Viral stories rehash a legal tussle between Pepsi and the Center for Environmental Health, but they mischaracterize that battle’s outcome.
Publication: medical
Snopes→ What Were the Consequences of Legalizing Weed in Colorado?
A newspaper editorial gets some facts right, and some wrong, in weighing up the consequences of Colorado's legalization of recreational marijuana.
Snopes→ Is Tamiflu Causing Increased Deaths from Flu?
Tamiflu is not responsible for the high number of flu season deaths, even if its potential rare side effects are scary.
Snopes→ Did The Flu Shot Cause This Year’s Flu Epidemic?
This claim is based on the incorrect interpretation of single quote from one nurse in Wisconsin who, for the record, recommends getting the shot.
Snopes→ Did a Texas Teacher Named Heather Holland Die Because She Couldn’t Afford Flu Medicine?
The 38-year-old's death from complications of influenza became an internet cause célèbre after it was rumored that she couldn't afford lifesaving medication.
Snopes→ Can Common Household Plant Seeds Be Used As a Party Drug?
The seeds of a number household plants can cause psychoactive effects, but they are far from a natural alternative to LSD, as popularly claimed.
Snopes→ Safety Recall of Ventolin Inhalers?
A viral Facebook post rehashed an old recall, causing hundreds of thousands of people unnecessary concern.
Snopes→ Are All Homeopathic Drugs Now Illegal?
The Food and Drug Administration has issued a draft guidance document suggesting a new legal interpretation of the controversial remedies, but they remain legal.
Truth or Fiction?→ Facebook Users Warn About Tamiflu Side Effects in Children, Including Homicidal Tendencies-Unproven!
Facebook Users Warn About Tamiflu Side Effects in Children, Including Homicidal Tendencies-Unproven! Summary of eRumor: Facebook user Heather Hanford described her son, Isaac’s, reaction to Tamiflu. Also, Facebook user Melissa Rodriguez said her
Snopes→ Sushi Fanatic Pulls 5-Foot-Long Tapeworm Out of His Body
The attending physician confirmed that a patient walked into the emergency room with the giant parasite wrapped around a toilet paper tube.
Snopes→ Will Health and Human Services Allow Doctors Refuse to Treat LGBTQ Patients?
The department cited a judge's December 2016 ruling that does not extend patient protections to cover gender identity.
Snopes→ Did a CDC Doctor Say the Flu Shot Is Causing a Deadly Outbreak?
A disreputable web site used an unsourced and fabricated quote to link deaths from the flu epidemic to the flu shot.
Snopes→ Is Gabapentin the Newest Prescription Drug Killer?
Gabapentin’s potential for abuse, especially in combination with opioids, may have been misjudged — but the drug remains safe for approved uses.
Truth or Fiction?→ Given 18 Months to Live, Man Cures Brain Cancer With Cannabis Oil-Fiction!
Given 18 Months to Live, Man Cures Cancer With Cannabis Oil-Fiction! Summary of eRumor: A British man named David Hibbitt was given 18 months to live before he cured cancer with cannabis oil. The Truth: Many holistic health websites have featured the
Snopes→ Less Effective Flu Shots ‘Prove’ You Shouldn’t Get Them at All?
Dubious websites are attempting to use a season in which the influenza vaccine is less effective than normal as evidence that getting inoculated is worthless.
Snopes→ Records Show Psychiatrist Who ‘Diagnosed’ Trump Lacks License?
A number of far-right web sites have posted misleading stories casting doubt on whether Dr. Bandy Lee has a medical license.
Snopes→ Did IKEA Release an Advertisement Containing a Pregnancy Test?
The ad allows expectant mothers to use their urine to reveal a coupon for a crib.
Snopes→ Does ‘Raw Water’ Provide Probiotic Health Benefits?
Not only can the latest health craze put you in danger of contracting dangerous diseases, the purported benefits have no basis in science.
Snopes→ Do Cell Phones Cause Brain Damage and Create ‘Snowflakes and Crybullies’?
A story in an "alternative health site" falsely states mobile phones are causing people to go insane.
Truth or Fiction?→ Essential Oils Are Harmful to Cats and Small Animals -Truth!
Essential Oils Are Harmful to Cats and Small Animals –Truth! Summary of eRumor: Essential oils can kill cats and mall animals. Social media posts warn those with cats to avoid certain essential oils. The Truth: Exposure to essential oils can be
Snopes→ Are Essential Oils Poisonous to Cats?
Medical experts back a woman's warning that eucalyptus and other oils can be harmful toward felines.
Snopes→ Is It Possible to Get High From Secondhand Marijuana Smoke?
It is possible to experience some psychoactive effects from secondhand exposure to marijuana smoke, but you'd really have to put effort into it.
Snopes→ Did Hurricane Maria Cause an Intravenous Bag Shortage Across the United States?
A California man's account brought to light one of the lesser-known aftereffects of the fatal storm.
Snopes→ Did President Trump Roll Back Rules Protecting Elderly at Nursing Homes?
The Trump administration scaled back an Obama-era policy of levying heavy fines against nursing homes that harm patients.
Hoax-Slayer→ Dangerous Hoax – ‘A Needle Can Save The Life of a Stroke Victim’
Circulating health "tip" claims that pricking the fingers and earlobes of a stroke victim with a needle to release blood can save the victim's life and lead to a full and rapid recovery. The post Dangerous Hoax – ‘A Needle Can Save The Li
Snopes→ Woman Almost Loses Leg After Cutting Herself Shaving?
Viral reports of a woman’s harrowing experience with a life-threatening skin infection are mostly true, but omitted some important details.
Snopes→ Do Vegetarians Live Longer Than Meat Eaters?
While some studies have found that vegetarians have longer lifespans, the question is difficult to research and certainty on the issue remains elusive.
Snopes→ Are ‘Hatchimal’ Bath Bombs Giving Children Chemical Burns?
A viral Facebook warning alleges a risk of chemical burn from a popular “Hatchimal” bath bomb product.
Snopes→ Can Marijuana Use Lead to Simultaneous Screaming and Vomiting?
A story employed the colorful portmanteau term "scromiting" to describe an illness potentially related to marijuana usage.
Snopes→ Does Turmeric Prevent Dementia?
Myriad studies have suggested that turmeric can treat or prevent dementia, but evidence of its efficacy is problematic.
Snopes→ Does the 2017 Republican Tax Bill Cut Cancer Treatments for Medicare Patients?
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act does not mention the health care program, but critics say cancer patients would be hit hard if the bill passes.
Truth or Fiction?→ Canada Euthanasia Law Allows Parents to Kill Sick Children-Fiction!
Canada Legalizes Euthanasia, Allowing Parents to Kill Sick Children-Mostly Fiction! Summary of eRumor: Under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s liberal leadership, Canada passed a law legalizing euthanasia for children with disabilities. The Truth:
Snopes→ Is There a ‘New Outbreak’ of HPV That ‘Kills Faster than Aids’?
A fabricated health scare that originated in Africa got a new lease on life in November 2017.
Snopes→ Did Shane Patrick Boyle Die After Fundraising to Pay for Insulin?
Reports concerning a man who passed away shortly after starting a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for insulin were met with some skepticism online.
Snopes→ Did Canada Legalize Euthanasia So Parents Can Kill Children With Disabilities?
Misleading articles citing an opinion piece falsely claim that Canada has given a "green light" for parents to "kill disabled children".
Truth or Fiction?→ FDA Confirms DTaP Vaccine Causes Autism in November 2017-Fiction!
FDA Confirms DTaP Vaccine Causes Autism in November 2017-Fiction! Summary of eRumor: The FDA published “conclusive proof” that the DTaP vaccine causes autism in November 2017. The Truth: The FDA hasn’t confirmed a link between DTaP va
Truth or Fiction?→ 81% of Dollar Store Products Contain Chemicals Linked to Learning Disabilities-Misleading!
81% of Dollar Store Products Contain Chemicals Linked to Learning Disabilities-Misleading! Summary of eRumor: A study has found that 81 percent of dollar store products contain unsafe levels of chemicals linked to learning disabilities. The Truth: Misl
Snopes→ Did a Colorado Infant Become the ‘First Pot Overdose Death’?
“We are absolutely not saying that marijuana killed that child,” the co-author of a recently misread case study told a reporter.
Snopes→ Edward Mordrake, the Man with Two Faces
Was a nineteenth-century Englishman named Edward Mordake (or Mordrake) born with a malevolent "second face" on the back of his head?
Snopes→ Police Chief Warns of Fentanyl Overdose Risk from Residue on Shopping Carts?
The likelihood of such a scenario is scientifically dubious and we can find no evidence that law enforcement agencies have ever issued such a warning.