World Health Organization

Does margarine cause macular degeneration? No, that's not true: While there is some evidence to suggest the consumption of certain foods and fats may play a role in and are associated with the development of macular degeneration and other forms of vision loss, Lead Stories found no peer-reviewed scientific evidence to support the declaration that eating margarine specifically will "cause…

Did the World Economic Forum (WEF) ban "natural conception," saying "all babies must be lab-grown by 2030"? No, that's not true: The WEF is an international organization that focuses on public-private cooperation and global economic issues. It does not have the authority to enforce bans on natural conception or dictate the methods of baby production. The claim appeared in a…

Will eating a leaf with chlorophyll provide relief to a person bitten by a venomous snake? No, that's not true: A board-certified emergency medicine toxicologist specializing in herpetology and envenomation (exposure to poison from a bite or sting) treatment told Lead Stories, "Chlorophyll does not neutralize snake venom." A botany expert also told Lead Stories there is "no scientific basis…

Do the people of the Hunza Valley in northern Pakistan never get cancer because they consume apricot seeds? No, that's not true: There are recorded cases of cancer among the people of the Hunza Valley that date back several decades and there is no evidence that apricot seeds prevent cancer. In fact, the seeds can actually be harmful. The claim…

Did the Soviet Union pioneer water fluoridation? Did it use it on prisoners in the Gulag system to control them? No, that's not true: The United States was the first country in the world to implement this technology, and there is no indication that the Soviet Union had the capability of ensuring the delivery of fluoridated drinking water to all…

Are tetanus shots being used to sterilize people? No, that's not true: Such claims are "completely illogical and contrary to fact," a molecular biologist told Lead Stories. There is no substantive evidence that tetanus vaccines available as of June 2023 contain a hormone that would "attack" a pregnancy and cause a miscarriage. Numerous studies indicate that tetanus vaccines are safe…

Did the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say that AIDS-associated diseases and cancers have increased by 338 times since the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine? No, that's not true: The CDC says there are no indications that COVID vaccines are causing or contributing to these conditions. The public health agency regularly monitors and reports on health conditions including…

Do vaccinated people emit Bluetooth signals? No, that's not true: There is no indication that the chip required to use this technology can be injected into a human body through a needle as of this writing. The claim's main argument derives from a "documentary" showing a pseudoscientific study that misrepresents how Bluetooth technology operates. The claim appeared in a post…

Does a Pfizer document show that the pharmaceutical company's COVID-19 vaccine causes "devastating harm to the musculoskeletal system"? No, that's not true: The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine has been shown to be safe and effective in preventing COVID-19, with the most common side effects being mild and temporary, including injection site pain, fatigue or fever. There is no credible evidence or…

Does the pneumococcal vaccine cause autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children? No, that's not true: There is no scientific evidence to support the assertion that the pneumococcal vaccine or any other vaccine causes autism. The shots are recommended by both the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization. The claim appeared in a slide…