.
Reviews of articles from: TikTok
CLAIM REVIEWS
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
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
Lack of oxygen isn’t the root cause of cancer; no scientific evidence for claims that oxygen or ozone therapy cures cancer
CLAIM
“Oxygen kills cancer”; Otto Warburg won two Nobel Prizes for proving lack of oxygen is the cause of cancer
SOURCE: Robert Barefoot, Kevin Trudeau, TikTok, Facebook
Published: 29 Mar 2022
VERDICT
Clip of Anthony Fauci discussing potential vaccine safety concerns is from March 2020; current scientific evidence shows COVID-19 vaccines reduce risk of infection and serious illness
CLAIM
“Dr. Fauci opens up the possibility that the COVID-19 vaccine could be making people more likely to be infected by the virus”, “a vaccine that looked good in initial safety actually made people worse”
SOURCE: Social media users, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn
Published: 15 Dec 2021
VERDICT
Tromethamine in the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children acts to improve the stability of the vaccine; it isn’t in the vaccine as a heart medication
CLAIM
The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children contains tromethamine, “a heart attack medication” with “a lot of potentially serious side effects”
SOURCE: Social media users, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram
Published: 12 Nov 2021
VERDICT
Contrary to claims on social media, people who received a COVID-19 vaccine can donate blood and other blood products, including convalescent plasma
CLAIM
“The Red Cross says anyone who has received a COVID-19 vaccine cannot donate convalescent plasma”; “the vaccine wipes out these antibodies [against SARS-CoV-2]”
SOURCE: TikTok user, TikTok
Published: 30 Sep 2021
VERDICT
Ethylene oxide is used for sterilizing medical equipment, including nasal swabs, but it’s removed before use
CLAIM
Ethylene oxide in nasal swabs used for COVID-19 testing is harmful
SOURCE: TikTok users, Facebook users, TikTok, Facebook
Published: 26 Jul 2021
VERDICT
Fauci’s emails don’t support viral claims on masks, hydroxychloroquine and virus engineering
CLAIM
Fauci’s emails prove he knew that masks don’t work against the spread of COVID-19, that hydroxychloroquine is effective against COVID-19, and that the virus is likely engineered, and he lied about these things to the public
SOURCE: Social media users, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter
Published: 10 Jun 2021
VERDICT