Claim reviews
Fox News article listing alleged mistakes in COVID-19 public health response mixes accurate information with unsubstantiated claims
CLAIM
Natural immunity protects better than vaccination; “the mortality risk of an un-boosted person under age 30 was zero”; cloth face masks, school closures had zero benefits for children and some harm
SOURCE: Marty Makary, Fox News
Published: 23 Mar 2022
VERDICT
Health benefits of CBD gummies are unsupported by scientific evidence; Shark Tank and other TV personalities didn’t endorse them
CLAIM
TV personalities such as Shark Tank investors, Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz endorsed CBD gummies; CBD gummies have numerous health benefits
SOURCE: Facebook Users, Facebook
Published: 20 Mar 2022
VERDICT
Pfizer’s confidential document shows adverse events reported following vaccination; it doesn’t demonstrate that the vaccine caused the events or is unsafe
CLAIM
Safety surveillance data in the Pfizer’s document shows harmful effects of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine
SOURCE: Liz Wheeler, John Campbell, Social media users, Children's Health Defense, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram
Published: 11 Mar 2022
VERDICT
There is no evidence of U.S.-funded bioweapon labs in Ukraine; claims to the contrary misrepresent the U.S. Cooperative Threat Reduction Program
CLAIM
There are U.S.-funded bioweapon labs in countries surrounding Russia; “Pentagon Funded Bio-Weapons Labs in the Ukraine”
SOURCE: Social media users, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook
Published: 11 Mar 2022
VERDICT
Claim that COVID-19 deaths have been “vastly overcounted” is baseless; the evidence suggests the opposite
CLAIM
“COVID Deaths Have Been Vastly Overcounted”
SOURCE: Joseph Mercola, Epoch Times
Published: 10 Mar 2022
VERDICT
Ivermectin wasn’t shown to be more effective than remdesivir, contrary to claim by John Campbell
CLAIM
“In other words, you're about 70 percent less likely to die if you take ivermectin compared to taking remdesivir”
SOURCE: John Campbell, YouTube
Published: 10 Mar 2022
VERDICT
Study by Lund University researchers didn’t show that COVID-19 mRNA vaccines change our DNA
CLAIM
COVID-19 vaccine mRNA is converted to DNA and enters the cell’s nucleus, so the vaccines can potentially change our DNA
SOURCE: Meiling Lee, Epoch Times
Published: 07 Mar 2022
VERDICT
Short identical gene sequence in SARS-CoV-2 and a gene sequence patented by Moderna can be found in other organisms; not evidence that virus was engineered
CLAIM
“scientists find virus contains tiny chunk of DNA that matches sequence patented by Moderna THREE YEARS before pandemic began”
SOURCE: Connor Boyd, Daily Mail
Published: 02 Mar 2022
VERDICT
CDC’s updated developmental milestone checklists don’t mean that standards for children’s development are lowered; they signal a change in the surveillance strategy
CLAIM
The CDC “lowered the bar” for developmental milestones instead of acknowledging the effects of COVID-19 restrictions in children
SOURCE: Jim Hoft, Social media users, Gateway Pundit, Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, Twitter
Published: 25 Feb 2022
VERDICT
Claim that erythromycin eye ointment given to newborns is risky is misleading, lacks context
CLAIM
Erythromycin eye ointment given to newborns carries many risks
SOURCE: Anonymous, Well-Rooted Pediatrics
Published: 22 Feb 2022
VERDICT