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bigbio
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pubhealth

Dataset card Data Studio Files
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1603
10516
Breast cancer risk outlasts hormones
"""This story was about the elevated cancer risks associated with the use of hormone replacement therapy by women after menopause. But while highlighing an increased cancer risk, the story never explained that there was no difference in overall risk of dying from all causes for the different groups of women. So while the story quoted someone saying """"There’s no reason for alarm,"""" this important statistic would have provided some framework for why there was no reason for alarm. So some of the framing provided in this article (and in the scientific paper) semantically makes it seem like women would have to be crazy to choose to take HRT (experiencing """"danger"""" and suffering from """"insufficient awareness of risk"""") when in fact if women have a need that may be improved the tradeoff in terms of overall risk is neutral – so that personal history and informed decision-making really should take the lead. Another point about framing: Although the story mentioned in passing the benefit of hormone replacement therapy for relief of menopausal symptoms, it failed to expand on what these symptoms were and the extent to which they were lessened by the treatment. It failed to mentioned that there was a significant decrease in overall fracture risk. There have been many critics of the ways in which the Women’s Health Initiative study findings were communicated in 2002. This story – at times – fell into that same pattern of failing to deliver the context women may need to help make decisions."""
mixture
1604
37546
When stocking up for coronavirus-related social distancing, avoid WIC-approved supermarket items, because they may run out and leave families dependent on WIC with no ability to purchase food.
WIC-Approved Items and Coronavirus #SocialDistancing
unproven
1605
17313
Seventy-five percent of the young adults in this country are not mentally or physically fit to serve.
Bing West said 75 percent of young adults in the United States were physically or mentally unfit to serve in the military. The Defense Department and a non-governmental organization have both done research that support his claim. We find the statement  True. (Comment on this ruling on providencejournal.com. If you have a claim you'd like us to check, send it to [email protected] And follow us on Twitter: @politifactri.)
true
1606
24171
"""Several times, Obama """"has apologized for what he deems to be American arrogance, dismissiveness, and derision; for dictating solutions, for acting unilaterally ... ."""
"""In reviewing Romney's book, we couldn't help but notice that Romney's diagnosis of the problems America faces are very similar to the themes Obama often repeats: The U.S. needs to educate its children better to remain competitive in the global marketplace. We spend too much money on health care. The fiscal future is ultimately unsustainable. It is in the matter of foreign policy that Romney lays out the most aggressive case against Obama, warning that the United States needs to maintain its military dominance in the world, particularly in the face of threats from China, Russia and Islamic jihadists. Obama, Romney writes, needs to """"proudly defend her rather than continually apologize for her."""""""
false
1607
6354
Maine plans to expand syringe exchange program.
Maine plans to launch a $1.5 expansion of syringe exchanges to combat the surge in hepatitis C cases in the state.
true
1608
38160
Budweiser has pulled its ads and withdrawn its support for the NFL over the league’s handling of players protesting inequality by kneeling during the National Anthem.
Budweiser Pulls Out of NFL Over Handling of National Anthem Protests
false
1609
23644
There are more pain clinics in Broward County than there are McDonald's in Broward County.
Dave Aronberg says Broward pain clinics outnumber McDonald's sites
true
1610
1835
Gene from extinct human species fortifies high-altitude Tibetans.
How do Tibetans thrive in high-altitude, low-oxygen conditions that would make others wither? Well, they may have received some help from an unexpected source.
true
1611
7395
Early results boost hopes for historic gene editing attempt.
Early, partial results from a historic gene editing study give encouraging signs that the treatment may be safe and having at least some of its hoped-for effect, but it’s too soon to know whether it ultimately will succeed.
true
1612
10322
Significant Number of Medicare Patients Getting Too-Frequent Colonoscopies
Its few shortcomings could have been overcome easily with a little more space: mentioning costs defining and taking a stab at quantifying harms. (Also fixing the typo in the final paragraph where colonoscopy was used when they meant colon cancer. We make ’em, too.) The story’s interview quotes nailed the issue: Study author Goodwin “says the health community has been ‘a little too good in terms of selling the message of screening’ for cancer. ‘There really is an excellent acceptance of the benefits of cancer screening in this country, but I don’t think we’ve educated [people] well enough’ about the possible risks.” “Durado Brooks, director of prostate and colorectal cancers at the American Cancer Society… says many physicians worry about missing a potential cancer and underestimate the risks of screening, which are even higher for older people with underlying health problems.”
true
1613
39813
Girls are dying after receiving Gardasil and Cervarix vaccines for human papillomavirus (HPV), and the vaccines were not tested by the FDA.  
Gardasil, Cervarix Vaccines for HPV Cause Death
false
1614
3192
Ebola case reported not far from South Sudan border.
Authorities have confirmed an Ebola case not far from Congo’s border with South Sudan, a country with a weak health care system after years of civil war that is vulnerable to the potential spread of the deadly disease.
true
1615
2651
Weighing the benefits of balance training.
Dick Sandhaus, a healthy and fit 62-year old, says he never gave his balance a thought until he lost it.
true
1616
193
Sanofi to pay Lexicon $260 million for terminated partnership.
Lexicon Pharmaceuticals Inc said on Tuesday France’s Sanofi SA will pay the drugmaker $260 million for the termination of their partnership to develop diabetes drug Zynquista.
true
1617
1827
Vixen workouts fuse foxy cardio fitness with girls’ night out.
Before the music begins members of the women-only exercise class, dressed in shredded tank tops, full makeup and wedged sneakers, pose seductively before studio mirrors and chant, “Yes, I’m sexy. Yes, I’m fierce. Yes, I’ve got this.”
true
1618
11320
Study says bypass surgery for heart patients better than stents in the long term
"""There were enough problems with the execution of this story, which presents results of a study comparing open-heart surgery to angioplasty in patients with serious heart disease, that, in the end, one could question the decision to publish it. The story failed to evaluate the quality of the evidence and to emphasize factors which raise questions about that quality: The results were reported at a medical meeting and have not been published or peer-reviewed. (See our primer on the potential pitfalls of reporting on such stories.) It was financed by a leading maker of stents. Patients were followed for only one year. The surgery-vs.-stent topic is highly controversial, even emotional, raising questions of benefits, risks, doctors’ self-interest and medical costs – all against a background of contradictory research. Publishing an article on this topic for a mass audience without raising more questions about the quality of the evidence is not in the public interest. Having said all that, the reporter follows many health journalism best practices, including reporting absolute risks, quoting sources with no connection to the research, revealing the study’s funding source and providing context about previous research into stents. Experience suggests that the decision to report a story like this can result when a reporter attends a medical conference and feels obligated to """"come back with something."""" This invites overselling of the story by the reporter or the editor. This tension may be apparent in the lede, which seeks to present a novel viewpoint on the findings. The reporter suggests the findings mean the choice to have surgery or angioplasty """"may come down to one question: How many procedures would you like to have?"""" That’s a spurious question. This research does nothing to change the established considerations that should drive a surgery-vs.-stent decision: Underlying patient health, disease state, death risk, stroke risk, recuperation time, access to a highly skilled surgeon and so on. To imply this potentially life-changing decision should rest on """"how many procedures"""" you want to have is foolish."""
mixture
1619
11429
New Scan May Spot Alzheimer’s
This was a story about a new test being developed that may have potential for accurately diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease prior to post mortem examination of the brain. Interesting research. But the story would have benefited from comments from independent experts in the field about the utility of the test reported on – how far along the development is, what impact an early diagnosis could have in terms of treatment and disease progression, and how this test compares to the current methods. Concern about Alzheimer’s disease is in part due to the nature of this neurodegenerative condition, its progressive nature and lack of good treatment options. Reporting about potentially accurate means of diagnosis is exciting but needs to be tempered with information about its application in real world settings. Being able to diagnosis someone near death is one thing, being able to diagnosis them so that action could be taken to affect the course of the disease or allow them to get their affairs in order – is another.
false
1620
9149
New Peer-Reviewed Clinical Study Successfully Validates The Use Of Proove Opioid Risk® To Predict Prescription Opioid Abuse
This news release from Proove Biosciences Inc. reports on a test designed to identify those at risk of becoming addicted to opioids so doctors can improve their prescribing practices. The release summarizes a study showing that the company’s algorithm, which combines genetic markers with lifestyle and behavior variables, accurately distinguishes between healthy patients with no history of opioid abuse and patients receiving opioid addiction treatment. The study, however, may be comparing people with opioid use disorder with the wrong control group, given that a more useful distinction would be between those who have become addicted and those who have used opioids in similar circumstances without becoming addicted. In addition, the news release fails to provide information about the study’s funding source, nor does it note that four of the study’s six authors work for Proove. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), opioid overdose killed more than 33,000 Americans in 2015. Almost half of those who died were using a prescription opioid, although not necessarily one that had been prescribed to them. Many of those who become addicted to prescription opioids or heroin develop those addictions after being prescribed opioid painkillers. Reducing the number of deaths caused by opioid abuse has emerged as a national health priority, although policy-makers have not been able to address how to go about it — much less fund an opioid abuse reduction program. An inexpensive and reliable test that could accurately predict one’s risk of becoming addicted to opioids could be a welcome development. However, this tool and others like it have been criticized for both reliability and questionable marketing practices.
false
1621
9672
Occasional fasting could help you live longer
This CNN story looks at studies investigating the potential life-extending benefits of periodically fasting, and of consuming a special diet that makes the body think it’s fasting. It glosses over important details like who was studied and how, and instead claims that the diet has the potential to “help you live longer.” That’s an unhelpful, clickbait-y approach to the science that we wish more news outlets would avoid. Extensive passages devoted to medical jargon only serve to confuse the reader, as well. Who doesn’t want to live longer? Lose excess weight? Reduce their risk of heart disease? The claims made in this piece are appealing to many of us–and therefore likely to garner a lot of clicks–but they’re also poorly supported by the actual research. That’s dangerous: Readers of this story could very easily make false conclusions about the benefits of fasting, and assume it’s risk-free.
mixture
1622
10373
Study: Statins increase life expectancy
"""The headline of this story (which was the same in other media that picked up the AP story) paints a somewhat unrealistic expectation. The story did not explain that the study was a retrospective analysis of data on patients who were prescribed statins for specific indications, not a prospective study comparing the effects on longevity of statins on two matched groups of individuals. There are inherent weaknesses in such """"observational"""" studies which the story didn't explain. While the results from this single research study that showed that for those elderly at higher cardiovascular risk, the use of statins was associated with longer survival – surprise about these results was expressed by the study's first author. This should help temper premature extrapolation of these findings to individual patients for those who read beyond the headline. The story reported that """"those at greater risk of death received the greatest benefit of being on the drugs"""" and that """"statin users actually lived an average two years longer despite the patients having more health risk factors and being older than non-statin users."""" But the reader is given no basis for comparison. How much greater was the initial risk compared to other groups? Neither the baseline risk nor the benefit were adequately quantified. The story didn't discuss any potential harms from statin use, nor did it discuss the cost of statin drugs. The story admits that the quote from the principal investigator came from a news release, not from a direct interview. Since no other source is quoted, and since key points from the study as it appeared in the journal article were missed, it appears that this story relied solely or largely on a news release."""
false
1623
6593
Retired marathoner addresses addiction and recovery in SD.
A retired world class long-distance runner shared his message of addiction and recovery in South Dakota.
true
1624
11113
Endometriosis? Robot surgery may not be the answer
What could have been a John Henry style man-triumphs-over-technology story with outsized language and overheated quotes turns out to be a fairly straightforward, clear-eyed piece of reporting – but with some missing elements. Robots are supposed to make everything better.They are smarter than us, faster than us and less prone to error, the thinking goes. Here is one piece of evidence that robots, in their current stage of development, are not actually able to perform at least one important surgical task better than humans.
mixture
1625
24372
President Obama has broken his pledge to the American people to be transparent throughout (health care reform negotiations).
Gov. Charlie Crist says Obama breaks transparency promise on health reform bill
true
1626
10312
New drug shows promise in fighting breast cancer
This was a Phase 1 study – not even designed to prove efficacy. Yet the headline talks about “promise” and the body text describes results in two out of 97 patients – only with breast cancer. It feels like a local story promoting local research without appropriate context. Would the newspaper have reported this if it occurred in another city in another state? No chance. So why does local research get promoted when it’s such an early stage that it would never be publicized if it came from anywhere else? One important part of the story was actually the interview with a breast cancer survivor who said “A lot of these things will shrink a tumor. But what we look at as advocates is overall survival.”  And this research is a long way off from being able to show that.
false
1627
11024
New Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Promising in Early Trial
What is a person with multiple sclerosis to make of this story? Is it the “promising new therapy” trumpeted in the headline? Or is it the no-better-no-worse-not-a-breakthrough-nothing-novel-about-it of the Mayo physician’s perspective. How do journalists get at the answer? By evaluating the evidence and providing data – something not done sufficiently in this story. People with MS understandably hang on every word of promising new approaches. We feel for them as they try to analyze what this new study really means. News stories need to do a better job of evaluating evidence or they might be better off leaving such topics alone entirely.
false
1628
32623
"""The media is covering up that """"multiple shooters"""" were involved in the mass killing at an Orlando nightclub."""
Furthermore, “the media” are not a homogenous group controlled by a single central agency, but rather a group of thousands of individuals with their own personal reasons for being journalists, many of whom operate independently of any newsrooms, and for whom a cover-up of this magnitude would be the scoop of their lives. And their information wouldn’t come from an “employee’s sister” (just another version of the “friend of a friend” trope), but from multiple firsthand sources.
false
1629
18130
"""A """"hidden"""" provision in the health care law taxes sporting goods as medical devices."""
Errant email on health care law comes to Georgia
false
1630
35451
Teens and tweens transmit SARS-CoV-2 quicker and more efficiently than adults.
What's true: A study including more than 65,000 individuals in South Korea found that juveniles between the ages of 10 and 19 are just as likely as adults — if not more — to transmit SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19. What's undetermined: The study used contact tracing to determine how likely an infected individual is to spread the virus to people who live within their home compared to those they come into contact with outside of the home. It is important to highlight several limitations present in the study that may have influenced or skewed the findings that are described in the article below. Furthermore, the study was pre-released in July 2020 in advance of its October 2020 publish date, and may see further edits before final publication.
true
1631
26330
Technology coming to Virginia allows COVID-19 personal protection equipment to be “decontaminated and reused 20 times without degrading performance.”
"""Northam said with decontamination systems being set up in Virginia, """"PPE can be decontaminated and reused 20 times without degrading."""" The systems are excellent news for Virginia which, like practically all states, has struggled to acquire N95 masks for medical workers. But the governor’s words are still rosy. The FDA, in its letter of emergency approval, said the decontamination system """"may be effective"""" safely recycling masks up to 20 times, but warned the process should  only be used when there are """"insufficient (new) supplies."""" Some early research suggests the structure of the masks may be compromised through the repeated process, making them less-secure fits on faces. So Northam’s statement is partially accurate, but leaves out important details."""
mixture
1632
1878
Could your Valentine's kiss give you lead poisoning?.
If you’re going to be on either end of a kiss this Valentine’s Day, you might want to consider smooching bare-lipped. Most lipstick contains lead.
true
1633
24297
On a bipartisan task force on ways to improve fiscal policy.
McConnell reverses position on Conrad-Gregg budget commission
false
1634
23419
We've got to find 2 billion gallons (of water per day) between now and 2025.
Adam Putnam sounds alarm on looming water crisis
true
1635
15792
"""Birth control pioneer Margaret Sanger was """"an active participant in the Ku Klux Klan."""
"""Former New Hampshire Speaker of the House William O’Brien wrote that  Margaret Sanger was the founder of Planned Parenthood and """"an active participant in the Klu Klux Klan."""" Birth-control advocate Sanger did give a speech to a women’s branch of the KKK and she was a believer in eugenics. However, her writings and other contemporary evidence make clear that she was not ideologically in tune with the Klan -- much less an """"active participant."""" O’Brien’s claim goes far beyond the evidence."""
false
1636
1874
Chocolate may be good for your heart: study.
Eating chocolate is not only a treat for the tongue — it may also have some tangible benefits for heart health, such as lowering blood pressure slightly, according to a study involving more than a thousand people.
true
1637
6492
Drug epidemic: 1 small-town mayor takes on pill distributors.
In this once prosperous West Virginia coal town of 1,900 people, residents say it’s not just the decades-long demise of mining that hurt the community — it’s the scourge of drug use that came with it.
true
1638
9405
Alzheimer's disease reversed in mice, offering hope for humans, new research shows
This story excitedly describes the “remarkable” finding that by deleting an enzyme called BACE1 in a mouse model, researchers were able to stop the amyloid plaques found in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s from developing. The enthusiasm is tempered later in the story, when it is noted that previous advances in treating Alzheimer’s in mice have not translated into success in treating Alzheimer’s in people. The story tells readers there are BACE1 inhibitors in clinical trials in humans, and quotes the study’s lead researcher as saying these drugs could provide hope for Alzheimer’s patients, “if” they can be used long term and don’t have side effects. But that’s a very big “if.” Missing from the story is this background: a number of BACE1 inhibitors have been studied in human clinical trials and were not found to be effective. In fact, just before this story was published, Merck announced it was halting a BACE1 trial after an interim analysis showed it was unlikely that a positive benefit/risk ratio could be established. The story also glosses over potential harms. The public jumps at any hint of a cure for Alzheimer’s, which is the most common cause of dementia. According to this 2017 report from the Alzheimer’s Association, an estimated 5.5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s, and 5.3 million of them are age 65 and older. It is the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S. Before people die from the disease, they can live for many years fully dependent on others for their care. Coverage about Alzheimer’s shouldn’t tease people with unjustified language that pumps up hope for a cure. For more on the importance of context and cautionary language when covering stories like this, read “How to report on preliminary Alzheimer’s research results.”
false
1639
1970
Mental problems of soldiers' kids tied to wars.
The longer U.S. soldiers were deployed in Iraq or Afghanistan, the more likely their children would be diagnosed with mental health problems, according to a study published Monday.
true
1640
21863
Since June 2009, about 48 percent of all the jobs created in America were in Texas.
Rick Perry says Texas accounted for 48 percent of U.S. jobs created after recession's end
mixture
1641
29133
Kellogg's Corn Flakes were originally created in an effort to discourage American consumers from masturbating.
"""What's true: The creation of corn flakes was part of J.H. Kellogg's broader advocacy for a plain, bland diet. Without referring to corn flakes in particular, Kellogg elsewhere recommended a plain, bland diet as one of several methods to discourage masturbation. What's false: According to the available evidence, corn flakes were primarily created as an easy-to-digest, pre-prepared and healthy breakfast food, in particular for patients at the Kellogg sanitarium in Michigan. The product was never advertised as an """"anti-masturbatory morning meal."""""""
false
1642
10232
Fighting spinal pain with a titanium ‘bullet’
This story reports on a new implantable device, the X-Stop prosthesis, that was recently FDA approved for people with spinal stenosis. The story does mention surgery and steroid injections as the alternatives, but fails to mention other conservative treatments, including physical therapy, weight loss, or oral anti-inflammatory medication. The representation of the prevalence and seriousness of spinal stenosis is also questionable. Although approximately 500,000 Americans over age 50 may be experiencing symptoms, it is not clear that they have the formal diagnosis of spinal stenosis. Although there is mention of a trial, there is no description of the study design or duration of follow-up, an important consideration in chronic relapsing conditions like back pain. In fact, this was a single study with a relatively small sample size in which one or more authors received sponsorship from the device manufacturer. More importantly, however, was the use of a questionable control group. The control group in this study was comprised of a mixture of non-operative treatments, including bed rest, lumbar supports, and injections (of variable amounts). Also, no direct comparison was made between the device and laminectomy (the appropriate control group). All of these factors limit the reader’s ability to evaluate the evidence behind the device. Furthermore, no quantitative estimates of benefit are provided and the story downplays the harms of the device. The story should have mentioned that in the study, 17% of the patients in the device group experienced some adverse event and 10% required some sort of re-operation. Although the story mentions the cost of the device, we have no other costs to compare it to. Finally, only a single source is quoted and we can’t be sure of his potential conflicts of interest. The reader should expect the journalist to assess the quality and strength of the evidence supporting a new device. Highlighting a single success story and a single surgeon’s enthusiasm may obscure the truth about the nature of the evidence. It may be that this ‘bullet’ is indeed an important innovation, but the reader is not provided with enough balanced information to come to that conclusion.
false
1643
3986
West Nile virus confirmed in miniature horse in Pine City.
Minnesota veterinary officials are urging horse owners to get their animals vaccinated against West Nile virus.
true
1644
6696
Buzz Aldrin sues children, alleging misuse of his finances.
Apollo 11 moonwalker Buzz Aldrin is suing two of his children and a former business manager, accusing them of misusing his credit cards, transferring money from an account and slandering him by saying he has dementia.
true
1645
5795
Judge says LA County wrongly booted thousands off Medi-Cal.
A judge ruled that Los Angeles County wrongly canceled Medi-Cal coverage for thousands of residents, often leaving them without access to health care and needed medicines.
true
1646
3081
Big spending bill wins Senate OK, has victories all around.
The Senate passed a $1.4 trillion government spending package Thursday in a last bipartisan burst of legislating before bolting for the holidays from a Capitol riven by impeachment.
true
1647
28974
A photograph shows a group of daisies that mutated due to radiation from the Fukushima nuclear power plant.
What's true: A photograph shows a group of mutated daisies in Japan. What's false: The flowers in the photograph are proven to have mutated due to radiation from the power plant.
mixture
1648
9187
Scientifically-designed fasting diet lowers risks for major diseases
This is a news release marked by extravagant claims but a surprising lack of numerical data to back up those claims. It did not score well on our 10 systematic review criteria. It’s about a small study of 100 people that looked at what happened if they consumed a low-calorie (between 750 to 1,100 calories per day) pre-packaged diet kit for 5 days intermittently over 6 months. The news release suggests that this regimen might lower the patients’ risks of “cancer, diabetes, heart disease and other age-related diseases.” While the release says at the top that the trial “demonstrated a host of benefits” and later “that the diet is feasible, effective and safe for humans,” it says in the next line that larger studies are needed to confirm its effects. So which is it? Did it demonstrate effectiveness? Or is that an effect that needs to be confirmed? The words matter, and can be misleading. The news release alternated between caution and lack of discretion in describing the actual known outcomes of the diet. A study author is quoted saying the study did not prove a lowering of risk, but the news release ignores that warning and claims a risk-lowering was “demonstrated” by this early study. One positive note: The release is to be commended for being transparent about potential conflicts of interest. Being precise in news releases matters because precision or the lack of it affects what the public learns about health and diet strategies. This news release suggests a proprietary pre-packaged diet lowered risk of a wide range of serious diseases, but the study carefully states it proved only “safety” in a very small group of people. This is just the sort of exaggeration that reduces public trust in reports about health and diet, by over-promising and mistaking the measurement of certain endpoints, such as blood pressure or blood biomarkers, with a larger concept such as reducing risk of disease in the long-term. HealthNewsReview.org has seen this pattern repeated so often we have added a page in our toolkit about referencing surrogate endpoints instead of actual health outcomes. For example, an intervention may affect a person’s blood pressure, but that doesn’t mean it decreases their risk of heart disease. It takes much larger and longer studies than the one described in the news release to reach the proof of effectiveness that matters most.
false
1649
10760
Pediatricians urge autism screening
"""Although this was a well written, interesting piece about a professional organization’s effort at promoting early screening for autism, any story about screening ought to include information about the courses of action that might be taken based on the results of the testing. With any testing, it is important for people to understand the impact of test results that incorrectly identify individuals as either having or not having the condition in question. The story did not make clear what the strength of the evidence is for these new screening recommendations. And there was no discussion about whether the additional of a developmental assessment would increase the cost of traditional checkups. This could be a big issue, since """"recommended treatment should include at least 25 hours a week of intensive behavior-based therapy."""" How much will that cost?"""
mixture
1650
37931
Image depicts Joe Biden and Kamala Harris at a campaign event with no masks.
Images purportedly depicting presidential candidate Joe Biden and vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris at a rally where neither they nor the crowd used masks was framed as hypocritical, occurring after months of public dispute over the use of masks and other COVID-19 pandemic-related changes to daily life. However, the photographs were taken on March 9 2020, weeks before Americans were advised to wear masks in public situations.
false
1651
3393
Asbestos, looting plague Colorado Springs apartments.
Colorado health officials say they’re looking into asbestos contamination at an apartment development and warn the property owner could face fines for violations.
true
1652
17301
American Hustle shows the FBI making real-life bribes to Washington politicians. I know, because as your U.S. senator, I turned them down.
"""Pressler said that """"American Hustle shows the FBI making real-life bribes to Washington politicians. I know, because as your U.S. senator, I turned them down."""" Pressler’s retelling fits with the description of the facts published in the media at the time -- actions that drew praise from a federal judge who wrote that Pressler """"showed a clear awareness of the line between proper and improper conduct"""" and """"refused to cross into impropriety."""""""
true
1653
8080
Italy coronavirus deaths pass 7,500 amid fears of spread to south.
More than 680 people have died from coronavirus in Italy in the last 24 hours, the Civil Protection Agency said on Wednesday, as concerns grew that the disease was spreading more towards the south of the country.
true
1654
6621
Pipeline protesters at governor’s office arrested, released.
Authorities have released 21 people protesting a planned liquefied natural gas pipeline who were arrested Thursday night during a sit-in at the governor’s office in the Oregon State Capitol.
true
1655
5116
Congress probes approval of Trump backer’s housing project.
A congressional committee is investigating whether the U.S. Interior Department helped an Arizona developer and supporter of President Donald Trump get a crucial permit after a wildlife official said the housing project would threaten habitat for imperiled species.
true
1656
8786
New AIDS vaccine blueprint calls for more focus.
AIDS vaccine researchers should move to smaller, more focused trials and dump any vaccines that do not show strong promise, the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative said on Tuesday.
true
1657
11357
Vaginal steam bath finds a place among Southern California spa options
We liked that this story points out early on that there is zero evidence to support the health benefits of herbal steam baths for the vagina, which are known in traditional Korean medicine as chai-yok. But we became confused when the story explained that the treatment is almost totally unheard of in the U.S., even among gynecologists and fertility experts. If there’s no evidence that chai-yok works and almost nobody knows about it or has tried it, what exactly makes this treatment worthy of an 850-word article in a leading national newspaper? There are limited journalistic resources to cover the seemingly limitless number of treatments that are out there. So we’d prefer to see journalists pursuing stories that aid the decision-making of a significant number of health care consumers. A story about herbal steam baths for the vagina seems unlikely to meet this objective.
true
1658
3474
Are we alone? Nobel Prize goes to 3 who tackled cosmic query.
They are two of the most fundamental questions not just of science, but of humanity: How did we get here? And are we alone?
true
1659
10285
For many women, breast reduction means less pain and more activity
"""This story on breast reduction surgery is triggered by news reports about Simona Halep, a Romanian tennis player whose breasts are so large they reportedly affect her performance on court. While this has launched predictably vulgar chatter around the Internet, it does create something of a """"teachable moment"""" on the topic of macromastia, as the condition of excessive breast size is known. Alas, the Daily News isn’t quite up for the challenge. On the positive side, the reporter did talk to four breast surgery specialists and provides a basic explanation of the condition. The reader essentially learns that macromastia can be serious–that it causes pain, limits activity and can be treated with surgery. On the negative side: The story conveys the impression that the surgery is effective without providing any credible information to verify this. It does not mention the risks of the surgery. It does not report on costs. It fails to distinguish between breast reduction for cosmetic and medical reasons. The story’s rosy view of the surgery is likely to have been shaped by the enthusiasm of the four plastic surgeons used as sources, one of whom has """"his"""" own technique, called the """"lollipop lift."""" All have economic self-interest in seeing breast reduction surgery portrayed as medically important and highly effective. The story has conveyed this viewpoint without resistance. [Curiously, all of the sources are men.] A reader is likely to exit this story with plenty of questions: How successful is the surgery, and how long-lasting are  the symptoms? At what point does breast size become a treatable condition? At what point do the benefits of surgery outweigh the risks? Is this problem best treated early to prevent chronic pain from settling in? Alas, the story doesn’t explore any of these questions. And it can’t go without a final mention: Comparing the symptoms of excessively large breasts to those of metastatic cancer is just shameful."""
mixture
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2134
"""Fat dissolving"""" spa treatment no such thing: FDA."""
So-called fat dissolving treatments offered by spas do not eliminate fat and the companies should stop saying so, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Wednesday.
true
1661
28440
A large circle marked on a protester's poster is an accurate reflection of the size of the hole created by an AR-15 round.
What's true: The hole shown in the poster could plausibly represent the diameter of the highly destructive temporary cavity left in a person's body by a high-velocity AR-15 round. What's false: The hole shown in the poster is too big to represent an AR-15 entrance wound; even an exit wound is unlikely to be as large as the shape shown on the poster.
mixture
1662
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The Earth is 6,000 years old, that’s a fact.
"""Kremer says: """"The Earth is 6,000 years old, that’s a fact."""" Kremer states a biblical belief, but goes too far in describing it as a fact. It’s a matter of settled science that the Earth is much older, with the current consensus being that it is about 4.5 billion years of age."""
false
1663
7486
EU: Malaria drugs used for virus could cause side effects.
The European Union’s medicines regulator on Thursday warned countries that malaria drugs being used experimentally to treat the new coronavirus have potentially serious side effects, including seizures and heart problems.
true
1664
10902
Mediterranean diet plus olive oil associated with reduced breast cancer risk
This news release reports on the findings of a large European study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, asking whether older women participants following a Mediterranean Diet, supplemented with either extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) or nuts, experienced a different rate of breast cancer than women receiving straightforward dietary advice. The outcome showed that those supplemented with EVOO experienced fewer cases of breast cancer than did the control group or the group supplemented with nuts. Overall, the release does an excellent job of summarizing the results of the study and putting the evidence in context. The study’s numerous limitations are addressed, and the release also quotes from an accompanying editorial that provides a valuable independent perspective. The release would have benefited from inclusion of absolute risk numbers and some acknowledgment that the diet studied here could be costly to follow. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. If the risk of this disease can be lowered by simply altering one’s diet, it would represent a safe, non-pharmacological approach to improving the public’s health.
true
1665
11199
A cocktail to remember? Nutrient elixir shows promise against Alzheimer’s
"""This story unfortuantely reads like a marketing effort on the part of the manufacturer rather than objective reporting on the results of what the authors describe as an early proof of concept trial. The story suggests that the product in question (Souvenaid), """"…might be effective in stemming-and perhaps reversing the cognitive tolls of Alzheimer’s. """" While this may be true, the published article demonstrated much more limited results, ony demonstrating an improvement in one of six rating scales used.The story presents an inflated view of the study results without any significant provisos. Readers can see a striking difference between the LA Times story and one on ABCNews.com that had many more paragraphs of concerns, caveats and context. There are no effective treatments for Alzheimer’s DIsease. While there are numerous drugs available, their value in the memory loss and dementia associated with Alzheimer’s is limited. A new treatment, especially one based on a nutritional approach would be a welcomed option. However – the headline and the tone of this story raises hopes and expectations unrealistically."""
false
1666
34592
A woman was nearly kidnapped by human traffickers using a ring placed on her windshield as bait.
All in all, we’d guess the “free gift ring” phenomenon is just a garden variety scam, a form of “pigeon drop” or maybe just an attempt to lure suckers into paying premium prices for cheap jewelry.
unproven
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Bills fall to Pats, and lose QB Josh Allen to head injury.
Bills coach Sean McDermott suddenly has bigger worries than Josh Allen’s carelessness with the football.
true
1668
10820
Rapid Rise in PSA Levels a Poor Predictor of Prostate Cancer: Study
This story did a few things better than its AP competition: a bit better evaluation of the evidence much more explicity addressing the option of not being screened at all. But AP did a better job quantifying harms. Neither story discussed the costs of PSA tests or provided estimates of the costs for following up an increase in PSA with a biopsy. These are significant cost issues, which warranted at least a line in the stories. PSA velocity was initially recommended to help men with abnormal PSA values (> 4) make decisions about whether to undergo biopsy because most of these men don’t have cancer. Because most elevated PSA values are false positives, PSA velocity could help men avoid unnecessary biopsies. However, recommendations began emerging to use PSA velocity to guide biopsy decisions for men with normal PSA values. No evidence ever supported these recommendations and now a well-designed analysis clearly indicates that using PSA velocity in men with normal PSA values will lead to even more unnecessary biopsies. It was also important that this story dropped back and discussed the option of not being screened at all – thanks to the contribution Dr. Otis Brawley of the American Cancer Society made to the story.
true
1669
16411
Health insurance costs for Floridians are up 30 percent or more.
The Republicans’ ad shows several unidentified people saying that health insurance costs for Floridians are up 30 percent or more. Many reports that cite big double-digit premium increases are based on individual or small-group plans and omit large group plans, the type of coverage many people have through work. Kaiser concluded that in large-group plans, the largest segment in the market, premiums will rise 3 percent. The Republicans’ ad takes anecdotal experiences about cost increases that would be rare but potentially true and creates the impression that the federal health care law is just one big heap of problems for patients without any benefits. Then it tells voters that despite that morass, Crist supports it. People may see increases to their health care costs under the law, but the typical experience is nowhere near what the ad suggests. Indeed, other Floridians will see their costs go down.
false
1670
9937
Trial for New Lupus Treatment Is Called Promising
This story reported on Benlysta, a drug currently under investigation for the treatment of lupus. The piece was clear that Benlysta is in phase 3 testing and that application for its use to treat lupus has not yet been filed with the FDA. Benlysta is a medication that will, if approved, be used in addition to other lupus treatments. The story reported that the drug improved symptoms, but never explained which symptoms. It would have been helpful to include more about which lupus patients could be expected to benefit from this drug as well as the potential risks and side effects that may be incurred from its use. Comments from clinicians with relevant expertise but without commercial ties would greatly improved the credibility of this report and increased its value to readers.
true
1671
2963
Nineteen students sick in China from poisoned yoghurt.
Nineteen primary school children in China have been hospitalized after drinking yoghurt said to be laced with rat poison and herbicide, the Xinhua state news said.
true
1672
5553
Supreme Court: Ginsburg treated for tumor on pancreas.
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has completed radiation therapy for a cancerous tumor on her pancreas and there is no evidence of the disease remaining, according to the Supreme Court.
true
1673
9607
It’s Comical. It’s Critical. It Might Even Help You Lose Weight.
This story urges people to make sure they’re eating enough dietary fiber, with a focus on fiber’s role in promoting healthy weight loss. And, overall, it does a fairly good job — though giving a high-profile to unpublished data from a privately-owned fitness app (MyFitnessPal) is a little unusual. To draw causal conclusions about a specific food/dietary component, without providing fulsome data is worrisome. Also, we’re unaware of any studies at this point that speak to the veracity of MyFitnessPal dietary record keeping, and the accuracy of its collection is probably worth validating and exploring–or at least noting its limitations. And, on a broader level, focusing on a single ingredient such as “fiber” feeds nutritionism–the notion that the presence or absence of a particular nutrient makes a food healthful or not. We don’t have nutrition drilled down that specifically. This point would have made the story stronger. Fiber–especially from whole fruits and vegetables–is an important part of a healthy diet, with institutions from the Mayo Clinic to Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health outlining the myriad ways that a fiber-rich diet reduces health risks. And, as this story notes, most people don’t get enough fiber. Recommendations for daily intake of fiber vary, but tend to come in between 25 grams per day to 38 grams per day, depending on age and sex. A 2014 paper from USDA’s Food Surveys Research Group found that Americans consume an average of 16 grams of fiber per day. Given the potential benefit of eating more fiber, this would seem like a conversation worth having. And that appears to be the goal of the story.
true
1674
16937
Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen has long record of voting against VA backlog fixes.
"""The DCCC said """"Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen has long record of voting against VA backlog fixes."""" The DCCC points to some votes that went against funding certain veterans’ services or addressing the backlog. However, the DCCC ignores that Ros-Lehtinen took other votes in favor of increasing funding for veterans’ services -- just not as much as Democratic proposals would have offered. The bigger issue is that most of these votes came within elaborate games of tit-for-tat, in which each side offers proposals that they expect will fail, just to get lawmakers on the other side to take votes that look superficially bad. The reality of Ros-Lehtinen’s voting record is much more nuanced than the DCCC’s cherry-picked account would suggest. This, combined with the """"A"""" ratings she's earned from veterans' advocacy groups, undercut the DCCC's claim that she has a """"long"""" voting record of voting against the interests of veterans."""
false
1675
35960
"""A photograph spreading online shows the """"Elephant's Foot"""" lava flow at the site of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor disaster."""
Is This a Photograph of the Chernobyl ‘Elephant’s Foot’?
true
1676
35325
Dutch restaurants solved the problem of dining out during the COVID-19 coronavirus disease pandemic by installing personal greenhouse booths.
What's true: A restaurant in Amsterdam is planning to allow people to dine out in personalized pods during the COVID-19 pandemic. A viral photograph shows a testing session for one of these pods. What's false: However, as of this writing, the pods are not yet publicly available as a dining option. This is one restaurant's proposed solution to the challenge of social distancing and it has not been approved by city officials.
mixture
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Nobel Prize for medicine goes to discoverers of brain’s 'inner GPS'.
British-American John O’Keefe and Norwegians May-Britt and Edvard Moser won the 2014 Nobel Prize for medicine for discovering the brain’s navigation system and giving clues as to how strokes and Alzheimer’s disrupt it.
true
1678
33622
An Indian woman gave birth to eleven baby boys all at once.
That picture was taken from an unrelated news report about a Mexican woman who underwent surgery to remove a 132-lb. tumor from her abdomen.
false
1679
20496
The fact is 90-percent of Down Syndrome children were aborted in this country.
Mike DeWine says that 90 percent of Down syndrome pregnancies are aborted
false
1680
30374
Capriccio Bubbly Sangria beverages are contaminated with HIV.
One of many hoaxes involving the claim that a common food product has somehow become contaminated with HIV.
false
1681
6415
Many smartphone health apps don’t flag danger, says review.
Don’t count on smartphone health apps in an emergency: A review shows many don’t warn when you’re in danger.
true
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3701
Samoa’s capital deserted as teams battle measles epidemic.
Samoa’s main streets were eerily quiet on Thursday as the government stepped up efforts to curb a measles epidemic that has killed 62 people.
true
1683
28695
Scientists have discovered a berry — found in only one region of Australia — that can cure cancer in 48 hours.
"""What's true: Scientists have isolated a chemical from the berry of a Australian plant endemic only to one region of Australia and have demonstrated promising early results regarding the compound’s ability to destroy tumors in mice, cats, dogs, and horses through direct injections; clinical trials are currently underway for its use in animals and humans. What's false: Cancer is an extremely broad class of diseases for which no single drug is likely ever to be a “cure""""; in this case, a specific chemical found in the Australian berry, isolated in a lab, have been shown to destroy some types of tumors in a variety of animals and laboratory settings; the berry itself would be of little medical value, and the chemical’s efficacy in treating tumors on humans has yet to be established."""
mixture
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Pain Patches Making Gains in U.S.
The story does include some commentary from some independent sources, and it does a good job placing the patches into the larger context of pain-relief traditions in other countries. But it does not carefully analyze the evidence supporting the use of these patches, does not quantify the benefits of their use, does not quantify the harms and does not provide any cost information. We’re baffled as to why this story was published (twice – 6 months apart) and why so many outlets picked it up. (Yahoo, iVillage, MSN, ScienceMagNews, countless TV stations, etc. Just do a web search on the headline to see dozens and dozens of re-posts.) Old news that didn’t get better with time, and still spreads like wildfire! Pain management is one of the most difficult areas of medicine. Patients who are in pain understandably will try any number of measures to seek relief. Good physicians, including the ones quoted in this story, tend to take a cautious approach, attempting to manage pain treatment holistically to avoid turning a pain sufferer into a pain medicine addict. Stories about various pain relief methods need to make it clear why one method might be an advance over another and why some methods might work better for short-term pain sufferers versus chronic pain patients. This story did neither.
false
1685
7432
UW staff rally for better protections, Eyman protests order.
Unionized University of Washington Medicine staff and labor organizers rallied at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle on Thursday to call for better protections from the coronavirus and to protest planned furloughs and layoffs in the face of $500 million in losses during the pandemic.
true
1686
10835
MS Drug Treatment Shows Promise
This story reports on a potentially important development in the treatment of symptomatic multiple sclerosis (MS). MS is a devastating condition and although many different treatments are available, they have side effects and must be injected, leading to non-compliance. The six-month results of the first randomized trial of this drug were published this month in the New England Journal of Medicine. However, since then, the drug company has released newer data that has not yet been published or presented at a meeting. This story reports on the new data released by the drug company. The story fails to mention treatment alternatives (of which there are several), does not quote any independent sources, and does not mention harms of the drug (including infection, headache, diarrhea, and nausea) or costs. The story also does not adequately describe the design of the study on which the story is based. In reality, this was a randomized trial in 281 patients. But it’s the first of its kind to study this drug, and further study is necessary before it will be used in clinical settings. Furthermore, the story appears to have relied on a drug company press release as its sole source of information. Not only does the story quote the same statistics, but it presents data that is not available from any other source (i.e. has not yet been published or presented at a meeting). The story was given an “Unsatisfactory” rating on the Quantification of Benefits criteria for two reasons. First, the story presents unpublished data. The September 14, 2006 New England Journal article presents data at six months, which was the end of the controlled trial, whereas this story presents data out to two years. In the study, after six months, those assigned to placebo were placed on the drug, so comparisons to the placebo could no longer be made and the results for the drug would appear to be more favorable. Second, the story provides a main outcome measure, percentage of patients free of relapse at the end of the study, for the drug treatment group only. It does not compare this percentage to the control group. The story should have stated that 65% of patients in the drug group were free of relapse at six months, compared to 23% of patients in the control group.
false
1687
2535
Even for sperm, there is a season.
Autumn is the time of year most associated with bumper crops of new babies, and according to an Israeli study there may be a scientific reason for it: human sperm are generally at their healthiest in winter and early spring.
true
1688
33580
AOL is donating 15¢ for every 12 forwards of a plea from Debbie Shwartz, a single mother of four.
Therefore, bleed not your heart for this fictitious single mother of four and her ill-advantaged brood, nor forward “her” plea to others. Spare your friends.
false
1689
3811
On drug costs, modest steps follow Trump’s big promises.
President Donald Trump makes big promises to reduce prescription drug costs, but his administration is gravitating to relatively modest steps such as letting Medicare patients share in manufacturer rebates.
true
1690
17865
On support for Common Core education standards
Candidate Barge, Superintendent Barge sometimes differ on Common Core
mixture
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2605
Philippines defies church to push family planning.
Philippine President Benigno Aquino is squaring off against his country’s powerful Catholic church in a bid to give people free access to the means to limit the size of their families.
true
1692
10601
Experimental Drug Might Help Fight Alzheimer’s After All
This story reports on a drug in development for people with Alzheimer’s disease. While providing a lot of detailed information about the molecule under study and how the drug is better tolerated at lower doses, this story failed to provide any insight as to the benefit one might hope to obtain from taking this medication. Indicating that the drug might show promise gets the readers hopes up without any framework for what it is they might expect. The graying of the population means that the concern about Alzheimer’s disease looms large –  for the elderly, people who care for elders, and those paying the bills.
true
1693
7989
'It's just impossible': tracing contacts takes backseat as virus spreads.
Faced with more than 70 cases of the novel coronavirus and a deadly outbreak in an assisted living community in his town, Ed Briggs is overwhelmed.
true
1694
6695
Gala opens countdown to 50th anniversary of 1st moon landing.
Former NASA astronaut Buzz Aldrin was noticeably absent from a gala kicking off a yearlong celebration of the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing, even though his nonprofit space education foundation is a sponsor and he typically is the star attraction.
true
1695
26981
CORONAVIRUS: Reports of 10,000 DEAD in Wuhan, China.
"""A claim circulating on Facebook says: """"CORONAVIRUS: Reports of 10,000 DEAD in Wuhan, China."""" There is nothing but mostly anonymous hearsay to back it up. Credible news and university reports put the death toll at a tiny fraction of what is claimed — 106 as of the evening of Jan. 27."""
false
1696
9556
This 8-year-old is free of cancer — for now — after a ‘breakthrough’ treatment
The story focuses on on the use of an experimental immunotherapy technique called CAR T-cell therapy to treat children who have been diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and who are no longer responding to conventional cancer treatments. The story does a good job of stressing that, while CAR T-cell therapy may be promising, it is far too early to determine how effective the treatment will be at keeping cancer from recurring. Important harms are made clear. Readers get the full sense of how experimental this treatment is, and how it’s a last-resort option. We do wish the story had provided more specifics on the clinical trial findings, though. The NIH estimates that there will be approximately 6,590 new cases of ALL diagnosed in the U.S. this year. The majority of those diagnosed with ALL (57%) are under the age of 20, with a median age of 15. Sixty-eight percent of those diagnosed survive at least five years. The impact of a cancer diagnosis in a child is difficult, or impossible, to quantify. In addition to the hardships the child has to endure, the diagnosis and treatment exacts an emotional toll on the family and loved ones as well. New information on treatments that can extend the lives, and quality of life, for these patients is clearly important — and affects entire families. It can be difficult to drill down into the numbers for drugs that are still undergoing clinical trials, but it is important for stories on subjects like this one to provide as much information as possible for patients, their families, and their healthcare providers. This story does many things well, but it may have done readers a greater service by focusing less on the experience of individual patients and more on the available research.
true
1697
4255
St. Louis jury rejects lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson.
A St. Louis jury on Friday rejected a Tennessee woman’s lawsuit that Johnson & Johnson baby powder contributed to her ovarian cancer, a victory for the company after it lost three previous, similar lawsuits in St. Louis.
true
1698
6873
St. Louis medical organizations plan more proton therapy.
Despite problems at several proton centers across the country, St. Louis medical organizations are planning to increase their use of the cancer-treating procedure.
true
1699
29481
Mylan CEO Heather Bresch donated a large sum of money to the Clinton Foundation.
What's true: The Mylan pharmaceutical company donated money to the Clinton Foundation, according to the organization's web site. What's false: Mylan CEO Heather Bresch is not personally listed as a donor to the Clinton Foundation.
false
1700
9943
Weighing a Pill For Weight Loss
This article is a balanced presentation about the risks and benefits of a weight lost drug (Xenical) that is currently marketed as the prescription medication Orlistat and is under current consideration by the FDA for over-the-counter distribution. Use of xenical along with diet and exercise can result in modest weight loss that may result in beneficial health outcomes. The common side effects (seen in ~70%) of consumers of this medication include flatulence, increased bowel movements, diarrhea and anal leakage.
true
1701
24053
Dubai is the only country with huge amounts of imported workers that's actually passed legislation to give these immigrant workers a better deal in the Middle East.
Clinton says UAE only Middle East country to pass laws to address plight of immigrant workers
false
1702
6883
Niece: Family won’t take in Elizabeth Smart’s kidnapper.
Once an accomplished organ player in Salt Lake City, Wanda Barzee became a disturbing figure for members of her own family after she helped in the 2002 kidnapping of then-teenager Elizabeth Smart.
true