Claim reviews
Sperm washing to help HIV-discordant couples conceive biological children safely was reported in the 90s; not “huge medical breakthrough” in 2022
CLAIM
A South African scientist made a “huge medical breakthrough” by successfully removing HIV from a sperm cell in a lab
SOURCE: Facebook users, Facebook
Published: 31 May 2022
VERDICT
No scientific data support the existence of orgone and its ability to cure cancer
CLAIM
“Wilhelm Reich invented a way to cure cancer”
SOURCE: Facebook Users, Facebook
Published: 27 May 2022
VERDICT
Monkeypox outbreak triggers conspiracy theories on social media claiming that it was planned or incorrectly linking it to COVID-19 vaccines
CLAIM
Monkeypox is caused by COVID-19 vaccines; a 2021 tabletop exercise portraying a monkeypox pandemic is evidence that global leaders planned the outbreak; the monkeypox vaccine was “ready” before the outbreak
SOURCE: Social media users, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube
Published: 26 May 2022
VERDICT
No reliable scientific evidence supports the use of dietary supplements marketed as weight loss and blood pressure aids in viral Facebook posts
CLAIM
Exipure weight loss supplement is scientifically proven to be effective; BPS-5 supplement effectively reduces blood pressure
SOURCE: Anonymous, Facebook
Published: 26 May 2022
VERDICT
Following COVID-19 vaccination, the spike protein is produced in small quantities in the body, which have not been shown to be harmful
CLAIM
“[Spike] is harmful to the human body in at least eight different ways [and] can persist in the human body for weeks, or even months, after a person gets vaccinated”
SOURCE: Roma Balmakov, The Epoch Times
Published: 25 May 2022
VERDICT
Scientific evidence doesn’t support the claim that induced abortion increases the risk of breast cancer and mental illness
CLAIM
Abortion increases the risk of breast cancer, mental illness, and preterm labor
SOURCE: Christina Francis, George Delgado, Newsmax
Published: 23 May 2022
VERDICT
No scientific evidence supports the claim that consuming apple cider vinegar is a rapid and effective long-term weight control approach
CLAIM
Apple cider vinegar and thermogenic supplements are effective for rapid weight loss
SOURCE: Facebook users, Facebook
Published: 20 May 2022
VERDICT
Event 201 isn’t evidence that authorities knew or planned the COVID-19 pandemic
CLAIM
Event 201 is evidence that officials already knew about COVID-19
SOURCE: Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Facebook
Published: 20 May 2022
VERDICT
The benefits of COVID-19 vaccines in preventing severe disease and other complications outweigh the risk of myocarditis, which is higher after COVID-19 itself
CLAIM
“they were not able to find a single healthy child in america that died from COVID-19 […] but one in every 2700 people are getting myocarditis”; “athletes are collapsing on playing fields as for myocarditis and it's from the vaccines”; Moderna patent filed in 2019 is linked to the pandemic
SOURCE: Robert F. Kennedy Jr., This Past Weekend with Theo Von
Published: 18 May 2022
VERDICT
The U.S. COVID-19 death toll reached the 1 million mark in May 2022; 15 million estimated deaths worldwide
CLAIM
U.S. deaths from COVID-19 hit 1 million
SOURCE: Carla Johnson, Associated Press
Published: 17 May 2022
VERDICT
