bigbio/pubhealth · Datasets at Hugging Face

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1503	5050	Controversy stalks Nobel Peace, Literature prizes.	Controversy stalks the Nobel prizes for peace and literature in a way it rarely does for science.	true
1504	23951	On the National Animal Identification System.	"""Staples voted for allowing agency to require livestock owners to """"tag"""" their animals, but later said he opposes ID mandate"""	mixture
1505	26591	“Donald Trump would receive $17 million for three hotels closed for four days under Republican bill! How in the hell is this right?!”	The Senate-approved bill prohibits Trump family hotels from getting coronavirus aid from a $500 billion fund that would be set up to help businesses that incurred losses from the coronavirus. It’s possible that Trump businesses could be eligible for other types of assistance under the bill’s provisions.	false
1506	7341	Brazil’s health minister resigns after one month on the job.	Brazil’s health minister resigned Friday after less than a month on the job in a sign of continuing upheaval over how the nation should battle the coronavirus pandemic, quitting a day after President Jair Bolsonaro stepped up pressure on him to expand use of the antimalarial drug chloroquine in treating patients.	true
1507	13455	The gun epidemic is the leading cause of death of young African-American men, more than the next nine causes put together.	"""Clinton said, """"The gun epidemic is the leading cause of death of young African-American men, more than the next nine causes put together."""" As long as you define """"young"""" as being between the ages of 15 and 24, Clinton’s statement is accurate, according to CDC data."""	true
1508	2490	Britain plans world's first go-ahead for '3-parent' IVF babies.	Britain is planning to become the first country in the world to offer controversial “three-parent” fertility treatments to families who want to avoid passing on incurable diseases to their children.	true
1509	9301	Drugs that activate brain stem cells may reverse multiple sclerosis	Our review team had a lively debate as to the extent to which this National Institutes of Health news release exaggerates the findings of the study it reports on. We agreed that the release waits far too long to warn readers that this exciting study of potential multiple sclerosis drugs was conducted in petri dishes and mice. One has to read through more than half of the release before that crucial caveat is introduced. But we had mixed opinions about the headline, “Drugs that activate brain stem cells may reverse multiple sclerosis.” Some of us felt this was misleading because readers would assume the release is talking about human disease, and there’s nothing in the release or the underlying study to support a “reversal” of disease in humans. The opposing view is that the headline accurately reflects what happened in the study in mice and is therefore not an exaggeration. According to this view, the release is deficient mainly because it failed to qualify that the findings were from mice in a timely manner (ideally the first paragraph), but not because of the headline. We welcome reader perspectives on this debate in the comments. The lackluster performance of the pharmaceutical industry in developing new treatments has led to coordinated efforts to repurpose existing drugs for new uses. The research highlighted in this NIH news release is important because it represents one of the earliest examples for this new form of drug development. Multiple sclerosis can be a devastating disease causing significant dysfunction and early death in some patients. Treatments at the moment consist of drugs that target the immune system. While effective, they come with a host of side effects and are very costly. The approach highlighted here provides a potentially new avenue of attack: promoting myelin repair. With that said, this is very early in the game and the drugs — clobetasol and miconazole — have only been shown to work in the test tube and in a mouse model. As we have said on many occasions, success in the mouse model is just that: success in the mouse model.	true
1510	29003	A can of wasp spray is a preferable alternative to pepper spray for protection against assailants.	Is a can of wasp spray a preferable alternative to pepper spray for protection against assailants?	mixture
1511	11018	Study: Cancer drug may endanger heart	The introduction of Gleevec represented a major advance in the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). This story reports on a study printed in Nature Medicine describing 10 patients who developed heart failure while taking the drug. The authors of the study suggest that this drug needs to be thoroughly evaluated to quantify the magnitude of the heart risk. This does not adequately describe the nature of the existing evidence, which is very preliminary. Although the story focuses on the heart risks associated with Gleevec, it does not adequately describe the harms of treatment. What other side effects are there? How common are they? How common is heart damage? Although the main focus of the story is on new reports of toxicity from Gleevec, the story still allowed some promotional claims to enter into the story. (e.g., “Gleevec is a wonderful drug and patients with these diseases need to be on it. It’s a lifesaving drug for sure” and “Novartis said Force’s work does not change ‘the positive benefit/risk ratio of Glivec for thousands of patients being treated for cancer and other life-threatening diseases.’ “) Yet there are no data given to back up these claims of benefit. The story also does not mention alternative treatments. The story should have explain why Gleevec is consider to be better and provide some perspective as to whether it still would if indeed heart failure is found to be a significant side effect. The story never mentions the cost of Gleevec, which is very expensive. These new reports on side effects may decrease the cost-effectiveness of the drug. Cost should not have been left out of the story. Furthermore, the story only quotes the author of the study and a statement from Novartis. The story should have quoted other, independent researchers or clinicians who could have provided additional perspectives.	false
1512	41742	Remember after the shooting in Las Vegas, he [Trump] said, yeah, yeah we’re gonna ban the bump stocks. Did he ban the bump stocks? No.	Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand claimed President Donald Trump failed to keep his promise after a mass shooting in Las Vegas to ban bump stocks. In fact, Trump has enacted a bump stock ban, which went into effect in March.	mixture
1513	22223	For every 33 pregnant women that walk into a Planned Parenthood clinic, 32 receive an abortion.	Rep. Jean Schmidt says 32 of every 33 pregnant women who visit Planned Parenthood get abortions	false
1514	39290	There are various rumors surrounding the events of the bombing at the April 15, 2013 Marathon in Boston, MA. At least three people have been killed and 140 people have been injured as a result of two bombs that exploded near the finish line.	Various Rumors about the Terrorist Attack at the 2013 Boston Marathon	false
1515	37852	A photograph appears to show small schoolchildren playing alone in marked-off chalk squares drawn on playground asphalt.	‘Striking’ Photograph of Children Playing in ‘Chalk Squares’ During Coronavirus Pandemic	true
1516	376	U.S. ambassador says don't let farming 'smears' stop post-Brexit trade deal.	Britain should not follow the European Union’s “Museum of Agriculture” and let false concerns over U.S. farming practices get in the way of a post-Brexit trade deal, the U.S. ambassador to London said on Saturday.	true
1517	5731	Couple asks state for quick decision about vaccination data.	A Connecticut couple seeking to stop the public release of additional information about schools’ immunization rates is asking the Department of Public Health to expedite its decision.	true
1518	36249	"""North Carolina has banned """"sharia law."""	Did North Carolina Ban Sharia Law Statewide?	mixture
1519	32257	The discovery of a vaccine for the autoimmune disease diabetes has been announced.	Type 2 diabetes is often referred to as “adult onset” and, depending on the severity, can in some cases be controlled with diet and lifestyle changes. It results from cells becoming resistant to the effects of insulin and is often linked to obesity.	false
1520	28929	A Virginia lawmaker proposed a bill that mandates on-site physical examinations of children's genitals to determine which gendered bathroom they're authorized to use.	"""What's true: Virginia lawmaker Mark Cole proposed controversial bill HB663, which in part requires the use of bathrooms be based on """"anatomical sex"""" in public schools. What's false: Cole's proposal explicitly stated that schoolchildren would be subject to """"genital checks"""" before being allowed to use restrooms."""	mixture
1521	34317	GlaxoSmithKline is recalling 600,000 Ventolin inhalers.	On 21 February 2018, the company announced a separate recall of certain lots of the Ventolin Accuhaler in the U.K. Once again, the cause was a manufacturing problem which led to “a small number of units not delivering the full number of doses,” according to the U.K. government’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Agency.	unproven
1522	10135	Acupuncture May Help Restore Lost Sense of Smell	How journalism has changed – when a journalist gets a byline and a paycheck for a meager rewrite of a news release. In the daily drumbeat of news like this – a study of 15 people – we drown the audience with a firehose of incomplete information. And HealthDay’s client, BusinessWeek, picked up the story as is and republished it. It’s just shovelware.	false
1523	22138	"""Benzene has """"never been proven to be harmful."""	State Rep. Rick Hardcastle says benzene has never been proven to be harmful	false
1524	6554	Measles cases confirmed in Vancouver and Portland.	Authorities in Vancouver, Washington, have confirmed a case of measles in a child while the Oregon Health Authority has confirmed a separate measles case in Portland, Oregon.	true
1525	26554	“We were slow with the testing, but very quick with the travel ban. And that's been much more critical in saving lives.”	When the Trump administration had imposed restrictions on people traveling from China or Europe to the United States, the virus had already reached communities across the country. Travel restrictions can buy a government some time in stopping viral spread. But with that time, research shows, authorities need to put a dent in local transmission – by testing robustly, and then quarantining people who are positive. The American travel restrictions may also have created a false sense of security, experts said, when more essential precautions weren’t taking place.	false
1526	26606	JB Pritzker Says it was “unquestionably” not within his “legal authority” to postpone Illinois’ primary election by changing the date or shifting to vote-by-mail.	It’s difficult to know for sure that Pritzker could not have done anything to delay the March 17 election. But experts told us the governor spoke correctly in describing the limits of his powers under existing law.	true
1527	7430	Charges dropped against Florida pastor over stay-home order.	Misdemeanor charges were dropped Friday against a Florida pastor accused of violating stay-at-home orders by holding Sunday services with hundreds of people in March amid the coronavirus pandemic.	true
1528	10572	New inhaler protects lungs against effects of air pollution	This is a romp through a field of unsubstantiated claims on the benefits and promise of a new device that purports to protect the body from air pollution-induced illnesses. The hyperbole begins with the title and continues through the story. The story hints at evidence but provides no substantiation of the claims made by the sources in the story. The clinical and financial impact of air pollution is an important public health issue that deserves coverage. While attempts to reduce the production of pollutants has been somewhat successful, other strategies are newsworthy, including the potential for a low cost and non-toxic preventive. Although the research to date has been “promising” it is a long way from promise to fruition. Resorting to excessive claims of benefits leads readers astray and compromises the integrity of the research effort.	mixture
1529	36089	"""Excess consumption of coffee during periods of high stress can cause people to experience """"schizophrenic-like symptoms."""	Can Consuming Too Much Coffee Under Stress Cause Schizophrenia Symptoms?	mixture
1530	34715	Part of the process of determining that a Pope has died and is not merely sleeping calls for him to be tapped on the forehead with a silver hammer.	Legend holds that part of the process of determining that a pope has died is to call for him to be tapped on the forehead with a silver hammer.	unproven
1531	35087	"""The COVID-19 coronavirus disease is """"spreading quickly from gas pumps."""	What's true: Gas pump handles are a potential source of surface contact transmission of the COVID-19 coronavirus. What's false: Gas pumps are only one of many commonly-handled objects that could transmit the COVID-19 coronavirus, and we have found no substantiated reports of anyone's having been infected in that fashion yet.	mixture
1532	29348	There is a proven natural cure for cancer called sour honey, but pharmaceutical companies and politicians are trying to keep it under wraps for financial gain.	To the latter point, the entire concept of the “Clinton Cartel” and a “sour honey” subversion conspiracy is rooted in a company with a history of promoting extremely dubious claims using politically motivated narratives. As such, we rate this claim, allowing only that there has been some legitimate research into bee propolis as a cancer therapy.	false
1533	26685	Viral image Says if you donate blood, “they HAVE to test you” for coronavirus.	Blood donors don’t get a coronavirus test if they donate blood. The American Red Cross is asking for donations in anticipation of a blood shortage caused by the coronavirus.	false
1534	4673	Michigan halts sale of marijuana e-cigs unless re-tested.	Michigan on Friday halted the sale of marijuana vaping products until they are tested for a compound that has been identified as a culprit in e-cigarette-related lung illnesses.	true
1535	28413	"""An animator for the """"My Little Pony"""" cartoon series was arrested for child pornography, proving that the PedoGate conspiracy is real."""	"""What's true: Animator Tom Wysom, who worked on children's productions including 'My Little Pony,' was sentenced to 28 months in prison for possession of child pornography. What's false: #PedoGate is part of a far-ranging but bogus conspiracy theory about a large ring of """"elite"""" child predators."""	mixture
1536	15890	Georgia lawmaker pushes bill banning creation of ‘glow in the dark’ human-jellyfish hybrids.	Human-jellyfish headline misleading, but spawned by real bill	mixture
1537	308	Will Europe's clampdown on faulty medical devices hurt patients?.	When a Californian company founded by a U.S. veteran wounded in Afghanistan sought to register a new medical device this year, it turned to Europe before the United States. The European approvals system had long been quicker, the company said, but the introduction of new rules is changing all that.	true
1538	30394	"""Sen. John McCain was referred to as """"Songbird John"""" following his imprisonment during the Vietnam War."""	The remark harkened back to the long-running series of clashes between McCain and President Donald Trump. In July 2015, then-candidate Donald Trump said of the lawmaker, “He’s not a war hero. He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured.”	false
1539	8987	Blood test predicts spastic cerebral palsy	This release focuses on a small study (22 children with spastic cerebral palsy and 21 controls) that examined whether a new method for sequencing blood samples might be a way of identifying people with cerebral palsy (CP) earlier than the methods used now. The work centers on the early findings of differences in methylation sequences in the DNA that might point out patients with the disease. The proposed method of genetic testing is still comparatively expensive and the release makes no mention of costs. The release gives very little numerical data on the outcomes of the research and neglects to address the harm that might arise from false negatives and false positives, even though the release points out the diagnostic accuracy was only 73% in a pilot study involving younger children. This means at least one in four results were wrong. The release applies the term “breakthrough” in its headline, when it clearly is no such thing, and states unequivocally in the lead that the test works, although it is far too early to make such claims. Cerebral palsy is a devastating condition both for patients and their families. Patients are currently diagnosed as toddlers when they begin developing motor problems. There is currently no diagnostic test that can identify patients at earlier ages. The annual health care costs for a patient with CP, according to the release, is “10 to 26 times higher than for those without CP,” making this a costly public health problem. If a blood test were available to identify patients soon after birth, it may allow for earlier intervention and ultimately, better outcomes. But the work explained by the release is much too preliminary to lay claim to that solution. Although earlier detection of CP would almost certainly drive more interventions/consultations, it is less clear that these interventions would actually lead to better outcomes. If the findings are so subtle that they are not evident on exam or by developmental milestones in early life, then it is not clear that an intervention (aggressive PT or early surgery, as suggested in the “pull out quote” in the news release) would be beneficial. Therefore, it is possible that “early detection” would simply increase costs, and possibly, parental anxiety, in the long run.	false
1540	9687	Sleeping in on weekends may help reduce diabetes risk	This article describes results of a very small observational study suggesting some tantalizing links between sleep and diabetes risk. But it’s probably fair to say that this article, although it pretty accurately reflects the proffered data and does a solid job of pointing out study limitations, may have served readers better by not being written. The notion that sleep deprivation is linked epidemiologically to temporary insulin resistance has been reported in animal and human observational studies for more than a decade. The confounding factors — obesity, overeating, sleep apnea — are well known. The scope of the study was acknowledged to be extremely limited and perhaps unmoored from what “might happen in reality,” and it appears that at best, the observational letter to the editor on which the article is based adds only two possible and very preliminary new pieces of information to what is known: it did control for calorie intake, but only over a very few weeks of observation; and there is a slim bit of evidence that “catch up” sleep after four nights of sleep deprivation may improve insulin sensitivity by 23 percent. In sum, although the article states correctly that the study “doesn’t prove that catching up on sleep will prevent diabetes” or that sleep deprivation actually does increase diabetes risk, it doesn’t add much beyond that of a decade of similar investigations. Type 2 diabetes is indeed reaching epidemic proportions in the U.S., along with its major risk factors, obesity and metabolic syndrome. Readers of health news stories will in large numbers therefore be looking for anything that will help them prevent or reduce their risk of the disorder, particularly anything that doesn’t sound too hard to do, like getting more sleep. They may grasp at mattresses if not straws, however, even though the article goes to some lengths to lower expectations for individual risk. There is nothing in this story that should lead anyone to conclude that getting more sleep on a weekend will help them avoid diabetes risk factors, and the data for 19 healthy young men offer nothing to say about older, obese patients, women, or interactions with other important factors, including exercise, stress, and gender.	true
1541	4623	Sweden: No Ebola virus detected in hospital patient.	Swedish health officials say a suspected Ebola case reported by a hospital has turned out to be a false alarm with tests carried out on the unidentified patient showing no signs of the deadly virus.	true
1542	37368	A forwarded email turned into a social media meme uses statistics to show the effects of undocumented immigration.	List of ‘Facts and Figures’ About Undocumented Immigrants?	false
1543	10893	Adding To Aspirin’s Reputation	"""This is a 230-word story done by the Los Angeles Times but picked up by the Hartford Courant. It is described as a """"capsule."""" There are often inherent problems with such brief stories, as we discuss elsewhere on this site. The story describes a study in which aspirin use was associated with a lower risk of developing adult asthma. The story failed to explicitly describe the limitations of such observational studies. The data provided obscure the fact that the absolute difference is really quite small (1.0% vs. 1.3% of aspirin and non-aspirin participants developed asthma–figures which were not provided but are calculable). See our primer on absolute vs. relative data. The story also failed to describe potential harms of treatment. And it only provides information from the lead author and does not obtain independent input."""	mixture
1544	8936	Tiny implantable device short-circuits hunger pangs, aids weight loss	UW-Madison graduate student Guang Yao (left) and Xudong Wang (right) hold a small implantable device for weight loss This release about an experimental implanted device to promote weight loss tells readers that it has been tested only in rats (though not until the third paragraph), but then it goes on to proclaim that the new device has “several advantages” over an existing FDA-approved device that also works by stimulating the vagus nerve to alter hunger perception, despite the fact that these comparative claims have not been tested. The release implies that the device could help all people who have obesity, without noting that the existing device is restricted to a subset of people. The release makes claims of benefits that have yet to be tested and does not mention harms that similar devices cause. The study was published in Nature Communications. The history of medical research is littered with “successful” animal experiments that failed to produce useful human treatments. While animal experiments that support a novel concept may be of general interest, this experimental device appears to be a refinement of an existing type of device. In this case then, the story is not the underlying concept, but whether this new device is better or worse than the existing one. Until the two are compared directly, no one can say (and news releases should not claim) that they expect a device tested only in some rats will prove to be superior to an approved device or other alternatives. Let’s wait for the evidence.	false
1545	34632	Nike didn't sign Steph Curry because the NBA star insisted on putting a Bible verse on his sneakers.	Neither Curry nor Nike stated or implied that the endorsement deal fell through because of Curry’s religious beliefs, nor did Curry claim that Nike would not let him put Bible verses on his shoes. We could find no articles that stated religion was a motivating factor for Curry’s deal with either Nike or Under Armour; these rumors appear to have sprung wholly from one person’s Facebook page.	unproven
1546	41834	"""After 44 years, we just got it passed ... veteran's choice. ... I said, I have the greatest idea. We're going to do this."""" """	In his midterm campaign rallies, President Donald Trump has repeatedly made the preposterous claim that he came up with “the greatest idea” for “veterans choice” — a program that was launched in 2014 during the Obama administration. He also claimed it took “44 years” to get the legislation passed.	false
1547	3895	Tennessee officer fired after working 2nd job while on duty.	A Tennessee police officer has been fired after an internal investigation found he was working a second job as a psychiatric social worker while on duty.	true
1548	26400	“Ultraviolet Radiation is administered into the body as a disinfectant to kill bacteria and viruses and this has been used for a while now.”	Health experts say there is no evidence that injecting ultraviolet light into the body would kill viruses like the novel coronavirus. There is no scientific evidence to support alternative health treatments like ultraviolet blood irradiation.	false
1549	38055	The deadly Klebsiella plague from China is coming to the United States, and citizens have been warned to take action.	Deadly Klebsiella Plague from China Poses Public Health Threat to U.S.	false
1550	4287	Malawi fights tsetse flies, disease after wildlife relocated.	The relocation of hundreds of elephants to Malawi’s largest wildlife reserve was meant to be a sign of hope and renewal in this southern African nation. Then nearby residents began falling ill.	true
1551	26889	"""Scientists """"are shocked to discover that weed kills corona virus”"""	Marijuana not shown to treat 2019 novel coronavirus	false
1552	5978	Elevated opioid risks found at Native American hospitals.	U.S. government hospitals put Native American patients at increased risk for opioid abuse and overdoses, failing to follow their own protocols for prescribing and dispensing the drugs, according to a federal audit made public Monday.	true
1553	35123	"""COVID-19"""" is named so because it is the 19th """"Chinese-Originated Viral Infectious Disease."""	There are different processes and purposes for naming diseases.	false
1554	36896	A report that the assassination of a top Democratic Party official named Seth Rich while he was on his way to testify about Hillary Clinton has led to the FBI capturing a so-called Clinton “Hit Team.”	Assassination of Top Democratic Official Leads to Capture of Clinton Hit Team	false
1555	18367	Buono voted 154 times to raise our taxes -- like the sales tax, the income tax, health care taxes, even small business taxes.	"""A Christie for Governor TV ad claims, """"Buono voted 154 times to raise our taxes -- like the sales tax, the income tax, health care taxes, even small business taxes."""" Although a narrator only mentions tax increases, scrolling text in the ad also mentions fee increases. And in this case, the ad is accurate: Buono did vote on 154 bills that would increase fees and taxes on things ranging from the purchase of new vehicle tires to those New Jerseyans earning six-figure incomes exceeding $400,000."""	true
1556	29793	Canada was placed under a nationwide boil-water notice in the spring of 2019.	As such, the article’s core claim is false and appears to be no more than a cynical effort to manipulate the public’s concern about water safety in order to gain shares on social media. Genuine drinking-water advisories are periodically put in place across Canada, just as they are in many other countries, but concerned residents should consult official government sources for information about their local areas.	false
1557	19057	Jason Isaac Says that over the past 20 years, Texas public school spending rose 142 percent and per-pupil spending more than tripled when adjusted for inflation.	India’s health ministry has proposed a ban on the production and import of electronic cigarettes, documents seen by Reuters showed, potentially jeopardizing the expansion plans of big firms like Juul Labs and Philip Morris International.	false
1558	8530	Global coronavirus death toll hits 100,000, cases over 1.6 million.	The number of deaths linked to the novel coronavirus reached 100,000 on Friday, as the tally of cases passed 1.6 million, according to a Reuters tally.	true
1559	15128	Just about half of rural hospitals operate in the red in Virginia. They operate at a loss.	Mannix said about half of the rural hospitals in Virginia are operating at a loss. Figures from the group that tracks hospital finances back her claim and suggest, if anything, her estimate is on the low end.	true
1560	36512	Active duty Naval officer Jordan Lee Grinnell assaulted a black middle schooler.	Did a 38-Year-Old White Active Duty Naval Officer Assault a Black Middle School Student?	true
1561	10378	Medical Breakthrough: Amazing New Heart Valve Procedure	"""Open heart valve replacement is a major procedure, involving risks and a long recovery period. To be able to do a minimally invasive valve replacement would represent a major improvement for the patient but would need to be demonstrated as effective and safe as the open procedure. At Columbia, a clinical trial of minimally-invasive valve replacement is ongoing but results have not been released or published. As a result, many questions remain about the procedure. However, this story makes it sound as if this new procedure is a fait-accompli. Referring to it as """"groundbreaking"""" and """"the biggest thing since the heart transplant"""" imply that all patients who are candidates for this procedure should run out and get it. This story provides little in the way of real information to patients or family members who would be seriously considering valve replacement. It quotes no sources other than doctors at Columbia who have an interest in how this procedure is evaluated. The story also does little to provide information on the availability of the procedure, the evidence to support its use, the costs and potential harms. The story appropriately describes the procedure as novel, but otherwise, this rather lengthy story falls short on all other criteria."""	false
1562	3417	Growing algae bloom in Arabian Sea tied to climate change.	The Gulf of Oman turns green twice a year, when an algae bloom the size of Mexico spreads across the Arabian Sea all the way to India.	true
1563	10202	A Better Option? A trial of cancer drugs yields a surprise–and questions	This article story does an excellent job of reporting the initial results of the Study of Tamoxifen and Raloxifene Trial (STAR) for post-menopausal women at high risk of developing breast cancer. Tamoxifen is currently the only drug with FDA approval for both treatment and prevention of breast cancer in high-risk women. The story is optimistic about new hormone therapy options for the prevention for breast cancer, but appropriately cautious about the early results of the STAR trial and use of raloxifene for chemoprevention. There is discussion that hormone therapy for the prevention of breast cancer is only for post-menopausal women at higher risk of developing the disease, and a side note which discusses who might be in this category. There is also discussion that women who have a history of blood clots and heart disease were not included in this study, as the risk of hormone therapy might exacerbate these conditions and outweigh the preventative benefit of hormone therapy for breast cancer. The article adequately discusses the STAR trial design in which post-menopausal women at higher than average risk of developing breast cancer were randomly assigned to take tamoxifen or raloxifene (Evista) as chemoprevention for invasive breast cancer. However, the story fails to mention that only estrogen-receptor positive women should take this medication. Because of the initial positive results of the STAR trial, namely, there were fewer uterine cancers and blood clots in the raloxifene group, the trial was unblinded at 4 years. The story does not report that these results did not reach statistical significance, or that the study was unblinded early due to these statistically non-significant results. This information was not readily available on the NCI (National Cancer Institute) website or in reports of the study, balanced infomation on side effects for both tamoxifen and raloxifene are presented. The caveat provided here is important: results of this trial await further analysis and the data have yet to be published in a peer-reviewed medical journal. Clinical decisions about switching hormone medications should wait until these data are carefully reviewed. Cost comparison of the medications is provided, as well as a note that these drugs must be taken daily for 5 years. Tamoxifen has been studied for over 30 years and has been shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence in both a breast treated for cancer, as well as the other breast. Raloxifene is currently used to prevent osteoporosis, and while it appears to have similar benefits to tamoxifen in the prevention of invasive breast cancer, it has not been studied for as long as tamoxifen, and as this articles notes, it does not appear to prevent as many cases of non-invasive breast cancers (which are more common) as tamoxifen.	true
1564	27416	IKEA released a magazine ad which includes a pregnancy test.	We contacted Akestam Holst seeking further comment. A spokesperson for IKEA’s U.S. division confirmed the veracity of the advert, and told us that there are not plans for the advertisement to run in any other markets.	true
1565	10116	CVS Health Research Institute Study Shows that Home Infusion Care Improves Patient Outcomes and Quality of Life While Reducing Overall Costs	This news release describes the cost savings and safety of home infusion services from 13 previously published studies compared with infusion services at a clinic or hospital. Home infusion appears safe and clinically effective while saving money in the studies reviewed, but the release does not address limits in the review. We aren’t given any numbers to back up the claims that clinical outcomes were equal and that patients preferred the home setting. The release notes that CVS has a home infusion business–Coram–so at least they make this transparent. We applaud CVS for attempting to quantify the cost savings and other potential benefits of the service — and the claim that there are advantages are likely valid — but some context/background from other, independent studies would be helpful. Besides the lack of quantification, the release doesn’t delve into the potential risks from using the home infusion service. Treatments for chronic diseases, which often require drugs administered through infusion, are one of the fastest growing costs in the US health care system. If patients can be served at home, rather than in outpatient clinics or hospitals, it saves both money and time. But outcomes studies, which compare outcomes and safety between locations, are essential to judging whether home infusion is equal to clinic or hospital infusion. This release does not go far enough with numbers to quantify benefits and risks. We also see that CVS has a conflict of interest, because they have a business arm, Coram, that sells home infusion services. It appears this release (and study) are getting attention just as Congress is “discussing how to implement a comprehensive home infusion benefit for Medicare beneficiaries.”	true
1566	34695	An 8-year-old Yemeni girl was forced to marry a 40-year-old man and then died of vaginal injuries on their wedding night.	Two Meedi residents contacted by Reuters confirmed the incident and said tribal chiefs had tried to cover up the incident when the news broke, warning a local journalist against covering the story.	unproven
1567	6342	State finding better air during new tests at Howell factory.	State regulators say follow-up tests near a factory in Livingston County show low levels of a chemical linked to cancer.	true
1568	36627	Leeds Trinity University banned capital letters to avoid upsetting or frightening delicate students into failing classes.	Did Leeds Trinity University Ban Capital Letters to Avoid Frightening Students?	false
1569	38700	Some are questioning the old adage that eating carrots improves your vision.	Eating Carrots Improves Your Vision	mixture
1570	11182	Experimental diet pill shows promise, little risk	So, yes, it mentioned the drop out rate but then said it wasn’t unusual. But didn’t ever explain why so many dropped out. Yes, it said the drug hadn’t been priced yet, but we don’t find that sufficient (details given below). Yes, it had one external perspective, but that was someone who works for another diet drug company (a fact that at least the story notes). In cheerleading fashion, the story let unnamed experts predict FDA approval. Yet the story never evaluated the quality of the evidence sufficiently enough to let readers know whether a study like this could be trusted. This story matters because obesity is an incredibly common problem in the US, with major impacts on morbidity, mortality, quality of life, and costs. People, doctors, health plans, and drug companies all want treatment options that help people lose weight and keep it off safely. This story reports on several new drugs that are likely to gain market approval by the FDA, which would effectively double the number of drug treatment options currentlly available to patients and providers. The biggest problem with weight loss drugs in the past has been that the side effects seemed to greatly overshadow their impact on body weight, and all weight loss drugs deserve close scrutiny on their side effect profile. Given the high prevalence of obesity in our country (1/3 of all adults), close attention should be paid to the cost of any new interventions, which if applied broadly could dramatically impact national health care expenditures. There is so much hype right now about this coming wave of diet drugs, and reporters need to dial the company claims back a notch (at least) and examine how much better these drugs work than lifestyle changes or existing therapies.	mixture
1571	11059	Stem cell therapy for macular degeneration	It’s a tough thing for a reporter to write about a study that hasn’t been conducted yet. Without any actual data to work with, the temptation is talk too much about what the researchers hope they will find in the study; discussion of harms and other caveats often gets overwhelmed by this optimistic speculation. The story we review here didn’t succumb to the worst excesses that these kinds of reports are subject to, and it did some things very well. For example, when discussing the new treatment that’s set to be studied — an embryonic stem cell therapy for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) — it gave some interesting and detailed background on how AMD develops and how the new treatment might work. But in the end, we thought the discussion of hypothetical benefits was out of balance considering the very early stage of the research, and there was no mention of potential costs or harms. The story also didn’t explain carefully enough who might be a candidate for this treatment, should it eventually make it to market. There are no effective treatment options for the dry form of AMD, which is a leading cause of vision loss in older adults. The use of embryonic stem cells represents an exciting new approach to this disease, but given the early stage of development for such therapies, news coverage needs to pay appropriate respect to cautions and caveats about the research. Otherwise such stories may provide readers with false hope instead of information.	mixture
1572	36272	People are putting hair removal creams in conditioner, causing hair loss.	Is Someone Putting Nair in Hair Conditioner Bottles?	unproven
1573	13333	If you look worldwide, the number of terrorist incidents have not substantially increased.	"""Obama said, """"If you look worldwide, the number of terrorist incidents have not substantially increased."""" There is no universally accepted definition of a terrorist incident, so there is no universally accepted count. Based on State Department data, there’s been a 7 percent increase in terrorist attacks worldwide from 2009 to 2015. But the State Department’s criteria for what can be counted as a terrorist attack is stricter than that of other databases. According to START’s Global Terrorism Database, for instance, there was a 214 percent rise in terrorist attacks from 2009 to 2015, a substantial increase. Obama’s statement contains an element of truth but ignores critical facts that would give a different impression."""	false
1574	32135	Washington, D.C., has no 'J' Street because city designer Pierre L'Enfant bore a grudge against Chief Justice John Jay.	Old historical legends holds that architect Pierre L'Enfant omitted 'J' Street from his plans for Washington, D.C., because he disliked John Jay.	false
1575	3519	Know what to say when postpartum depression hits a loved one.	Gwyneth Paltrow, Chrissy Teigen, Adele: The charge to destigmatize postpartum depression has never before had so many high-profile sufferers willing to share their stories.	true
1576	27959	Teachers have gotten into trouble over using 'The L.A. Math Test,' a piece of online humor, in the classroom.	Teachers have been censured over using 'The L.A. Math Test,' a piece of online humor, in the classroom.	true
1577	36973	The United States government is paying people $3,000 a week to smoke marijuana through a federal clinical study.	Does the Government Pay People $3,000 a Week to Smoke Marijuana?	false
1578	15579	Georgia is on track for 1,200 traffic fatalities this year, a reversal of nine years of declines.	Georgia DOT Commissioner Russell McMurry said in recent news reports that the state is on pace to see 1,200 people die in traffic accidents this year – all before the start of the busy summer driving season. Transportation numbers back up that claim. That data, and figures about the number of registered vehicles in the state, also confirm that would be the first time in nine years that Georgia has not seen a decline in those deaths.	true
1579	14482	"""When New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer wanted to """"provide driver’s licenses to those who are undocumented. (Hillary Clinton) said don’t do it."""	Climate change protesters blocked traffic across London’s government district of Westminster on Monday as they launched two weeks of peaceful civil disobedience to call for urgent action to curb carbon emissions.	true
1580	3458	Wichita VA hospital moves to remove former Missouri doctor.	The Department of Veteran Affairs hospital in Wichita has begun the process required to remove a doctor who is under scrutiny for allegedly harming patients in Missouri while performing robot-assisted surgeries that were beyond his capabilities.	true
1581	5742	Amendments end California governor’s unease on vaccine bill.	Amendments to an emotionally fraught bill designed to crack down on fraudulent vaccine exemptions change the legislation’s focus just two days before a key Assembly committee hearing.	true
1582	3208	Florida governor calls for teacher raises, new abortion law.	Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called for teacher raises, the eradication of Burmese pythons in the Everglades and a new law to force girls to get their parents’ permission before getting an abortion during his State of the State address on Tuesday.	true
1583	24812	The biggest job of the surgeon general is to translate health care and health care needs into plain English.	Surgeon General is more than spokesman, oversees public health	mixture
1584	36288	People sometimes ingest metal fragments from grill brushes and become seriously injured.	Can Grill Brushes Cause You to Ingest Metal and Become Ill?	true
1585	26531	Viral image Says Queen Elizabeth said Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte “is the kind of leader who knows the way .... Filipinos are very lucky to have him.”	Queen Elizabeth delivered a speech addressing the coronavirus on April 5, but she didn’t mention President Rodrigo Duterte.	false
1586	37848	"""A COVID-19 protester held a sign that said """"muzzles are for dogs and slaves,"""" alongside an illustration of a masked woman of color."""	‘Muzzles are for Dogs and Slaves’ COVID-19 Protest Sign	true
1587	36445	"""Each week, 21 fathers die by suicide influenced directly by """"child access issues"""" or child custody disputes."""	Do 21 Fathers Die of Suicide Each Week Because of Child Custody Disputes?	false
1588	18255	The United States has never stood by and seen innocent people slaughtered to the extent that's happening in Syria.	"""Chambliss said, """"The United States has never stood by and seen innocent people slaughtered to the extent that's happening in Syria."""" That claim is undercut by myriad examples in which more than 100,000 civilians were killed yet the United States did not take direct and significant action."""	false
1589	7537	Fauci warns: More death, econ damage if US reopens too fast.	The U.S. government’s top infectious disease expert issued a blunt warning Tuesday that cities and states could “turn back the clock” and see more COVID-19 deaths and economic damage alike if they lift coronavirus stay-at-home orders too fast -- a sharp contrast as President Donald Trump pushes to right a free-falling economy.	true
1590	34492	Panhandling is a lucrative business, averaging an hourly rate of $50.	We have contacted Sims as well as the original article’s author, but have not yet received a response to our question about the origin of the $50 figure.	unproven
1591	8949	Surgery technique reduces strokes in atherosclerosis patients	This release from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center describes a phase 2 clinical trial that looked at whether an existing surgical procedure could be used to reduce the rate of recurrent strokes or death among patients with severe brain artery blockages. It gives a numerical comparison between those benefiting from the surgery and those who only received “intensive medical management.” And the researchers state that those results show that the procedure — encephaloduroarteriosynangiosis (EDAS) — “significantly decreases the rate of stroke recurrence and death.” However, the difference between these groups for the main outcome of the study was not statistically significant — which should have been clearly disclosed and which contradicts the stated claim that the surgery is more effective. We call on Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and EurekAlert! to retract or correct the release before it leads to misleading news coverage about this procedure. It’s clear that patients with intracranial atherosclerotic disease (a condition involving severe brain artery blockages) are at considerable risk of both strokes and death, so any new alternative approach to treating this condition would be a welcome addition to the options these patients and their families can consider. But like any brain surgery, this procedure would be complicated and information about its risks and benefits and the evidence behind it needs to be clearly communicated to patients.	mixture
1592	24735	"""Claims that former Sen. Tom Daschle said, """"Seniors should be more accepting of the conditions that come with age instead of treating them."""	Daschle didn't say seniors should accept rather that treat conditions that come with age	false
1593	1623	Venom experts say global snake bite death tolls 'grossly underestimated'.	Venom specialists said on Wednesday disease and disability caused by snake bites is far higher than official global health estimates suggest and antivenom stocks are running dangerously low.	true
1594	33822	"""The nursery rhyme """"Ring Around the Rosie"""" is a coded reference to the Black Plague."""	People love to create and spread invented backstories for simple nursery rhymes.	false
1595	33845	The lobster with which a woman was masturbating defecated into her vagina, implanting brine shrimp eggs which hatched inside	See Brine Shrimp Direct's FAQ: Hatching for more than you likely would ever want to know about raising brine shrimp.	false
1596	34700	"""Disputed parentage of a child born aboard a ship was resolved by listing the newborn as a """"son of the gun."""	A more believable postulation for the origin of the term shifts the focus onto the occupation of the father and away from the location of the whelping (which fanciful lore would have us believe was on a deck between two guns, rather than in a cot in an officer’s cabin or in a screened-off corner of the sick bay). In that explanation, “gun” refers to “soldier” (equating arms with the man, as it were), making any soldier’s or sailor’s male child — conceived in wedlock or not — a “son of a gun.” Alliteration (repetition of sounds) and well-cadenced rhymes were just as well-loved centuries ago as they are now, thus our forefathers would have delighted in “son of a gun’s” inherent ear appeal in the same way we were slyly pleased by “the Thrilla in Manila” and “in like Flynn.”	unproven
1597	7343	More Guatemalan deportees from US test positive for virus.	Three Guatemalans deported from the United States this week tested positive for the novel coronavirus upon arrival in their country, Guatemala’s Foreign Ministry said Friday.	true
1598	8781	Study finds 140,000 bad reactions to antibiotics.	Bad reactions to antibiotics, mostly allergic ones, send people to U.S. emergency rooms more than 140,000 times each year, government researchers reported on Wednesday.	true
1599	37765	Four charts show the respective COVID-19 infection rates in the United States, France, Italy, and Spain.	‘In Case You’re Wondering What Utter, Abject Failure Looks Like’: Are These USA, France, Italy, and Spain COVID-19 Charts?	mixture
1600	33526	The government forced KFC to stop using the word 'chicken' in their name because they serve meat derived from mutant animals.	Sightings: A scientist breeds headless, boneless chickens on a high-tech farm in the 1967 Italian film Death Laid an Egg (La Morte ha fatto l’uovo).	false
1601	28287	"""If implemented, the provisions of Texas Senate Bill 17 would """"allow doctors to refuse LGBTQ patients."""	What's true: SB 17 could reasonably be expected to encourage and embolden licensed professionals to refuse to serve individuals due to religious objections to their identities, and to discourage licensing agencies from punishing those licensed professionals for such behavior. What's false: The bill does not formally and explicitly confer upon licensed professionals an affirmative right to refuse to serve certain individuals, and it includes disclaimers stating that illegal discrimination would still be punished under the bill. Federal and Texas law already appear not to have definitive prohibitions against medical professionals' refusing to treat LGBT patients.	mixture
1602	9031	Diet shown to reduce stroke risk may also reduce risk of depression	The release focuses on a forthcoming, preliminary study that will be presented at a conference in April. The release reports that people who closely follow the so-called “DASH diet” are less likely to report symptoms of depression than people who do not adhere to the DASH diet. However, there are a number of unanswered questions. For example, the study appears to have focused on older adults with an average age of 81 so it’s not clear whether the findings would be relevant for younger adults. It’s also unclear whether depression leads to a change in dietary patterns. Common sense suggests lack of energy and motivation are negatively affected by depression and consequently may lead people to cook less frequently. And it’s not clear how closely any of the groups being studied adhered to the DASH diet. For further analysis of the study, the news release and resulting news coverage see our blog post. Clinical depression is a significant health issue, which can have profound ramifications for a patient’s well being and quality of life. There are a variety of treatment options available, but many of those options can be expensive or raise the possibility of adverse side effects. As a result, the idea that a lifestyle change, such as diet, could reduce the risk of depression is an attractive one. However, adopting a new diet is a big step for many people. It’s important for readers to understand the evidence behind the claims that a diet can significantly affect mental health risks. This release does some things well — such as noting at the very end that the study shows an association, not cause and effect. However, the release lacks key details that would allow people to clearly understand the underlying study.	false

1503

5050

Controversy stalks Nobel Peace, Literature prizes.

Controversy stalks the Nobel prizes for peace and literature in a way it rarely does for science.

true

1504

23951

On the National Animal Identification System.

"""Staples voted for allowing agency to require livestock owners to """"tag"""" their animals, but later said he opposes ID mandate"""

mixture

1505

26591

“Donald Trump would receive $17 million for three hotels closed for four days under Republican bill! How in the hell is this right?!”

The Senate-approved bill prohibits Trump family hotels from getting coronavirus aid from a $500 billion fund that would be set up to help businesses that incurred losses from the coronavirus. It’s possible that Trump businesses could be eligible for other types of assistance under the bill’s provisions.

false

1506

7341

Brazil’s health minister resigns after one month on the job.

Brazil’s health minister resigned Friday after less than a month on the job in a sign of continuing upheaval over how the nation should battle the coronavirus pandemic, quitting a day after President Jair Bolsonaro stepped up pressure on him to expand use of the antimalarial drug chloroquine in treating patients.

true

1507

13455

The gun epidemic is the leading cause of death of young African-American men, more than the next nine causes put together.

"""Clinton said, """"The gun epidemic is the leading cause of death of young African-American men, more than the next nine causes put together."""" As long as you define """"young"""" as being between the ages of 15 and 24, Clinton’s statement is accurate, according to CDC data."""

true

1508

2490

Britain plans world's first go-ahead for '3-parent' IVF babies.

Britain is planning to become the first country in the world to offer controversial “three-parent” fertility treatments to families who want to avoid passing on incurable diseases to their children.

true

1509

9301

Drugs that activate brain stem cells may reverse multiple sclerosis

Our review team had a lively debate as to the extent to which this National Institutes of Health news release exaggerates the findings of the study it reports on. We agreed that the release waits far too long to warn readers that this exciting study of potential multiple sclerosis drugs was conducted in petri dishes and mice. One has to read through more than half of the release before that crucial caveat is introduced. But we had mixed opinions about the headline, “Drugs that activate brain stem cells may reverse multiple sclerosis.” Some of us felt this was misleading because readers would assume the release is talking about human disease, and there’s nothing in the release or the underlying study to support a “reversal” of disease in humans. The opposing view is that the headline accurately reflects what happened in the study in mice and is therefore not an exaggeration. According to this view, the release is deficient mainly because it failed to qualify that the findings were from mice in a timely manner (ideally the first paragraph), but not because of the headline. We welcome reader perspectives on this debate in the comments. The lackluster performance of the pharmaceutical industry in developing new treatments has led to coordinated efforts to repurpose existing drugs for new uses. The research highlighted in this NIH news release is important because it represents one of the earliest examples for this new form of drug development. Multiple sclerosis can be a devastating disease causing significant dysfunction and early death in some patients. Treatments at the moment consist of drugs that target the immune system. While effective, they come with a host of side effects and are very costly. The approach highlighted here provides a potentially new avenue of attack: promoting myelin repair. With that said, this is very early in the game and the drugs — clobetasol and miconazole — have only been shown to work in the test tube and in a mouse model. As we have said on many occasions, success in the mouse model is just that: success in the mouse model.

true

1510

29003

A can of wasp spray is a preferable alternative to pepper spray for protection against assailants.

Is a can of wasp spray a preferable alternative to pepper spray for protection against assailants?

mixture

1511

11018

Study: Cancer drug may endanger heart

The introduction of Gleevec represented a major advance in the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). This story reports on a study printed in Nature Medicine describing 10 patients who developed heart failure while taking the drug. The authors of the study suggest that this drug needs to be thoroughly evaluated to quantify the magnitude of the heart risk. This does not adequately describe the nature of the existing evidence, which is very preliminary. Although the story focuses on the heart risks associated with Gleevec, it does not adequately describe the harms of treatment. What other side effects are there? How common are they? How common is heart damage? Although the main focus of the story is on new reports of toxicity from Gleevec, the story still allowed some promotional claims to enter into the story. (e.g., “Gleevec is a wonderful drug and patients with these diseases need to be on it. It’s a lifesaving drug for sure” and “Novartis said Force’s work does not change ‘the positive benefit/risk ratio of Glivec for thousands of patients being treated for cancer and other life-threatening diseases.’ “) Yet there are no data given to back up these claims of benefit. The story also does not mention alternative treatments. The story should have explain why Gleevec is consider to be better and provide some perspective as to whether it still would if indeed heart failure is found to be a significant side effect. The story never mentions the cost of Gleevec, which is very expensive. These new reports on side effects may decrease the cost-effectiveness of the drug. Cost should not have been left out of the story. Furthermore, the story only quotes the author of the study and a statement from Novartis. The story should have quoted other, independent researchers or clinicians who could have provided additional perspectives.

false

1512

41742

Remember after the shooting in Las Vegas, he [Trump] said, yeah, yeah we’re gonna ban the bump stocks. Did he ban the bump stocks? No.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand claimed President Donald Trump failed to keep his promise after a mass shooting in Las Vegas to ban bump stocks. In fact, Trump has enacted a bump stock ban, which went into effect in March.

mixture

1513

22223

For every 33 pregnant women that walk into a Planned Parenthood clinic, 32 receive an abortion.

Rep. Jean Schmidt says 32 of every 33 pregnant women who visit Planned Parenthood get abortions

false

1514

39290

There are various rumors surrounding the events of the bombing at the April 15, 2013 Marathon in Boston, MA. At least three people have been killed and 140 people have been injured as a result of two bombs that exploded near the finish line.

Various Rumors about the Terrorist Attack at the 2013 Boston Marathon

false

1515

37852

A photograph appears to show small schoolchildren playing alone in marked-off chalk squares drawn on playground asphalt.

‘Striking’ Photograph of Children Playing in ‘Chalk Squares’ During Coronavirus Pandemic

true

1516

376

U.S. ambassador says don't let farming 'smears' stop post-Brexit trade deal.

Britain should not follow the European Union’s “Museum of Agriculture” and let false concerns over U.S. farming practices get in the way of a post-Brexit trade deal, the U.S. ambassador to London said on Saturday.

true

1517

5731

Couple asks state for quick decision about vaccination data.

A Connecticut couple seeking to stop the public release of additional information about schools’ immunization rates is asking the Department of Public Health to expedite its decision.

true

1518

36249

"""North Carolina has banned """"sharia law."""

Did North Carolina Ban Sharia Law Statewide?

mixture

1519

32257

The discovery of a vaccine for the autoimmune disease diabetes has been announced.

Type 2 diabetes is often referred to as “adult onset” and, depending on the severity, can in some cases be controlled with diet and lifestyle changes. It results from cells becoming resistant to the effects of insulin and is often linked to obesity.

false

1520

28929

A Virginia lawmaker proposed a bill that mandates on-site physical examinations of children's genitals to determine which gendered bathroom they're authorized to use.

"""What's true: Virginia lawmaker Mark Cole proposed controversial bill HB663, which in part requires the use of bathrooms be based on """"anatomical sex"""" in public schools. What's false: Cole's proposal explicitly stated that schoolchildren would be subject to """"genital checks"""" before being allowed to use restrooms."""

mixture

1521

34317

GlaxoSmithKline is recalling 600,000 Ventolin inhalers.

On 21 February 2018, the company announced a separate recall of certain lots of the Ventolin Accuhaler in the U.K. Once again, the cause was a manufacturing problem which led to “a small number of units not delivering the full number of doses,” according to the U.K. government’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Agency.

unproven

1522

10135

Acupuncture May Help Restore Lost Sense of Smell

How journalism has changed – when a journalist gets a byline and a paycheck for a meager rewrite of a news release. In the daily drumbeat of news like this – a study of 15 people – we drown the audience with a firehose of incomplete information. And HealthDay’s client, BusinessWeek, picked up the story as is and republished it. It’s just shovelware.

false

1523

22138

"""Benzene has """"never been proven to be harmful."""

State Rep. Rick Hardcastle says benzene has never been proven to be harmful

false

1524

6554

Measles cases confirmed in Vancouver and Portland.

Authorities in Vancouver, Washington, have confirmed a case of measles in a child while the Oregon Health Authority has confirmed a separate measles case in Portland, Oregon.

true

1525

26554

“We were slow with the testing, but very quick with the travel ban. And that's been much more critical in saving lives.”

When the Trump administration had imposed restrictions on people traveling from China or Europe to the United States, the virus had already reached communities across the country. Travel restrictions can buy a government some time in stopping viral spread. But with that time, research shows, authorities need to put a dent in local transmission – by testing robustly, and then quarantining people who are positive. The American travel restrictions may also have created a false sense of security, experts said, when more essential precautions weren’t taking place.

false

1526

26606

JB Pritzker Says it was “unquestionably” not within his “legal authority” to postpone Illinois’ primary election by changing the date or shifting to vote-by-mail.

It’s difficult to know for sure that Pritzker could not have done anything to delay the March 17 election. But experts told us the governor spoke correctly in describing the limits of his powers under existing law.

true

1527

7430

Charges dropped against Florida pastor over stay-home order.

Misdemeanor charges were dropped Friday against a Florida pastor accused of violating stay-at-home orders by holding Sunday services with hundreds of people in March amid the coronavirus pandemic.

true

1528

10572

New inhaler protects lungs against effects of air pollution

This is a romp through a field of unsubstantiated claims on the benefits and promise of a new device that purports to protect the body from air pollution-induced illnesses. The hyperbole begins with the title and continues through the story. The story hints at evidence but provides no substantiation of the claims made by the sources in the story. The clinical and financial impact of air pollution is an important public health issue that deserves coverage. While attempts to reduce the production of pollutants has been somewhat successful, other strategies are newsworthy, including the potential for a low cost and non-toxic preventive. Although the research to date has been “promising” it is a long way from promise to fruition. Resorting to excessive claims of benefits leads readers astray and compromises the integrity of the research effort.

mixture

1529

36089

"""Excess consumption of coffee during periods of high stress can cause people to experience """"schizophrenic-like symptoms."""

Can Consuming Too Much Coffee Under Stress Cause Schizophrenia Symptoms?

mixture

1530

34715

Part of the process of determining that a Pope has died and is not merely sleeping calls for him to be tapped on the forehead with a silver hammer.

Legend holds that part of the process of determining that a pope has died is to call for him to be tapped on the forehead with a silver hammer.

unproven

1531

35087

"""The COVID-19 coronavirus disease is """"spreading quickly from gas pumps."""

What's true: Gas pump handles are a potential source of surface contact transmission of the COVID-19 coronavirus. What's false: Gas pumps are only one of many commonly-handled objects that could transmit the COVID-19 coronavirus, and we have found no substantiated reports of anyone's having been infected in that fashion yet.

mixture

1532

29348

There is a proven natural cure for cancer called sour honey, but pharmaceutical companies and politicians are trying to keep it under wraps for financial gain.

To the latter point, the entire concept of the “Clinton Cartel” and a “sour honey” subversion conspiracy is rooted in a company with a history of promoting extremely dubious claims using politically motivated narratives. As such, we rate this claim, allowing only that there has been some legitimate research into bee propolis as a cancer therapy.

false

1533

26685

Viral image Says if you donate blood, “they HAVE to test you” for coronavirus.

Blood donors don’t get a coronavirus test if they donate blood. The American Red Cross is asking for donations in anticipation of a blood shortage caused by the coronavirus.

false

1534

4673

Michigan halts sale of marijuana e-cigs unless re-tested.

Michigan on Friday halted the sale of marijuana vaping products until they are tested for a compound that has been identified as a culprit in e-cigarette-related lung illnesses.

true

1535

28413

"""An animator for the """"My Little Pony"""" cartoon series was arrested for child pornography, proving that the PedoGate conspiracy is real."""

"""What's true: Animator Tom Wysom, who worked on children's productions including 'My Little Pony,' was sentenced to 28 months in prison for possession of child pornography. What's false: #PedoGate is part of a far-ranging but bogus conspiracy theory about a large ring of """"elite"""" child predators."""

mixture

1536

15890

Georgia lawmaker pushes bill banning creation of ‘glow in the dark’ human-jellyfish hybrids.

Human-jellyfish headline misleading, but spawned by real bill

mixture

1537

308

Will Europe's clampdown on faulty medical devices hurt patients?.

When a Californian company founded by a U.S. veteran wounded in Afghanistan sought to register a new medical device this year, it turned to Europe before the United States. The European approvals system had long been quicker, the company said, but the introduction of new rules is changing all that.

true

1538

30394

"""Sen. John McCain was referred to as """"Songbird John"""" following his imprisonment during the Vietnam War."""

The remark harkened back to the long-running series of clashes between McCain and President Donald Trump. In July 2015, then-candidate Donald Trump said of the lawmaker, “He’s not a war hero. He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured.”

false

1539

8987

Blood test predicts spastic cerebral palsy

This release focuses on a small study (22 children with spastic cerebral palsy and 21 controls) that examined whether a new method for sequencing blood samples might be a way of identifying people with cerebral palsy (CP) earlier than the methods used now. The work centers on the early findings of differences in methylation sequences in the DNA that might point out patients with the disease. The proposed method of genetic testing is still comparatively expensive and the release makes no mention of costs. The release gives very little numerical data on the outcomes of the research and neglects to address the harm that might arise from false negatives and false positives, even though the release points out the diagnostic accuracy was only 73% in a pilot study involving younger children. This means at least one in four results were wrong. The release applies the term “breakthrough” in its headline, when it clearly is no such thing, and states unequivocally in the lead that the test works, although it is far too early to make such claims. Cerebral palsy is a devastating condition both for patients and their families. Patients are currently diagnosed as toddlers when they begin developing motor problems. There is currently no diagnostic test that can identify patients at earlier ages. The annual health care costs for a patient with CP, according to the release, is “10 to 26 times higher than for those without CP,” making this a costly public health problem. If a blood test were available to identify patients soon after birth, it may allow for earlier intervention and ultimately, better outcomes. But the work explained by the release is much too preliminary to lay claim to that solution. Although earlier detection of CP would almost certainly drive more interventions/consultations, it is less clear that these interventions would actually lead to better outcomes. If the findings are so subtle that they are not evident on exam or by developmental milestones in early life, then it is not clear that an intervention (aggressive PT or early surgery, as suggested in the “pull out quote” in the news release) would be beneficial. Therefore, it is possible that “early detection” would simply increase costs, and possibly, parental anxiety, in the long run.

false

1540

9687

Sleeping in on weekends may help reduce diabetes risk

This article describes results of a very small observational study suggesting some tantalizing links between sleep and diabetes risk. But it’s probably fair to say that this article, although it pretty accurately reflects the proffered data and does a solid job of pointing out study limitations, may have served readers better by not being written. The notion that sleep deprivation is linked epidemiologically to temporary insulin resistance has been reported in animal and human observational studies for more than a decade. The confounding factors — obesity, overeating, sleep apnea — are well known. The scope of the study was acknowledged to be extremely limited and perhaps unmoored from what “might happen in reality,” and it appears that at best, the observational letter to the editor on which the article is based adds only two possible and very preliminary new pieces of information to what is known: it did control for calorie intake, but only over a very few weeks of observation; and there is a slim bit of evidence that “catch up” sleep after four nights of sleep deprivation may improve insulin sensitivity by 23 percent. In sum, although the article states correctly that the study “doesn’t prove that catching up on sleep will prevent diabetes” or that sleep deprivation actually does increase diabetes risk, it doesn’t add much beyond that of a decade of similar investigations. Type 2 diabetes is indeed reaching epidemic proportions in the U.S., along with its major risk factors, obesity and metabolic syndrome. Readers of health news stories will in large numbers therefore be looking for anything that will help them prevent or reduce their risk of the disorder, particularly anything that doesn’t sound too hard to do, like getting more sleep. They may grasp at mattresses if not straws, however, even though the article goes to some lengths to lower expectations for individual risk. There is nothing in this story that should lead anyone to conclude that getting more sleep on a weekend will help them avoid diabetes risk factors, and the data for 19 healthy young men offer nothing to say about older, obese patients, women, or interactions with other important factors, including exercise, stress, and gender.

true

1541

4623

Sweden: No Ebola virus detected in hospital patient.

Swedish health officials say a suspected Ebola case reported by a hospital has turned out to be a false alarm with tests carried out on the unidentified patient showing no signs of the deadly virus.

true

1542

37368

A forwarded email turned into a social media meme uses statistics to show the effects of undocumented immigration.

List of ‘Facts and Figures’ About Undocumented Immigrants?

false

1543

10893

Adding To Aspirin’s Reputation

"""This is a 230-word story done by the Los Angeles Times but picked up by the Hartford Courant. It is described as a """"capsule."""" There are often inherent problems with such brief stories, as we discuss elsewhere on this site. The story describes a study in which aspirin use was associated with a lower risk of developing adult asthma. The story failed to explicitly describe the limitations of such observational studies. The data provided obscure the fact that the absolute difference is really quite small (1.0% vs. 1.3% of aspirin and non-aspirin participants developed asthma–figures which were not provided but are calculable). See our primer on absolute vs. relative data. The story also failed to describe potential harms of treatment. And it only provides information from the lead author and does not obtain independent input."""

mixture

1544

8936

Tiny implantable device short-circuits hunger pangs, aids weight loss

UW-Madison graduate student Guang Yao (left) and Xudong Wang (right) hold a small implantable device for weight loss This release about an experimental implanted device to promote weight loss tells readers that it has been tested only in rats (though not until the third paragraph), but then it goes on to proclaim that the new device has “several advantages” over an existing FDA-approved device that also works by stimulating the vagus nerve to alter hunger perception, despite the fact that these comparative claims have not been tested. The release implies that the device could help all people who have obesity, without noting that the existing device is restricted to a subset of people. The release makes claims of benefits that have yet to be tested and does not mention harms that similar devices cause. The study was published in Nature Communications. The history of medical research is littered with “successful” animal experiments that failed to produce useful human treatments. While animal experiments that support a novel concept may be of general interest, this experimental device appears to be a refinement of an existing type of device. In this case then, the story is not the underlying concept, but whether this new device is better or worse than the existing one. Until the two are compared directly, no one can say (and news releases should not claim) that they expect a device tested only in some rats will prove to be superior to an approved device or other alternatives. Let’s wait for the evidence.

false

1545

34632

Nike didn't sign Steph Curry because the NBA star insisted on putting a Bible verse on his sneakers.

Neither Curry nor Nike stated or implied that the endorsement deal fell through because of Curry’s religious beliefs, nor did Curry claim that Nike would not let him put Bible verses on his shoes. We could find no articles that stated religion was a motivating factor for Curry’s deal with either Nike or Under Armour; these rumors appear to have sprung wholly from one person’s Facebook page.

unproven

1546

41834

"""After 44 years, we just got it passed ... veteran's choice. ... I said, I have the greatest idea. We're going to do this."""" """

In his midterm campaign rallies, President Donald Trump has repeatedly made the preposterous claim that he came up with “the greatest idea” for “veterans choice” — a program that was launched in 2014 during the Obama administration. He also claimed it took “44 years” to get the legislation passed.

false

1547

3895

Tennessee officer fired after working 2nd job while on duty.

A Tennessee police officer has been fired after an internal investigation found he was working a second job as a psychiatric social worker while on duty.

true

1548

26400

“Ultraviolet Radiation is administered into the body as a disinfectant to kill bacteria and viruses and this has been used for a while now.”

Health experts say there is no evidence that injecting ultraviolet light into the body would kill viruses like the novel coronavirus. There is no scientific evidence to support alternative health treatments like ultraviolet blood irradiation.

false

1549

38055

The deadly Klebsiella plague from China is coming to the United States, and citizens have been warned to take action.

Deadly Klebsiella Plague from China Poses Public Health Threat to U.S.

false

1550

4287

Malawi fights tsetse flies, disease after wildlife relocated.

The relocation of hundreds of elephants to Malawi’s largest wildlife reserve was meant to be a sign of hope and renewal in this southern African nation. Then nearby residents began falling ill.

true

1551

26889

"""Scientists """"are shocked to discover that weed kills corona virus”"""

Marijuana not shown to treat 2019 novel coronavirus

false

1552

5978

Elevated opioid risks found at Native American hospitals.

U.S. government hospitals put Native American patients at increased risk for opioid abuse and overdoses, failing to follow their own protocols for prescribing and dispensing the drugs, according to a federal audit made public Monday.

true

1553

35123

"""COVID-19"""" is named so because it is the 19th """"Chinese-Originated Viral Infectious Disease."""

There are different processes and purposes for naming diseases.

false

1554

36896

A report that the assassination of a top Democratic Party official named Seth Rich while he was on his way to testify about Hillary Clinton has led to the FBI capturing a so-called Clinton “Hit Team.”

Assassination of Top Democratic Official Leads to Capture of Clinton Hit Team

false

1555

18367

Buono voted 154 times to raise our taxes -- like the sales tax, the income tax, health care taxes, even small business taxes.

"""A Christie for Governor TV ad claims, """"Buono voted 154 times to raise our taxes -- like the sales tax, the income tax, health care taxes, even small business taxes."""" Although a narrator only mentions tax increases, scrolling text in the ad also mentions fee increases. And in this case, the ad is accurate: Buono did vote on 154 bills that would increase fees and taxes on things ranging from the purchase of new vehicle tires to those New Jerseyans earning six-figure incomes exceeding $400,000."""

true

1556

29793

Canada was placed under a nationwide boil-water notice in the spring of 2019.

As such, the article’s core claim is false and appears to be no more than a cynical effort to manipulate the public’s concern about water safety in order to gain shares on social media. Genuine drinking-water advisories are periodically put in place across Canada, just as they are in many other countries, but concerned residents should consult official government sources for information about their local areas.

false

1557

19057

Jason Isaac Says that over the past 20 years, Texas public school spending rose 142 percent and per-pupil spending more than tripled when adjusted for inflation.

India’s health ministry has proposed a ban on the production and import of electronic cigarettes, documents seen by Reuters showed, potentially jeopardizing the expansion plans of big firms like Juul Labs and Philip Morris International.

false

1558

8530

Global coronavirus death toll hits 100,000, cases over 1.6 million.

The number of deaths linked to the novel coronavirus reached 100,000 on Friday, as the tally of cases passed 1.6 million, according to a Reuters tally.

true

1559

15128

Just about half of rural hospitals operate in the red in Virginia. They operate at a loss.

Mannix said about half of the rural hospitals in Virginia are operating at a loss. Figures from the group that tracks hospital finances back her claim and suggest, if anything, her estimate is on the low end.

true

1560

36512

Active duty Naval officer Jordan Lee Grinnell assaulted a black middle schooler.

Did a 38-Year-Old White Active Duty Naval Officer Assault a Black Middle School Student?

true

1561

10378

Medical Breakthrough: Amazing New Heart Valve Procedure

"""Open heart valve replacement is a major procedure, involving risks and a long recovery period. To be able to do a minimally invasive valve replacement would represent a major improvement for the patient but would need to be demonstrated as effective and safe as the open procedure. At Columbia, a clinical trial of minimally-invasive valve replacement is ongoing but results have not been released or published. As a result, many questions remain about the procedure. However, this story makes it sound as if this new procedure is a fait-accompli. Referring to it as """"groundbreaking"""" and """"the biggest thing since the heart transplant"""" imply that all patients who are candidates for this procedure should run out and get it. This story provides little in the way of real information to patients or family members who would be seriously considering valve replacement. It quotes no sources other than doctors at Columbia who have an interest in how this procedure is evaluated. The story also does little to provide information on the availability of the procedure, the evidence to support its use, the costs and potential harms. The story appropriately describes the procedure as novel, but otherwise, this rather lengthy story falls short on all other criteria."""

false

1562

3417

Growing algae bloom in Arabian Sea tied to climate change.

The Gulf of Oman turns green twice a year, when an algae bloom the size of Mexico spreads across the Arabian Sea all the way to India.

true

1563

10202

A Better Option? A trial of cancer drugs yields a surprise–and questions

This article story does an excellent job of reporting the initial results of the Study of Tamoxifen and Raloxifene Trial (STAR) for post-menopausal women at high risk of developing breast cancer. Tamoxifen is currently the only drug with FDA approval for both treatment and prevention of breast cancer in high-risk women. The story is optimistic about new hormone therapy options for the prevention for breast cancer, but appropriately cautious about the early results of the STAR trial and use of raloxifene for chemoprevention. There is discussion that hormone therapy for the prevention of breast cancer is only for post-menopausal women at higher risk of developing the disease, and a side note which discusses who might be in this category. There is also discussion that women who have a history of blood clots and heart disease were not included in this study, as the risk of hormone therapy might exacerbate these conditions and outweigh the preventative benefit of hormone therapy for breast cancer. The article adequately discusses the STAR trial design in which post-menopausal women at higher than average risk of developing breast cancer were randomly assigned to take tamoxifen or raloxifene (Evista) as chemoprevention for invasive breast cancer. However, the story fails to mention that only estrogen-receptor positive women should take this medication. Because of the initial positive results of the STAR trial, namely, there were fewer uterine cancers and blood clots in the raloxifene group, the trial was unblinded at 4 years. The story does not report that these results did not reach statistical significance, or that the study was unblinded early due to these statistically non-significant results. This information was not readily available on the NCI (National Cancer Institute) website or in reports of the study, balanced infomation on side effects for both tamoxifen and raloxifene are presented. The caveat provided here is important: results of this trial await further analysis and the data have yet to be published in a peer-reviewed medical journal. Clinical decisions about switching hormone medications should wait until these data are carefully reviewed. Cost comparison of the medications is provided, as well as a note that these drugs must be taken daily for 5 years. Tamoxifen has been studied for over 30 years and has been shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence in both a breast treated for cancer, as well as the other breast. Raloxifene is currently used to prevent osteoporosis, and while it appears to have similar benefits to tamoxifen in the prevention of invasive breast cancer, it has not been studied for as long as tamoxifen, and as this articles notes, it does not appear to prevent as many cases of non-invasive breast cancers (which are more common) as tamoxifen.

true

1564

27416

IKEA released a magazine ad which includes a pregnancy test.

We contacted Akestam Holst seeking further comment. A spokesperson for IKEA’s U.S. division confirmed the veracity of the advert, and told us that there are not plans for the advertisement to run in any other markets.

true

1565

10116

CVS Health Research Institute Study Shows that Home Infusion Care Improves Patient Outcomes and Quality of Life While Reducing Overall Costs

This news release describes the cost savings and safety of home infusion services from 13 previously published studies compared with infusion services at a clinic or hospital. Home infusion appears safe and clinically effective while saving money in the studies reviewed, but the release does not address limits in the review. We aren’t given any numbers to back up the claims that clinical outcomes were equal and that patients preferred the home setting. The release notes that CVS has a home infusion business–Coram–so at least they make this transparent. We applaud CVS for attempting to quantify the cost savings and other potential benefits of the service — and the claim that there are advantages are likely valid — but some context/background from other, independent studies would be helpful. Besides the lack of quantification, the release doesn’t delve into the potential risks from using the home infusion service. Treatments for chronic diseases, which often require drugs administered through infusion, are one of the fastest growing costs in the US health care system. If patients can be served at home, rather than in outpatient clinics or hospitals, it saves both money and time. But outcomes studies, which compare outcomes and safety between locations, are essential to judging whether home infusion is equal to clinic or hospital infusion. This release does not go far enough with numbers to quantify benefits and risks. We also see that CVS has a conflict of interest, because they have a business arm, Coram, that sells home infusion services. It appears this release (and study) are getting attention just as Congress is “discussing how to implement a comprehensive home infusion benefit for Medicare beneficiaries.”

true

1566

34695

An 8-year-old Yemeni girl was forced to marry a 40-year-old man and then died of vaginal injuries on their wedding night.

Two Meedi residents contacted by Reuters confirmed the incident and said tribal chiefs had tried to cover up the incident when the news broke, warning a local journalist against covering the story.

unproven

1567

6342

State finding better air during new tests at Howell factory.

State regulators say follow-up tests near a factory in Livingston County show low levels of a chemical linked to cancer.

true

1568

36627

Leeds Trinity University banned capital letters to avoid upsetting or frightening delicate students into failing classes.

Did Leeds Trinity University Ban Capital Letters to Avoid Frightening Students?

false

1569

38700

Some are questioning the old adage that eating carrots improves your vision.

Eating Carrots Improves Your Vision

mixture

1570

11182

Experimental diet pill shows promise, little risk

So, yes, it mentioned the drop out rate but then said it wasn’t unusual. But didn’t ever explain why so many dropped out. Yes, it said the drug hadn’t been priced yet, but we don’t find that sufficient (details given below). Yes, it had one external perspective, but that was someone who works for another diet drug company (a fact that at least the story notes). In cheerleading fashion, the story let unnamed experts predict FDA approval. Yet the story never evaluated the quality of the evidence sufficiently enough to let readers know whether a study like this could be trusted. This story matters because obesity is an incredibly common problem in the US, with major impacts on morbidity, mortality, quality of life, and costs. People, doctors, health plans, and drug companies all want treatment options that help people lose weight and keep it off safely. This story reports on several new drugs that are likely to gain market approval by the FDA, which would effectively double the number of drug treatment options currentlly available to patients and providers. The biggest problem with weight loss drugs in the past has been that the side effects seemed to greatly overshadow their impact on body weight, and all weight loss drugs deserve close scrutiny on their side effect profile. Given the high prevalence of obesity in our country (1/3 of all adults), close attention should be paid to the cost of any new interventions, which if applied broadly could dramatically impact national health care expenditures. There is so much hype right now about this coming wave of diet drugs, and reporters need to dial the company claims back a notch (at least) and examine how much better these drugs work than lifestyle changes or existing therapies.

mixture

1571

11059

Stem cell therapy for macular degeneration

It’s a tough thing for a reporter to write about a study that hasn’t been conducted yet. Without any actual data to work with, the temptation is talk too much about what the researchers hope they will find in the study; discussion of harms and other caveats often gets overwhelmed by this optimistic speculation. The story we review here didn’t succumb to the worst excesses that these kinds of reports are subject to, and it did some things very well. For example, when discussing the new treatment that’s set to be studied — an embryonic stem cell therapy for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) — it gave some interesting and detailed background on how AMD develops and how the new treatment might work. But in the end, we thought the discussion of hypothetical benefits was out of balance considering the very early stage of the research, and there was no mention of potential costs or harms. The story also didn’t explain carefully enough who might be a candidate for this treatment, should it eventually make it to market. There are no effective treatment options for the dry form of AMD, which is a leading cause of vision loss in older adults. The use of embryonic stem cells represents an exciting new approach to this disease, but given the early stage of development for such therapies, news coverage needs to pay appropriate respect to cautions and caveats about the research. Otherwise such stories may provide readers with false hope instead of information.

mixture

1572

36272

People are putting hair removal creams in conditioner, causing hair loss.

Is Someone Putting Nair in Hair Conditioner Bottles?

unproven

1573

13333

If you look worldwide, the number of terrorist incidents have not substantially increased.

"""Obama said, """"If you look worldwide, the number of terrorist incidents have not substantially increased."""" There is no universally accepted definition of a terrorist incident, so there is no universally accepted count. Based on State Department data, there’s been a 7 percent increase in terrorist attacks worldwide from 2009 to 2015. But the State Department’s criteria for what can be counted as a terrorist attack is stricter than that of other databases. According to START’s Global Terrorism Database, for instance, there was a 214 percent rise in terrorist attacks from 2009 to 2015, a substantial increase. Obama’s statement contains an element of truth but ignores critical facts that would give a different impression."""

false

1574

32135

Washington, D.C., has no 'J' Street because city designer Pierre L'Enfant bore a grudge against Chief Justice John Jay.

Old historical legends holds that architect Pierre L'Enfant omitted 'J' Street from his plans for Washington, D.C., because he disliked John Jay.

false

1575

3519

Know what to say when postpartum depression hits a loved one.

Gwyneth Paltrow, Chrissy Teigen, Adele: The charge to destigmatize postpartum depression has never before had so many high-profile sufferers willing to share their stories.

true

1576

27959

Teachers have gotten into trouble over using 'The L.A. Math Test,' a piece of online humor, in the classroom.

Teachers have been censured over using 'The L.A. Math Test,' a piece of online humor, in the classroom.

true

1577

36973

The United States government is paying people $3,000 a week to smoke marijuana through a federal clinical study.

Does the Government Pay People $3,000 a Week to Smoke Marijuana?

false

1578

15579

Georgia is on track for 1,200 traffic fatalities this year, a reversal of nine years of declines.

Georgia DOT Commissioner Russell McMurry said in recent news reports that the state is on pace to see 1,200 people die in traffic accidents this year – all before the start of the busy summer driving season. Transportation numbers back up that claim. That data, and figures about the number of registered vehicles in the state, also confirm that would be the first time in nine years that Georgia has not seen a decline in those deaths.

true

1579

14482

"""When New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer wanted to """"provide driver’s licenses to those who are undocumented. (Hillary Clinton) said don’t do it."""

Climate change protesters blocked traffic across London’s government district of Westminster on Monday as they launched two weeks of peaceful civil disobedience to call for urgent action to curb carbon emissions.

true

1580

3458

Wichita VA hospital moves to remove former Missouri doctor.

The Department of Veteran Affairs hospital in Wichita has begun the process required to remove a doctor who is under scrutiny for allegedly harming patients in Missouri while performing robot-assisted surgeries that were beyond his capabilities.

true

1581

5742

Amendments end California governor’s unease on vaccine bill.

Amendments to an emotionally fraught bill designed to crack down on fraudulent vaccine exemptions change the legislation’s focus just two days before a key Assembly committee hearing.

true

1582

3208

Florida governor calls for teacher raises, new abortion law.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called for teacher raises, the eradication of Burmese pythons in the Everglades and a new law to force girls to get their parents’ permission before getting an abortion during his State of the State address on Tuesday.

true

1583

24812

The biggest job of the surgeon general is to translate health care and health care needs into plain English.

Surgeon General is more than spokesman, oversees public health

mixture

1584

36288

People sometimes ingest metal fragments from grill brushes and become seriously injured.

Can Grill Brushes Cause You to Ingest Metal and Become Ill?

true

1585

26531

Viral image Says Queen Elizabeth said Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte “is the kind of leader who knows the way .... Filipinos are very lucky to have him.”

Queen Elizabeth delivered a speech addressing the coronavirus on April 5, but she didn’t mention President Rodrigo Duterte.

false

1586

37848

"""A COVID-19 protester held a sign that said """"muzzles are for dogs and slaves,"""" alongside an illustration of a masked woman of color."""

‘Muzzles are for Dogs and Slaves’ COVID-19 Protest Sign

true

1587

36445

"""Each week, 21 fathers die by suicide influenced directly by """"child access issues"""" or child custody disputes."""

Do 21 Fathers Die of Suicide Each Week Because of Child Custody Disputes?

false

1588

18255

The United States has never stood by and seen innocent people slaughtered to the extent that's happening in Syria.

"""Chambliss said, """"The United States has never stood by and seen innocent people slaughtered to the extent that's happening in Syria."""" That claim is undercut by myriad examples in which more than 100,000 civilians were killed yet the United States did not take direct and significant action."""

false

1589

7537

Fauci warns: More death, econ damage if US reopens too fast.

The U.S. government’s top infectious disease expert issued a blunt warning Tuesday that cities and states could “turn back the clock” and see more COVID-19 deaths and economic damage alike if they lift coronavirus stay-at-home orders too fast -- a sharp contrast as President Donald Trump pushes to right a free-falling economy.

true

1590

34492

Panhandling is a lucrative business, averaging an hourly rate of $50.

We have contacted Sims as well as the original article’s author, but have not yet received a response to our question about the origin of the $50 figure.

unproven

1591

8949

Surgery technique reduces strokes in atherosclerosis patients

This release from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center describes a phase 2 clinical trial that looked at whether an existing surgical procedure could be used to reduce the rate of recurrent strokes or death among patients with severe brain artery blockages. It gives a numerical comparison between those benefiting from the surgery and those who only received “intensive medical management.” And the researchers state that those results show that the procedure — encephaloduroarteriosynangiosis (EDAS) — “significantly decreases the rate of stroke recurrence and death.” However, the difference between these groups for the main outcome of the study was not statistically significant — which should have been clearly disclosed and which contradicts the stated claim that the surgery is more effective. We call on Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and EurekAlert! to retract or correct the release before it leads to misleading news coverage about this procedure. It’s clear that patients with intracranial atherosclerotic disease (a condition involving severe brain artery blockages) are at considerable risk of both strokes and death, so any new alternative approach to treating this condition would be a welcome addition to the options these patients and their families can consider. But like any brain surgery, this procedure would be complicated and information about its risks and benefits and the evidence behind it needs to be clearly communicated to patients.

mixture

1592

24735

"""Claims that former Sen. Tom Daschle said, """"Seniors should be more accepting of the conditions that come with age instead of treating them."""

Daschle didn't say seniors should accept rather that treat conditions that come with age

false

1593

1623

Venom experts say global snake bite death tolls 'grossly underestimated'.

Venom specialists said on Wednesday disease and disability caused by snake bites is far higher than official global health estimates suggest and antivenom stocks are running dangerously low.

true

1594

33822

"""The nursery rhyme """"Ring Around the Rosie"""" is a coded reference to the Black Plague."""

People love to create and spread invented backstories for simple nursery rhymes.

false

1595

33845

The lobster with which a woman was masturbating defecated into her vagina, implanting brine shrimp eggs which hatched inside

See Brine Shrimp Direct's FAQ: Hatching for more than you likely would ever want to know about raising brine shrimp.

false

1596

34700

"""Disputed parentage of a child born aboard a ship was resolved by listing the newborn as a """"son of the gun."""

A more believable postulation for the origin of the term shifts the focus onto the occupation of the father and away from the location of the whelping (which fanciful lore would have us believe was on a deck between two guns, rather than in a cot in an officer’s cabin or in a screened-off corner of the sick bay). In that explanation, “gun” refers to “soldier” (equating arms with the man, as it were), making any soldier’s or sailor’s male child — conceived in wedlock or not — a “son of a gun.” Alliteration (repetition of sounds) and well-cadenced rhymes were just as well-loved centuries ago as they are now, thus our forefathers would have delighted in “son of a gun’s” inherent ear appeal in the same way we were slyly pleased by “the Thrilla in Manila” and “in like Flynn.”

unproven

1597

7343

More Guatemalan deportees from US test positive for virus.

Three Guatemalans deported from the United States this week tested positive for the novel coronavirus upon arrival in their country, Guatemala’s Foreign Ministry said Friday.

true

1598

8781

Study finds 140,000 bad reactions to antibiotics.

Bad reactions to antibiotics, mostly allergic ones, send people to U.S. emergency rooms more than 140,000 times each year, government researchers reported on Wednesday.

true

1599

37765

Four charts show the respective COVID-19 infection rates in the United States, France, Italy, and Spain.

‘In Case You’re Wondering What Utter, Abject Failure Looks Like’: Are These USA, France, Italy, and Spain COVID-19 Charts?

mixture

1600

33526

The government forced KFC to stop using the word 'chicken' in their name because they serve meat derived from mutant animals.

Sightings: A scientist breeds headless, boneless chickens on a high-tech farm in the 1967 Italian film Death Laid an Egg (La Morte ha fatto l’uovo).

false

1601

28287

"""If implemented, the provisions of Texas Senate Bill 17 would """"allow doctors to refuse LGBTQ patients."""

What's true: SB 17 could reasonably be expected to encourage and embolden licensed professionals to refuse to serve individuals due to religious objections to their identities, and to discourage licensing agencies from punishing those licensed professionals for such behavior. What's false: The bill does not formally and explicitly confer upon licensed professionals an affirmative right to refuse to serve certain individuals, and it includes disclaimers stating that illegal discrimination would still be punished under the bill. Federal and Texas law already appear not to have definitive prohibitions against medical professionals' refusing to treat LGBT patients.

mixture

1602

9031

Diet shown to reduce stroke risk may also reduce risk of depression

The release focuses on a forthcoming, preliminary study that will be presented at a conference in April. The release reports that people who closely follow the so-called “DASH diet” are less likely to report symptoms of depression than people who do not adhere to the DASH diet. However, there are a number of unanswered questions. For example, the study appears to have focused on older adults with an average age of 81 so it’s not clear whether the findings would be relevant for younger adults. It’s also unclear whether depression leads to a change in dietary patterns. Common sense suggests lack of energy and motivation are negatively affected by depression and consequently may lead people to cook less frequently. And it’s not clear how closely any of the groups being studied adhered to the DASH diet. For further analysis of the study, the news release and resulting news coverage see our blog post. Clinical depression is a significant health issue, which can have profound ramifications for a patient’s well being and quality of life. There are a variety of treatment options available, but many of those options can be expensive or raise the possibility of adverse side effects. As a result, the idea that a lifestyle change, such as diet, could reduce the risk of depression is an attractive one. However, adopting a new diet is a big step for many people. It’s important for readers to understand the evidence behind the claims that a diet can significantly affect mental health risks. This release does some things well — such as noting at the very end that the study shows an association, not cause and effect. However, the release lacks key details that would allow people to clearly understand the underlying study.

false