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Fernanda Ferreira

Science Editor

Fernanda has a PhD in Virology from Harvard University and a Masters in Science Writing from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. As a freelance science writer, her work has appeared in MIT Technology Review, Science, and other publications. She joined Health Feedback in 2021.

The Science Feedback team

CLAIM REVIEWS

Kaposi’s sarcoma is an opportunistic cancer that occurs in advanced AIDS patients; it’s not caused by poppers
CLAIM
Poppers are the cause of Kaposi’s sarcoma

SOURCE: Robert Willner, Facebook

Published: 07 Apr 2023

VERDICT

Inhaling hydrogen peroxide to counter pathogens is dangerous
CLAIM
Inhaling hydrogen peroxide kills respiratory tract pathogens

SOURCE: Mike Adams, Infowars

Published: 20 Jan 2023

VERDICT

HIV infection is the cause of AIDS; persistent HIV/AIDS denialism relies on false information and is potentially deadly
CLAIM
“HIV does not cause AIDS”

SOURCE: Judy Mikovits, Instagram

Published: 18 Nov 2022

VERDICT

Evidence suggests that political partisanship is associated with higher COVID-19 mortality rates among Republicans compared to Democrats
CLAIM
“Covid death rates are higher among Republicans than Democrats, mounting evidence shows”

SOURCE: Aria Bendix, NBC News

Published: 05 Nov 2022

VERDICT

The amount of potassium chloride in Dasani bottled water is safe and won’t cause cardiac arrest
CLAIM
“Potassium chloride actually causes cardiac arrest […] and we’re drinking it in Dasani water.”

SOURCE: Social media users, Facebook, TikTok

Published: 05 Oct 2022

VERDICT

Claim that hydroxychloroquine is an effective early treatment for COVID-19 isn’t supported by evidence from clinical trials
CLAIM
“The FDA hid the evidence that HCQ [hydroxychloroquine] was effective in the early treatment of the disease. Hundreds of thousands of people died as a result of this lie.”

SOURCE: Jim Hoft, Harvey Risch, Gateway Pundit

Published: 25 Sep 2022

VERDICT

The COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective; claim that they have caused an “international medical crisis” is baseless
CLAIM
“there is an international medical crisis due to the diseases and deaths co-related to the administration of products known as ‘COVID-19 vaccines’”

SOURCE: Social media users, One America News Network, Daily Sceptic

Published: 19 Sep 2022

VERDICT

Persistent myths that HIV was created by the West and that HIV medication causes HIV are both false
CLAIM
“HIV was an invention created by the West”, people “took the HIV medication and got HIV”, you can “reverse HIV naturally”

SOURCE: Yahdan Yada, Facebook, Instagram

Published: 30 Apr 2022

VERDICT

Higher myocarditis risk after COVID-19 than mRNA vaccination; contrary to Peter McCullough’s claim, young persons decrease their risk by getting vaccinated
CLAIM
“We have 21,000 cases of myocarditis and climbing. […] Under no circumstances, should a young person ever receive one of these vaccines”

SOURCE: Peter McCullough, Instagram, Facebook

Published: 09 Apr 2022

VERDICT

Claim that the antiviral drug remdesivir is killing people is baseless
CLAIM
“Remdesivir is proven to kill lives”

SOURCE: Bryan Ardis, TikTok, Facebook

Published: 05 Apr 2022

VERDICT

INSIGHTS

What you need to know about the current monkeypox outbreak: transmission, symptoms, treatments, etc.

— 20 Aug 2022

Photo by CDC/Cynthia S. Goldsmith at Public Health Image Library (PHIL) The ongoing monkeypox virus outbreak began in May 2022, when the U.K. notified the World Health Organization...