Cancer

Was Shirley Caesar, a Grammy award-winning gospel singer and celebrated pastor, deceased as of May 9, 2023? No, that's not true: Caesar made at least one public appearance after May 9, 2023. There is also no indication that her health was failing at the time of writing. The claim appeared in a video (archived here) posted on YouTube on May…

Can exercise with oxygen therapy (EWOT) "cure the top 200 diseases in the world ... by using oxygen and raising people's heart rates," as was discovered by chemist Otto Warburg? No, none of that is true: Warburg was a German scientist who was awarded a Nobel Prize in 1931 for his findings that cancer cells can survive in the absence…

Can using the herb comfrey as a mouthwash help heal teeth and gums? No, that's not true: A professor at the UCLA School of Dentistry told Lead Stories that there is no evidence that comfrey can restore damaged gums or teeth. The Mount Sinai Health System explicitly states that people should not take comfrey by mouth. Scientific evidence points to…

Does a "new study on fasting" prove it can cure any illness? No, that's not true: While fasting has been shown to have potential health benefits and may be useful in certain contexts, such as weight loss and improving insulin sensitivity, there is no evidence to suggest that it can cure all illnesses. The claims appear in a video on…

Has a professional athlete never lived to be 100 years old, thus evidencing that exercise "doesn't increase lifespan" and "in fact, exercise can shorten lifespan"? No, that's not true: Globally, there are a number of professional athletes who have lived to be 100 years old and beyond, including several of whom are alive as of this publication. Furthermore, scientific evidence…

Is there a "button for the heart" above your wrist and does it help alleviate conditions such as heart pain and epilepsy? No, that's not true: While stimulation of Pericardium 6 -- an acupuncture and acupressure point located on the wrist -- may be useful for helping patients deal with postoperative nausea and vomiting, there is no scientific evidence at…

Does fasting cure AIDS? No, that's not true: Officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.N.'s UNAIDS organization told Lead Stories there is no cure to HIV/AIDS. However, with proper medical care, the virus can be controlled and people living with the virus can live long and healthy lives. The claim appeared on TikTok (archived here)…

Do tampons pull "moisture out of the vagina" to cause reproductive disorders such as tumors, ovarian cysts and fibroids? No, that's not true: Medical experts told Lead Stories there is no evidence that pulling "moisture out of the vagina" would result in reproductive disorders like tumors, ovarian cysts or fibroids as those are genetic and cell-driven processes unrelated to tampons…

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…

Is usnea lichen "scientifically proven" to be stronger than the antibiotics doxycycline and penicillin? No, that's not true: Though research suggests that usnea -- a lichen that grows on trees -- contains antimicrobial properties, these studies have not tested the safety or efficacy of ingested usnea to battle infections in humans. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) told Lead…