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Flora Teoh
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Shedding light on sunscreen myths
Sunscreen protects us from the Sun’s harmful UV radiation. But it’s often vilified on social media through false claims that it’s unnecessary or harmful to humans. We debunk some of the most prevalent misinformation narratives in this Insight article.
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UnsupportedRFK Jr. spreads unfounded conspiracy theory that Lyme and RSV were engineered
Claim:
Lyme disease and RSV were engineered in gain-of-function experiments
Source: Fox News, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., 2026-08-02 -
Wellness influencers claim mainstream medicine ignores natural remedies. They’re wrong
Social media posts promoting natural health products propagate the narrative that mainstream medicine disregards natural cures for the sake of profit. But this narrative is flawed and can lead to an incorrect assessment of the risks and benefits of natural health products. We explain in this Insight article.
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Infectious disease outbreaks: a magnet for conspiracy theories
Highly mediatized disease outbreaks like COVID-19 and hantavirus are invariably plagued by conspiracy theories alleging that they are a hoax or planned. Why are these conspiracy theories so appealing and what makes people vulnerable to them? We discuss these topics in detail in this Insight article.
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Hantavirus outbreak reignites COVID misinformation tropes
The MV Hondius hantavirus outbreak triggered a wave of conspiracy theories and misinformation about ivermectin and vaccines, which were popular during the pandemic.
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UnsupportedDoctor misleads with post claiming ivermectin works against hantavirus
Claim:
Ivermectin “should work” against hantavirus because it blocks “RNA viruses from entering the nucleus [and] inhibits viral replication”
Source: X/Twitter, Mary Talley Bowden, 2026-05-07 -
Omega-3 supplements: not a silver bullet for depression
Health influencers suggest omega-3 supplementation can treat depression or even replace antidepressant medication. But such claims put vulnerable people at risk. In truth, the scientific evidence behind the effectiveness of omega-3 supplementation for depression is more uncertain than these social media posts let on. We explain in this Insight article.
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You are what you eat: how dietary misinfo appeals to our emotions
Harmful nutrition misinformation circulates widely online. From the raw food movement to the carnivore diet, we look at how these trends exploit various psychological levers to gain popularity in spite of the lack of scientific evidence to support them.
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InaccurateGerman placenta study didn’t show COVID-19 mRNA vaccines are harmful
Claim:
Vaccine-derived spike protein is harmful, its presence in placenta linked to rise in infant mortality
Source: X/Twitter, The Focal Points, Nicolas Hulscher, 2026-03-08
