Inaccurate Health Posted on: 2024-09-06 Numbers on fruit and vegetable stickers don’t indicate whether they are genetically modified or not Claim: Five-digit numbers starting with eight on fruit and vegetable stickers indicate that they are genetically modified; “If you see this sticker on a fruit DO NOT buy it at any cost” Source: The Daily Mail, Facebook, Social media users, 2024-08-31
Inaccurate Health Posted on: 2024-09-05 Alex Jones was fined 1.5 billion dollars for defaming families of Sandy Hook shooting victims; no evidence he was fined for warning about “Covid crimes” Claim: Alex Jones was fined 150 billion dollars for warning about crimes related to COVID-19 Source: Instagram, Brandon Tatum, 2024-08-31
Flawed reasoning Health Posted on: 2024-08-30 People experiencing homelessness died more frequently from COVID-19 than the general population Claim: COVID-19 was not deadly, otherwise homeless people would not have survived the pandemic Source: Threads, Social media user, 2024-08-21
Misleading Health Posted on: 2024-08-21 Fauci quoted out of context in misleading video, didn’t change his views about benefits of COVID-19 vaccines Claim: Fauci changed his views on COVID-19 vaccines benefits; Fauci’s remarks show that COVID-19 vaccines don’t work as advertised Source: Facebook, Social media users, 2024-08-13
Incorrect Health Posted on: 2024-08-20 WHO declaration of public health emergency triggered by worsening of mpox outbreak in Africa, not a ploy to push for using vaccine stocks Claim: The WHO declaration of a public health emergency is a scheme to use vaccines “stocked up in warehouses”; bird flu, parvovirus B19, and monkeypox are “rebranding” of the same virus Source: Instagram, Rizza Islam, 2024-08-14
Inaccurate Health Posted on: 2024-08-15 Oral birth control doesn’t cause PCOS or uterine fibroids; wild yam and castor oil are unproven treatments Claim: Oral contraceptive pills are “the number one” cause of polycystic ovary syndrome; a combination of wild yam and castor oil can cure polycystic ovary syndrome and uterine fibroids Source: YouTube, Instagram, Barbara O'Neill, 2024-07-25
Inaccurate Health Posted on: 2024-08-05 Calcium is an essential component of bones and helps prevent osteoporosis, contrary to claim by Barbara O’Neill Claim: Bones “are not made of calcium”; wild yam is a treatment for osteoporosis Source: Facebook, Barbara O'Neill, 2024-07-24
Inaccurate Health Posted on: 2024-07-30 Hashimoto’s disease is a thyroid disorder that can be treated by hormone replacement therapy, contrary to claim by influencer Gary Brecka Claim: There is nothing wrong with the thyroid in patients with Hashimoto’s disease; vitamin B is a cure for Hashimoto’s disease Source: Facebook, Gary Brecka, 2024-07-21
Mostly accurate Health Posted on: 2024-07-19 Research suggests that a particular mutation related to larger spleen size provides the Bajau people from Southeast Asia with remarkable diving skills Claim: “A unique genetic mutation in the Bajau people of South-East Asia” allows them “to dive underwater for hours each day” Source: Intels, Anonymous, 2024-06-22
Incorrect Health Posted on: 2024-07-09 Sodium chloride and corn gluten meal aren’t hazardous to humans, even though they are used as mouse poison Claim: Salt and corn gluten meal are used to kill mice, they are hazardous to humans Source: Facebook, Michelle Jorgensen, 2024-06-29