Canada

Do acupressure massages on a person's hands and fingers aid digestion or relieve digestion issues? No, that's not true: The director of gastroenterology at the University of Alberta told Lead Stories that this post reflects "inaccurate information." A UCLA medical center dietician confirmed to Lead Stories that the reflexology technique seen in this post "has not conclusively shown to help…

Does pressing the "lung 1" point on one's chest help to cure, treat or alleviate such conditions as cough, wheezing, asthma and dyspnea? No, that's not true: Lead Stories found no evidence supporting this theory. The claim appeared in a post on Facebook on April 22, 2023. It contained a video showing a man pressing a spot on his chest…

Does the safety data sheet for Apeel, a protective coating for produce, contain "a long list of hazardous cautions" that make the product unsafe for human consumption? No, that's not true: The information in the claim comes from a cleaning product using the same name but made by another company. The cleaner and degreaser is not meant for human consumption.…

Did Bud Light introduce a new "lol CRYBABIES" billboard campaign as a response to recent backlash over the brand's association with transgender social media personality Dylan Mulvaney? No, that's not true: This is not a real ad campaign from Bud Light. The "lol CRYBABIES" image is a digital manipulation by TikTok video creator @.jamisonlightfoot, who has posted other videos with…

Did sanctioned Russian banks regain their access to the international system of cross-border money transfers in April 2023? No, that's not true: No such decision was made by the European Union or the United States, as of this writing. The claim appeared in a tweet (archived here) published on April 22, 2023. It opened: NEWS | Russia has been reconnected…

Does a test that supposedly extracts "chemtrail" and air-pollution nanoparticles from a person's saliva accurately show a diagnosis of Morgellons disease? No, that's not true: Food chemistry experts told Lead Stories that precipitates created after swishing cranberry juice in the mouth are not the result of nanoparticles from chemtrails and air pollution but a well-known reaction of saliva mixed with…

Does fenbendazole cure cancer? No, that's not true: While there have been some experimental studies, it has not been approved as a cancer treatment in the United States. The claim appeared in a post republished from TikTok to Facebook on April 9, 2023. Its title said: Dog Dewormer Cures Lung, Brain, Liver Cancer!! This is what the post looked like…

Was a dog picked up on the road in some town and is she "really depressed and not eating," and will sharing the post help to locate the owner of this "sweet girl"? No, that's not true: This found dog post is one of many narratives that are posted in local Facebook groups as part of a real estate scam…

Does a video that resurfaced on social media show Uyghur women consuming alcohol against their will on "the second day of Ramadan" in 2023? No, that's not true: The clip was initially published in 2018, but the exact date and circumstances of filming remain unknown. The clip reappeared in a post on Instagram on March 24, 2023. Its caption said:…

Did Scotiabank, one of the largest banking corporations in Canada, announce in an online article and on a store sign that it is currently closed so that it can convert "all banking accounts to digital bank accounts" by April 1, 2023? No, that's not true: A Scotiabank spokesperson told Lead Stories these claims are false. A reverse image search reveals…