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Claims that people were being killed by zidovudine (AZT) instead of AIDS are unsubstantiated
Claim:
One time in the 80’s-90’s, people died from AZT and not the actual AIDS virus; Anthony Fauci pushed this treatment
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Health
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Source: Facebook, Facebook users, 2021-08-25 -
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Claims that people were being killed by zidovudine (AZT) instead of AIDS are unsubstantiated
Zidovudine, also known as AZT, was the first FDA-approved HIV drug; it received approval after it was shown to lower AIDS mortality at least in the short term. Due to its high toxicity, fast-tracked approval, and the development of viral resistance when zidovudine is given as a monotherapy, the drug is controversial although it is still used today in combination HIV therapy. The claim that more people were killed by zidovudine than AIDS itself during the 80s and 90s comes from a speculative quote in a 1989 article by an AIDS denialist. Anthony Fauci, as head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), became the face of the U.S. government when it came to the AIDS epidemic, which included speaking to the media about zidovudine and its benefits. As the first FDA approved HIV drug, zidovudine was prescribed by many doctors treating HIV patients, and Fauci wasn’t the only doctor to promote zidovudine.
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InaccurateGermany hasn’t stopped COVID-19 vaccination, contrary to claims made about a simulation game event called “BasisCamp”
Claim:
Germany suspended COVID-19 vaccinations
Source: BrandNewTube, Anonymous, 2021-08-23 -
IncorrectExcess mucus is a common symptom rather than cause of disease; soursop is not a cancer treatment
Claim:
“Mucus is the cause of all diseases”; “Soursop [is] 10,000 times more effective than chemotherapy for cancer”
Source: Facebook, Facebook user, 2021-08-18 -
InaccurateCancer and heart disease remain the two leading causes of death in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic
Claim:
“No one has died of cancer or heart disease since the COVID-19 thing started”
Source: Facebook, Facebook users, 2020-08-14 -
IncorrectVaccine boosters help maintain protection provided by initial vaccination; boosters have been used for routine vaccinations like tetanus and polio for decades
Claim:
A COVID-19 booster means that the initial vaccination didn’t work
Source: Facebook, Facebook users, 2021-08-19 -
InaccurateMultiple scientific studies suggest that masking can help limit transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in schools, contrary to claim in Federalist article
Claim:
“There’s no science behind masks on kids”.
Source: The Federalist, Shawn Fleetwood, 2021-08-24 -
InaccurateThe development of mRNA vaccines was a collaborative effort; Robert Malone contributed to their development, but he is not their inventor
Claim:
“Dr. Malone is the inventor of mRNA vaccines”
Source: Twitter/X, Robert Malone, 2026-09-11 -
Flawed reasoningStudy in Vietnam showed that Delta infection results in a higher viral load compared to earlier strains, not that vaccinated people are more infectious than unvaccinated people
Claim:
“vaccinated individuals carry 251 times the load of COVID-19 viruses in their nostrils compared to the unvaccinated”
Source: Children's Health Defense, Peter McCullough, 2021-08-23 -
InaccuratePfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine demonstrated its efficacy and safety in several stages of clinical trials before been authorized for emergency use, and therefore isn’t experimental
Claim:
“Today the FDA announced they approved a drug whose Phase III clinical trials are not expected to be completed for two more years”
Source: Facebook, Instagram, Benjamin Benulis, 2021-08-23
