Health

Is it true that there was no Alzheimer's disease until 1979 -- after the vegetable oils used in margarine were incorporated widely in modern diets? No, that's not true: In 1906 the "unusual disease of the cerebral cortex" was discovered by pathologist Alois Alzheimer. The abnormal brain atrophy he had identified was named after him four years later. An expert…

Does the polio-causing poliovirus infect people exclusively through direct contact between "fecal matter" and "facial orifices"? No, that's not true: While multiple health agencies say that the fecal-oral route is common, that includes a number of possibilities. For example, polio may spread through consuming contaminated food or water. The claim appeared in an image (archived here) being commented on in…

Will House Resolution 7 force women to get permission from their husbands, fathers or priests to use birth control or have an abortion? No, that's not true: The legislation wouldn't require women to get anyone's consent for reproductive health care. Also, House resolutions aren't real laws; they only show what the House thinks collectively about a specific issue, person or…

Was a "mysterious fog" spotted in various areas of the world in late December 2024 something that cannot be explained? No, that's not true: There have been several regions that experienced heavy fog in late December, but there is no evidence that it is anything other than naturally occurring fog. One medical sociologist wrote in an article that social media…

Did China declare a state of emergency over a spike in multiple respiratory infections as of January 3, 2025? No, that's not true: As of January 3, 2025, China's official sources made no such announcement. A spokesperson for the World Health Organization told Lead Stories that China's Center for Disease Control & Prevention reported an increase in respiratory illnesses but…

Is CoQ10 a proven treatment for preventing Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease? No, that's not true: A neurologist told Lead Stories that it is "false" to say that CoQ10 can prevent either disease. While some studies have explored the antioxidant's potential benefits, experts that Lead Stories spoke with said that results are not clear enough to prove that CoQ10 prevents either…

Did a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study find that children who received the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine are more likely to get infected than those who are unvaccinated? No, that's not true: The study of children aged six months to four years found there was not a big difference in infection rates, especially for those who hadn't had COVID…

Was a hidden tunnel with cryptic codes on its walls found in the basement of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson's home after his death? No, that's not true: This is a conspiracy theory with no factual basis -- the images used to illustrate the false narrative have nothing to do with Thompson's home and came from news reports about other places.…

Does an authentic video show Elon Musk promoting a Barbara O'Neill remedy for erectile dysfunction and prostatitis? No, that's not true: Two AI detection tools found that the video was likely manipulated using AI technology. Lead Stories has found other AI-generated endorsement videos for O'Neill, an unregistered health practitioner. The story appeared in a post (archived here) published on Facebook…

Does a viral photo show the Altoona McDonald's employee who made the 911 call to report a sighting of Luigi Mangione in Pennsylvania? No, that's not true: The photo shows a comedian from New York. A profile on Facebook that contained the original version of the image also placed that person in New York, not Pennsylvania. The claim appeared in…