Did an emergency room doctor find that cat owners have a reduced chance of contracting COVID-19? No, that's not true: Dr. Sabina Olex-Condor, a doctor from Poland who lives in Spain, has a hypothesis this may be the case based on a small sampl
Search Results (3568) for: medical
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: NO Evidence ‘Panda Eyes’ Bruising Is A Pedophile Phenomenon or Slang Term
Is the term "panda eyes" a pedophile slang term for swollen, bruised eyes caused by sodomy? No, that's not true. There is no medical evidence sodomy causes these types of injuries in children and an image of a child often used in social m
Full Fact→ This letter claiming to be from a doctor in Surrey is full of errors
A letter shared widely on social media, claiming to be from a doctor based at a Surrey hospital, makes numerous claims about the Covid-19 pandemic, including that doctors are not wearing masks, hospitals are empty, and that there is “no pandemic&
Health Feedback→ Primary COVID-19 transmission is by close contact with infected people; nasopharyngeal swab-based testing provides the highest diagnostic accuracy
REVIEW Facebook posts published in July 2020, such as this meme, questioned the need for nasopharyngeal sample collection in which “they have to stick a Q-tip through your nose to the back of your head to swab a sample of COVID” when it would be
Health Feedback→ A proportion of COVID-19 survivors are likely to suffer from long-term health problems, but the actual risks are still unknown
REVIEW A July 2020 post on Quora, which is a question-and-answer website, went viral on Facebook after users began sharing screenshots or copies of the original post (see an example here). The post’s author, Franklin Veaux, attempts to answer the
AFP Fact Check→ False list of ‘home treatments’ for COVID-19 circulates online
A list of purported treatments for COVID-19 at its “different stages” has been shared hundreds of times in multiple Facebook posts. The posts recommend that people with breathing problems should use an oxygen cylinder and monitor their oxygen lev
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: A Florida Motorcycle Death Is NOT Undermining The Accuracy Of State’s Coronavirus Death Numbers
Is an Orlando television station's report -- that a motorcycle fatality got counted as a COVID death -- correct? No, it's not: Orange County, Florida's data correctly lists the motorcyclist, who had tested positive for COVID-19, in the tally f
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Preprint Study Did NOT Find Kimchi Helped Lower South Korea’s COVID-19 Fatalities, Only Looked At Europe
Did a study find a diet heavy with kimchi -- spicy fermented cabbage and other vegetables -- helped lower South Korea's COVID-19 fatalities? No, that's not true. A claim that has gone viral asserts that a study proved a connection between kimc
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Video Claiming ‘Multiple Scientific Studies’ Show Masks Don’t Work Uses Old Data, Ignores Current Science On COVID-19
Does current science say that face masks don't work to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus that leads to COVID-19? No, this is not true. First, a video making the claim that masks -- from N95 to cloth ones -- don't work relies on dated
FactCheck.org→ FactChecking Trump’s ‘Fox News Sunday’ Interview
President Donald Trump’s extraordinary interview with “Fox News Sunday” host Chris Wallace, who frequently fact-checked the president in real time, contained a long list of false, misleading and unsubstantiated claims: The president claimed othe
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: ‘OSHA Certified’ Troll’s Analysis Does NOT Burst Face Mask Wearer’s ‘Google Doctor Degree’ — Face Masks Do Help Slow COVID-19 Spread
Is an "OSHA certified" Facebook poster whose job is listed as "Trollin' the Masses" correct in claiming that N95, surgical, and cloth masks don't slow the spread of COVID-19 and they may make you sick? No, that's not true: OSHA (the federal go
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘State of Illinois Definition of a COVID-19 Death’
In July 2020, social media users continued spinning a remark by a top health official in Illinois to claim that death tolls attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic have been inflated around the United States — and to attempt to sow doubt around the
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: ‘Black Kid’ Suspect In Assault On Elderly White Couple Was NOT Arrested ‘Yesterday’ — Crime Was Eight Years Ago, Suspect Is Doing Life in Prison
Was a "black kid named Tyrone Woodfork" arrested "yesterday" for severely beating an elderly Tulsa, Oklahoma, white couple, raping and killing the wife and leaving the husband for dead -- and is the national media ignoring the crime? No, that'
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: 33 Florida Labs Were NOT ‘Just Busted Cooking The Books’ On Coronavirus Testing
Did 33 Florida labs just get busted for "cooking the books" on coronavirus testing, and is the media silent on the story? No, that's not true: There have been some mistakes with how results are reported in Florida, but there is no evidence to
Full Fact→ Mask graphic contains a number of inaccuracies
A graphic on Facebook has made a number of claims about how Covid-19 spreads. It says: “You can not catch Covid-19 from person to person. You can not catch Covid-19 from touching surfaces. Viruses are dead material expelled from healing cells. E
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: The CDC DOES Recommend Buying And Using Face Masks, Even If You Are Healthy
Did Delaware Health and Social Services produce an infographic flyer that stated, "If you are healthy, the CDC does not recommend buying or using face masks"? Yes, this is a real flyer, but it is outdated advice that was revised after COVID-19
Health Feedback→ Infant deaths did not decrease during the pandemic due to a reduced use of vaccines; vaccines are not associated with sudden infant death syndrome
REVIEW An article published by Health Choice which suggests a link between infant deaths and vaccination has been republished by outlets known for opposing vaccines, such as Children’s Health Defense. The original article has received more than 14
Health Feedback→ Infant deaths did not decrease during the pandemic due to a reduced use of vaccines; vaccines are not associated with sudden infant death syndrome
REVIEW An article published by Health Choice which suggests a link between infant deaths and vaccination has been republished by outlets known for opposing vaccines, such as Children’s Health Defense. The original article has received more than 14
AFP Fact Check→ Misinformation recirculates online in Thailand about ‘cure’ for kidney stones
Multiple posts shared hundreds of times on Facebook and YouTube claim that drinking coconut water diluted with potassium aluminium sulphate, a chemical compound commonly used in water purification, can "dissolve kidney stones". The claim is misleading;
Full Fact→ Independent SAGE’s estimated death rate is too high
"What we are saying is 27,000 excess deaths are likely between now and next April if the expectation by the Chief Medical Officer [is] that he would be surprised and delighted if the UK is in the same place next spring." Sir David King, 5 July 2020 S
Truth or Fiction?→ Academic’s Work Covering COVID-19 Mistakenly Marked as ‘Spam’ by Facebook
An infectious disease professor covering the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic around the state of Georgia briefly found that her readers were unable to share her work on Facebook after being designated by “spam” on the platform. “It w
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Victoria’s Secret Is NOT Putting Tracking Devices Into Its Bras
Is Victoria's Secret putting tracking devices into its bras? No, that's not true. A claim has gone viral that the lingerie company uses tags in bras and panties to track customers but the images shown are of RFID (radio frequency identificatio
FactCheck.org→ Trump’s Misleading Comments on Biden and the Coronavirus
In July 14 remarks in the White House Rose Garden, President Donald Trump made a series of false, misleading and unsupported statements about the novel coronavirus and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s position on it. Trump
Health Feedback→ Nasopharyngeal swabs more effective than saliva samples for COVID-19 diagnostic testing according to current evidence
REVIEW This 8 July 2020 Facebook post suggests that at-home testing for COVID-19 using mouth swabs, such as those used to collect DNA samples, could be just as effective as the nasopharyngeal swab method. Earlier versions of the claim questioned the
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Barack Obama Take Hydroxychloroquine in 2008?
A right-wing radio host and Fox News personality attempted to gin up more conspiracy theories about former United States President Barack Obama by misrepresenting what he claimed was a prescription given to Obama. Mark Levin posted a photograph on Twi
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Dr. Kelly Victory’s ‘COVID Facts’ Video Includes Many Claims That Are NOT Facts
Does a video by Dr. Kelly Victory that promises to discuss "COVID facts" deliver all factual claims? No, that's not true: Lead Stories identified at least 10 "facts" that are false, including claims that children are at "virtually no risk" fro
Truth or Fiction?→ The #FreeBritney Movement, Explained
In July 10 2020, a Facebook post appeared about the #FreeBritney movement (evidently aimed at liberating Britney Spears), becoming hugely popular within just a few days: The Text of the Post The post — which was lengthy and full of de
Health Feedback→ People have died from the coronavirus, contrary to article claiming to report pathologist’s “revelations” on COVID-19
Originally published by OffGuardian, this article makes numerous claims about the COVID-19 pandemic that have been republished in other outlets such as GlobalResearch.ca and Australian National Review, both of which have been described as conspiracy we
Truth or Fiction?→ Is a Texas Doctor Curing COVID-19 Patients For $50?
A Texas doctor’s claim that he has cured more than 75 patients for COVID-19 for no more than $50 spread widely around Facebook and YouTube before apparently being removed from both platforms. Dr. Brian Procter first drew attention through a phot
Health Feedback→ Nasal swab used for COVID-19 testing does not reach the brain
REVIEW A Facebook post shared more than 16,000 times claims that the nasopharyngeal swab (nasal swab), which is widely used to collect biological samples for testing for active SARS-CoV-2 infection (the virus responsible for COVID-19), scrapes and d
FactCheck.org→ Navarro Doesn’t Give Full Picture On Hydroxychloroquine
White House trade adviser Peter Navarro has promoted the “astonishing” results of an observational study that found hydroxychloroquine was associated with lower mortality for patients hospitalized for COVID-19. But the study has limitations, and mu
FactCheck.org→ Meme Misconstrues Efficacy of Face Masks in Spread of COVID-19
Quick Take A meme suggesting that face masks are useless against COVID-19 has been circulating online. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends wearing a face covering in public since the virus is transmitted mostly through droplet
Truth or Fiction?→ Why Is the Coronavirus Test So Invasive? Would a Cheek Swab Work?
On July 7 2020, Facebook user David D Smith shared the following post, questioning why coronavirus testing was so invasive, particularly when compared to DNA test cheek swabs: Smith included a shiver-inducing image but no citations, writing:
Poynter→ How journalists can respond to shifting scientific consensus
Factually is a newsletter about fact-checking and accountability journalism, from Poynter’s International Fact-Checking Network & the American Press Institute’s Accountability Project. Sign up here Fact-checking a moving target Over the weekend
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Doctor’s Claim That ‘No One Has Died From The Coronavirus’ In Europe Is NOT True
Is it true that nobody has actually died from COVID-19 across Europe, and that officials there have identified no antibodies specific to the disease? Also, is it true that there is no pandemic, but merely an "infection"? No, none of this is tr
Health Feedback→ The June 2020 spike in U.S. COVID-19 cases indicates a rising percentage of infections and is not simply an artifact of more testing
REVIEW Dozens of Facebook posts circulated on social media in late June and early July 2020 claiming that the spike in the number of reported COVID-19 cases in the U.S. during the second half of June 2020 was due to increased testing, and not to an
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Carsyn Davis Die After Attending a ‘COVID Party’?
In early July 2020, news of the death of Florida teenager Carsyn Leigh Davis began spreading on social media — alongside rumors the girl, who was purportedly medically fragile, was intentionally exposed to SARS-CoV-2 by her mother: A parent se
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Fauci NOT Married To Ghislaine’s Sister, NOT Getting Rich Off Covid-19 Vaccine
Is Dr. Anthony Fauci married to the sister of accused child sex abuser Ghislaine Maxwell? And is the U.S. government's top infectious disease specialist insisting that Americans wait for a vaccine before reopening because he will make millions
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Dr. Rashid Buttar Video Does NOT Prove ‘Everyone Could Test Positive’ for Coronavirus And ‘Hardly Anybody’ Has Died From COVID-19
Is it true that "everyone could test positive" for the novel coronavirus that has ravaged the United States and world? And is it true that hardly anyone has died of the disease COVID-19 caused by the virus? No, neither is true. If you just loo
Full Fact→ Coronavirus cures: debunked
Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, readers have been asking us whether alleged cures or treatments for the coronavirus are real or not. It’s important to note that, currently, there is no approved vaccine for Covid-19. In the UK only