control its spread through vaccination and…

Do transplanted organs transmit character traits from the donor to the person receiving them, as a video on social media claims? No, that's not true: Transplant surgeons and a nonprofit for transplant patients told Lead Stories that no scientific evidence or credible research supports the idea that transplanted organs can transmit character traits from the donor to the recipient. Organ…

Does the state of North Carolina have an "affordable supplemental death benefit program" that will pay up to $40,000 to cover final expenses as is claimed in an ad posted on Facebook? No, that's not true: No such statewide benefit program exists. This misleading ad is intended to generate leads to sell life insurance for final expenses. There is no…

Did an immunologist accidentally admit that COVID-19 vaccines were intended to sterilize humans, as a video on Instagram implied? No, that's not true: Though the post included genuine footage, it lacked context that makes clear what was meant. Dr. John Bell's comments in an interview were about "sterilizing immunity", a public health term that refers to eradicating a virus from…

Does a homemade concoction made of boiled citrus fruits, root vegetables and herbs prevent COVID-19? No, that's not true: An infectious disease expert told Lead Stories that "there's absolutely no evidence that this will work," and there is no verified scientific study confirming the effectiveness of such a mixture in preventing a person from contracting the virus. He recommended that…

Did the World Health Organization seek "surveillance powers to monitor every man, woman, and child for 'disease control'" as a post on Instagram implied? No, that's not true: The post in question referred to a set of WHO recommendations that WHO member countries expand pathogen tracking and vaccine development in advance of potential pandemics. There is no call to surveil…

Did Microsoft announce plans to disable the computers of users who share "non-mainstream content" online? No, that's not true: This claim is completely made up, mis-stating what Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said in an interview with NBC's Lester Holt. Nadella did not say computers would be disabled if people were sharing "non-mainstream content" online, as is clear from the video…

Does a government health poster list "heart attacks," "strokes" and "sudden death" as side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine, as shown in an Instagram post? No, that's not true: It is counterfeit. Though it was made to look like official Irish government health circulars, the Irish government never published a poster listing those as side effects. Additionally, there is no…

Does a social media post showing a group of maps with overlapping hotspots prove a connection between 5G coverage and the spread of COVID-19? No, that's not true: A similar data distribution of 5G coverage and high numbers of COVID-19 cases on maps does not prove a connection between 5G signals and the viral pandemic. There is no peer-reviewed scientific…

Does a video on Instagram of an Alexa digital assistant prove the accuracy of the chemtrails conspiracy theory that the U.S. government sprays aluminum in the sky for nefarious purposes? No, that's not true: There is no verified evidence of a widespread U.S. government program to spray metal nanoparticles in the sky. Amazon's Alexa produces answers gathered from a variety…

Do COVID-19 vaccines contain the Marburg virus, a severe and often fatal illness in humans? No, that's not true: Each vaccine has its unique formulation, but none include the Marburg virus. The disease is rare, usually found in Africa after a person comes in contact with an infected bat, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases told Lead Stories.…

Were the Nazis involved with the abortion pill RU-486 as claimed by an anti-abortion activist? No, that's not true: The French company that created the pill did so in the 1980s, but the activist made the connection by claiming the company is owned by a German company that created the poisonous gas that was used in Nazi death camps during…

Is there evidence health care providers are using lidocaine to secretly inject people with vaccines without the person's knowledge, as is suggested in a social media post by an anti-vaccine activist? No, that's not true: The suggestion is made in the "just asking questions" mode in which allegations are framed as questions to inject falsehood into public discussion. In this…

Did controversial wellness coach Barbara O'Neill endorse a brand of CBD gummies as a remedy for high blood pressure in a social media post? No, that's not true: O'Neill, who is "permanently prohibited from providing any health services" in Australia, is the subject of a fake article designed to resemble content from the Med Journal Research & Practical Medical Advice…

Did an RSV "vaccine" cause "12 deaths during clinical trials," as a post on Instagram suggested? No, that's not true: None of the 15 deaths of thousands of children in three key clinical trials were deemed to be caused by the drug. The Food and Drug Administration, AstraZeneca and an infectious disease expert all independently confirmed these results to Lead…

Do recommended childhood vaccinations increase the risk of ear infections in those they're intended to protect? No, that's not true: Infectious disease experts told Lead Stories that vaccinations, such as those for diseases like influenza and pneumococcal pneumonia, can help prevent certain infections that may lead to ear infections. Vaccines do not increase the risk of ear infections in children.…

Did Jennifer Lopez appear on TV with Dr. Oz to promote a weight-loss "Rice Hack"? No, that's not true: A promotion on Facebook contains old video footage of Lopez which has an altered audio track, putting words in the singer's mouth and there was also some deceptive editing that removed the context of what she said. In the scene from…

Do vaccinated people emit Media Access Control addresses? No, that's not true: A professor of electrical and computer engineering told Lead Stories that the MAC addresses shown in social media posts and videos were "bluetooth technology" coming from phones and other devices like earbuds etc. The Food and Drug Administration has debunked the claim that microscopic technology is in vaccines.…

Did the World Economic Forum admit that Disease X will be "unleashed onto the public" by 2025, with "devastating" consequences for humanity? No, that's not true: Disease X is not a known disease. It's a hypothetical pathogen that health care experts are using as a placeholder to talk about and plan for unknown diseases. The claim appeared in an article…