Cures

Did Dr. Ben Carson, retired neurosurgeon and former U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development secretary, endorse a "government-funded" cure for erectile dysfunction, as a video on Facebook claimed? No, that's not true: A spokesperson for Carson said the claim is "completely fake." Additionally, a digital forensics website concluded that the audio portion of the clip was "100% likely to…

Does a drink made of aloe vera, molasses, honey and gin eliminate all cancer cells, cysts and tumors? No, that's not true: While some of these ingredients may have health benefits, they are not a cure for cancer or other serious conditions. Oncology experts told Lead Stories that there's no evidence to support these claims. The claim appeared in a…

Did Barbara O'Neill guarantee that a hypertension medication will clear your vessels and cure the disease in three weeks or she will transfer $10,000 into your bank account -- and have Samuel Jackson, Jane Seymour and Tom Hanks all endorsed this treatment after it cured their hypertension? No, neither statement is true: This false promotion uses AI-generated voice-overs to put…

Can black pepper oil cure arthritis and rheumatism, as a post on Facebook implied? No, that's not true: There is no known cure for osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, a spokesperson for the Thurston Arthritis Research Center told Lead Stories. Similarly, there is no known cure for the autoimmune disorder rheumatism. The Arthritis Foundation told Lead Stories that…

Is a video of TV personality Mark Cuban describing a "removed" "Shark Tank" episode that featured a natural cure to high blood sugar real? No, that's not true: Cuban denied the claim to Lead Stories, calling it "an obviously bad deep fake." An AI-detection tool deemed the audio from the claim 99.9 percent AI-generated. Lead Stories found that the visuals…

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…

Is the "Budwig Diet" -- a diet rich in low-fat cottage cheese and organic flaxseed oil -- a scientifically proven treatment or preventative for cancer? No, that's not true: Oncological experts agree that there is "no reliable evidence to show that the Budwig diet can treat or prevent cancer" in humans, writes Cancer Research UK. The Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer…

Is sesame oil a more effective cancer treatment than a dose of radiation or chemotherapy? No, that's not true: Sesame oil is not a recognized or proven treatment for cancer. In contrast, radiation and chemotherapy are widely accepted medical treatments that have been extensively studied and shown to be effective in many cases by targeting and killing cancer cells or…

Is a tea made of guava leaves, cloves and turmeric proven to "cure diabetes," as suggested in a post on Instagram? No, that's not true: "There is no credible scientific or medical evidence for this," an endocrinologist told Lead Stories. There is no known cure for either type of diabetes, they said. Treatment of the chronic condition typically involves lifestyle…

Does massaging the cheeks provide relief for shortness of breath? No, that's not true: Physiology and massage experts told Lead Stories that there's no connection between the two things. Shortness of breath is typically related to respiratory or cardiovascular issues, and massaging would not address the underlying causes of the symptom. The claim appeared in a video (archived here) posted…