World Health Organization

Did a drop in vaccine uptake in Japan cause a drastic drop in infant mortality, as a post on Instagram suggested? No, that's not true: While there was a policy change in 1994 that removed government requirements for childhood vaccines, Japanese health authorities and experts still recommend a routine vaccine schedule similar to those implemented in the U.S. Japan has…

Has rabies "never been proven to exist"? No, that's not true: Rabies is a viral disease that affects mammals, including humans, and is typically transmitted through the saliva of infected animals, often through bites. The existence of rabies is well-documented in medical and scientific literature, and extensive efforts worldwide are made to prevent and control its spread through vaccination and…

Did the World Health Organization seek "surveillance powers to monitor every man, woman, and child for 'disease control'" as a post on Instagram implied? No, that's not true: The post in question referred to a set of WHO recommendations that WHO member countries expand pathogen tracking and vaccine development in advance of potential pandemics. There is no call to surveil…

Did the U.S. Judge Advocate General's Corps convict World Health Organization official Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu of committing multiple crimes on January 25, 2024? No, that's not true: This claim appears in an article on a website that regularly publishes fabricated content. Lead Stories previously debunked the claim, which is also mentioned in this article, that U.S. Marines initially arrested Ihekweazu.…

Is there evidence health care providers are using lidocaine to secretly inject people with vaccines without the person's knowledge, as is suggested in a social media post by an anti-vaccine activist? No, that's not true: The suggestion is made in the "just asking questions" mode in which allegations are framed as questions to inject falsehood into public discussion. In this…

Did the World Health Organization unveil a "global police force," purportedly to arrest citizens who post independent media online? No, that's not true: Lead Stories could not find any evidence of a representative from the Organization making such a claim. The latest draft of WHO's Pandemic Agreement does not mention a "global police force." The claim appeared in an article…

Did the World Economic Forum admit that Disease X will be "unleashed onto the public" by 2025, with "devastating" consequences for humanity? No, that's not true: Disease X is not a known disease. It's a hypothetical pathogen that health care experts are using as a placeholder to talk about and plan for unknown diseases. The claim appeared in an article…

Is "divoc," which is "covid" spelled backwards, a Hebrew word that means "possession by an evil spirit"? No, that's not true: "Divoc" is not Hebrew, two experts told Lead Stories. There is a word in Hebrew that connotes an evil spirit that can possess people but that word is "dybbuk" -- which is not "covid" spelled backwards. The claim appeared…

Does a meeting about "Disease X" at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, prove the existence of some sinister plan to start a pandemic intentionally? No, that's not true: The panel discussion to be led by the World Health Organization's director general can be viewed online. The planned agenda is a discussion of preparedness for the next pandemic, not…

Did Bill Gates say in early 2008 that he wanted to focus on "population control", implying he wants to reduce the population? No, that's not true: Gates made a comment in an interview where he said he expected health programs dealing with certain diseases would affect mortality rates, which in turn would reduce growth in population. There is no credible…