Iria Carballo-Carbajal

Science Editor

Iria earned an undergraduate degree in biology and an MSc in secondary education from the University of Oviedo (Spain). After obtaining her PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Tuebingen (Germany), she then worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the Vall d’Hebron Research Institute (Barcelona, Spain). Her research has focused on understanding the molecular basis of Parkinson’s disease to search for new potential treatments.

The Science Feedback team

CLAIM REVIEWS

No evidence that persistent symptoms are more frequent after COVID-19 vaccination than after infection, contrary to an op-ed in The Hill

CLAIM
“U.S. doctors found that ’long Covid’ developed in 70 percent of cases after vax injection, not after infection”

SOURCE: Pierre Kory, Paul Marik, The Hill, Disclose.tv

Published: 15 Mar 2024

VERDICT

Childhood vaccine ingredients are safe in the amount present in vaccines; cells, animal products, and viruses aren’t part of these ingredients

CLAIM
Childhood vaccines contain “mixed up toxins” including formaldehyde, aluminum, aborted fetal DNA, fetal bovine serum, monkey kidney cells, mercury, pig circoviruses

SOURCE: Social media user, Instagram

Published: 07 Mar 2024

VERDICT

Tennessee House Bill HB1894 isn’t evidence that vaccines are present in food at grocery stores; edible vaccines remain hypothetical for now

CLAIM
Researchers have “already perfected the ability to put human vaccines” into certain foods “right now”; grocery vegetables might contain human vaccines

SOURCE: Social media users, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok

Published: 01 Mar 2024

VERDICT

The American Red Cross doesn’t prevent people vaccinated against COVID-19 from donating blood, contrary to rehashed viral claim

CLAIM
COVID-19 vaccine recipients might not be eligible for blood donation

SOURCE: Social media users, Instagram, Twitter

Published: 23 Feb 2024

VERDICT

Incorrect claim that COVID-19 vaccines caused a 143,233% surge in cancer results from flawed calculations that misuse adverse event reporting data

CLAIM
“Official CDC data: 143,233% surge in fatal cancers among Vaxxed Americans”

SOURCE: Anonymous, The Exposé

Published: 01 Feb 2024

VERDICT

Russell Brand’s YouTube videos use flawed analyses and simplistic correlations to link COVID-19 vaccines to heart issues, cancer, excess deaths

CLAIM
COVID-19 vaccines are associated with an increase in heart conditions, cancer

SOURCE: Russell Brand, YouTube

Published: 23 Jan 2024

VERDICT

Hulda Clark’s “zapper” device is based on pseudoscience; doesn’t kill parasites or cure diseases

CLAIM
A “zapper” can kill parasites, bacteria, and viruses; it cures all diseases

SOURCE: Hulda Clark, Facebook, TikTok

Published: 12 Jan 2024

VERDICT

Headlines overlook risk of COVID-19 by claiming Estonia study shows natural immunity is superior to vaccination

CLAIM
“Natural Immunity Better Than Protection From COVID-19 Vaccination, researchers in Estonia found”

SOURCE: Zachary Stieber, The Epoch Times

Published: 08 Dec 2023

VERDICT

Public information film on coronavirus allegedly from the 1970s is a parody published in 2020

CLAIM
A public information film on the coronavirus was released in the 1970s

SOURCE: Social media users, YouTube

Published: 28 Nov 2023

VERDICT

Misuse of drug tests on energy drinks like Red Bull produces false positives; doesn’t demonstrate these drinks contain cocaine and other drugs

CLAIM
Red Bull contain cocaine and buprenorphine

SOURCE: Social media users, TikTok, Facebook

Published: 23 Nov 2023

VERDICT

INSIGHTS

How health problems after COVID-19 vaccination are sometimes used to feed misinformation narratives

— 28 Feb 2024

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 associate...

Are phthalates causing a decline in male fertility?

— 13 Sep 2023

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....

What do we know about the safety of bisphenol A in food packaging?

— 13 Feb 2023

SUMMARY Bisphenol A is an industrial chemical that has been used for decades to make certain plastics and resins. These materials are used as a coating in food and drink cans and r...