Cancer

Did Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla "admit" on June 18, 2024, that COVID-19 was used as "a test"? No, that's not true. Pfizer Media Relations told Lead Stories that the "quote is taken out of context." Additionally, the head of the pharmaceutical and biotechnology company never used the word "test"; instead, Bourla said the pandemic was "like a rehearsal," preparing Pfizer…

Is a video that shows naturopath Barbara O'Neill promoting a remedy for prostate inflammation authentic? No, that's not true: Multiple online AI detectors categorized the video as fake. They reported that the images and audio in this video post were most likely AI-generated. Lead Stories has previously debunked similar claims involving O'Neill, an unregistered health practitioner, and AI-generated video manipulation.…

Did the U.K.'s King Charles III die on or before June 24, 2024 as a post on Facebook claimed? No, that's not true: As of this writing on June 26, 2024, the king of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and head of the Commonwealth, was alive. There have been no official announcements or credible reports regarding…

Did the Canadian Cancer Society "apologize" for using the word "cervix" instead of "front hole"? No, that's not true: The organization added a note to one of the articles published on its website explaining a rationale for the Society's current stand on the matter. The disclaimer did not contain any explicit wording indicating that the purpose of the note was…

Does a still image in a video on social media show the daughter of naturopath Barbara O'Neill being sentenced to prison for supposedly revealing "health secrets"? No, that's not true: A tool used to detect AI-generated images found evidence that the image of a woman in an orange prison jumpsuit in a courtroom is not real and was likely created…

Do "parasites, metals and viruses" cause all "diseases and illnesses," as a post on TikTok claimed? No, that's not true: An infectious disease expert told Lead Stories that the "causes of human diseases are extraordinarily varied." Besides parasites and viruses, diseases can be caused by bacterial infection, genetic influences, environmental exposures and other things. As is often the case, the…

Was the controversial wellness coach Barbara O'Neill filmed touting a supposed natural cure for diabetes? No, that's not true: A video promoting an unspecified natural cure is not authentic. The voice resembling O'Neill's was determined to be AI generated, and the whiteboard from a pre-existing footage of O'Neill giving a lecture was edited to feature a different message. The promotion…

Has the FDA approved ear magnets as a smoking cessation product? No, that's not true: A social media post claimed such a device was a "Natural, FDA approved" method for people to quit smoking. A spokesperson for the Food and Drug Administration told Lead Stories on April 30, 2024, that they were "not aware of any acupressure magnets authorized for…

Does an authentic video show naturopath Barbara O'Neill recommending oxygen pills for tiredness, as a video on Facebook claims? No, that's not true: This is not an authentic video of O'Neill, but one that appears dubbed. Lead Stories traced the clip shared on Facebook to the original video shared on YouTube. O'Neill did not make the statements expressed in the…

Did controversial naturopath Barbara O'Neill endorse a recipe of thyme oil said to "eliminate 97% of lung tumor cells," as a post on Facebook suggested? No, that's not true: O'Neill is the subject of a fake post on Facebook designed to look as though it belongs to O'Neill. A link in the post's comment section redirects users to an unrelated…