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Are claims linking recent U.S. trends in cancer diagnoses to COVID-19 vaccines plausible? A look at the available data
2024-03-29
Claims questioning COVID-19 vaccine safety have circulated continuously since COVID-19 vaccination campaigns began at the end of 2020. One such claim suggests that there has been an unprecedented rise in the number of cancer cases after the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, implying that the vaccines are responsible for this phenomenon. Science Feedback previously explained why this … Continued
How health problems after COVID-19 vaccination are sometimes used to feed misinformation narratives
2024-02-28
SUMMARY Three years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, scientists have acquired ample evidence showing that COVID-19 vaccines are safe. While COVID-19 vaccines are associated with some serious effects like myocarditis, such cases are rare and much less likely to occur after vaccination than after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Nevertheless, anecdotes and stories of ill health … Continued
“Disease X”: How pandemic preparedness talks spawned conspiracy theories online
2024-02-14
On 17 January 2024, public health experts including Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), held a roundtable titled “Preparing for Disease X” at the World Economic Forum of Davos (WEF). In light of the recent COVID-19 pandemic, the panel discussed what had failed in the global response to the pandemic … Continued
Variations on a theme: The evidence refuting the false claim that vaccines cause autism
2023-12-11
Introduction One of the most enduring narratives about vaccine safety is the alleged link between childhood vaccination and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A study published in 2020 showed that more than one in four parents of children with ASD believed it was caused by vaccines[1]. This belief directly impacts public health, with data showing that … Continued
What do we know about the safety of COVID-19 vaccine mRNA in breast milk?
2023-10-03
Introduction A study by Hanna et al. published in September 2023 reported the presence of mRNA from COVID-19 mRNA vaccines in the breast milk of some lactating women[1]. This study gave rise to many social media posts questioning whether vaccine mRNA in breast milk would lead to adverse health effects in breastfeeding babies. Because pregnant … Continued
Are phthalates causing a decline in male fertility?
2023-09-13
Introduction According to an estimate published by the World Health Organization in April 2023, infertility affects roughly one in six (17.5%) adults of reproductive age worldwide. Factors causing or contributing to infertility can occur before birth or develop later in life and are so varied and complex that, in many cases, a cause can’t be … Continued
Can mistletoe cure cancer?
2023-05-16
Introduction Cancer is a leading cause of mortality worldwide. In 2020, an estimated 19.3 million new cancers were diagnosed and about 10 million people died from the disease[1]. Because of the strong public interest in cancer cures, many claims of miraculous therapies are popular on the Internet. These cures are usually claimed to be better … Continued
Can you achieve a balanced diet by eating only meat? A look at the scientific evidence
2023-04-11
Introduction A diet that involves eating meat all the time sounds like a meat-lover’s dream. And you may have heard various social media influencers tout the health benefits of such a diet. Sounds like a win-win? Not so fast. As with most things in life, reality isn’t that simple. The carnivore diet consists of exclusively … Continued
What we know about the safety of mifepristone for medical abortions and the effectiveness of progesterone for “abortion reversal”
2023-02-24
Introduction The World Health Organization considers access to safe and affordable abortion services as important for the good health and well-being of women and girls. Unsafe abortion methods contribute to a significant portion of maternal deaths, and this is particularly evident in places where abortion is legally restricted. However, the development of medical abortion, a … Continued
Misinformation superspreaders are thriving on Musk-owned Twitter
2023-02-22
Key results 1. A study of 490 “misinformation superspreaders” (here defined as accounts that have repeatedly published popular tweets linking to known misinformation) shows that their collective popularity has significantly grown (on average, +42% interactions per tweet) since Elon Musk took effective control of the platform on 27 October 2022. Accounts from established and credible … Continued