Cancer

Was lead paint banned from residential use in the United States because homes coated in lead paint could protect residents from radiation that someone wanted them to be exposed to? No, that's not true: Laws regulating lead paint, starting with the Lead-Based Paint Poisoning Prevention Act in 1971 and followed by the Consumer Product Safety Commission's final ban on lead-containing…

Did Switzerland health officials declare in April 2023 that COVID-19 vaccines do "more harm than good" and order an "immediate halt" to immunizations? No, that's not true: In a statement, the Swiss government reported that 98 percent of the population had antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, either from a previous vaccination or infection. Because predominant virus variants were anticipated to be in…

Do castor oil compresses applied to the abdomen "heal" the colon to treat for diarrhea and constipation? No, that's not true: There is no scientific evidence that suggests castor oil has therapeutic benefits beyond its approved laxative properties when taken orally. Claims that castor oil compresses can heal diarrhea and constipation were made by a former naturopathic practitioner barred from…

Did the expression "woke" originate from the phrase "willingly overlooking known evil"? No, that's not true: The term "stay woke" was first used in a 1938 song by blues musician Lead Belly about Black teenagers accused of raping white women, according to a linguistics professor. Usage of the expression "woke" to indicate awareness of injustices dates to the Black labor…

Does getting vitamin D "from anywhere other than the Sun" poison people? No, that's not true: A video on social media misrepresents the properties of vitamin D. The claim appeared in a clip published on Facebook on April 4, 2023, under the title: If you get your vitamin D from anywhere other than the Sun then you're being poisoned This…

Can a person get infected with the herpes simplex virus by eating chicken? No, that's not true: Herpes is a virus contracted by direct skin-to-skin contact, not from eating poultry. A chicken herpes virus called Marek's disease does affect chickens but it does not affect humans. The claim appeared as a video (archived here) where it was published on Facebook…

Does the pavana leaf treat cancer? No, that's not true: A surgical oncologist told Lead Stories that there is no medical evidence supporting that claim. The FDA warns consumers to be wary of products that claim to treat cancer. The implied claim appeared on Facebook (archived here) where it was published on March 27, 2023, with the on-screen text reading,…

Does a social media video show a European Parliament member sniffing cocaine during a public meeting? No, that's not true: The man seen in this video is a former German politician who was never a European Parliament member. Also, he is legally using dry snuff tobacco -- not cocaine. The claim originated in a post on Twitter (archived here) on…

Do bras made of unnatural fibers or those that contain underwire cause breast cancer? No, that's not true: Experts agree that there is no substantive or reliable scientific evidence that wearing underwire bras or those made of unnatural fibers is linked to an increased risk of breast cancer. The claim originated in a 1-hour video shared to YouTube on October…

Are castor oil compresses a proven effective treatment for tumors and breast cancer? No, that's not true: There is no scientific evidence that suggests castor oil has therapeutic benefits beyond its approved laxative properties. Claims that castor oil compresses cured breast cancer and uterine fibroids, as well as treated tumors, are purely anecdotal stories from a former naturopath barred from…