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PeakMetrics / Fact Checks

Health & medicine fact checks

Explore claims publishers have checked about health & medicine. Read their original ratings and follow the evidence.

13,667 published reviews in this topic

dpaHealth & medicine

Bei einer WEF-Podiumsdiskussion erklärte die Präsidentin des EU-Forschungsrates, dass die Regierungen aufhören sollten, die Öffentlichkeit zu überzeugen, sich impfen zu lassen, und stattdessen das Militär und das “religiöse Establishment” einschalten sollten.

Publisher’s rating: Die Behauptungen sind falsch. Die Professorin hat das nicht gesagt.

The claim concerns comments by Maria Leptin, president of the European Research Council, at a World Economic Forum panel on the pandemic on January 18, 2023. It alleges she urged governments to stop explaining science and persuading the public to get vaccinated, and instead use the military and religious institutions to achieve vaccination. The review says the allegation is false and compares it with the panel discussion, which it says remained available in video on the WEF website and YouTube. In the review’s account, Leptin described Bhutan and Portugal as examples of countries that achieved high vaccination coverage without making public understanding of science the basis of their campaigns. In Bhutan, she said, the “religious establishment” was involved in finding an appropriate time and date. The review explains that this referred to a campaign in which astrologers helped select the start time and date, as well as the ages and sexes of the first people vaccinated. For Portugal, Leptin described a retired general framing the campaign as a war fought together in patriotic spirit. These were descriptions of approaches in those countries, not a recommendation to deploy the military or religious groups elsewhere. The review also reports that Leptin spoke about restoring trust in science and explaining that uncertainty is part of scientific work. It says she did not call for coercion or for governments to stop explaining the science behind vaccination. The allegation therefore recasts examples she discussed as instructions to governments, a conclusion the review says the panel provides no support for.

Sunanda NaikHealth & medicine

Epsom salt is highly toxic.

Publisher’s rating: FALSE

NewsMeter’s review examines a social-media post that calls Epsom salt “highly toxic” and says both consuming it and using it in a bath are harmful. The post also alleges that Epsom salt releases sulfuric acid in bathwater and describes tremors after Epsom salt baths. The review reports that NewsMeter checked the claim and distinguishes between oral use and bathing rather than treating all exposure as equivalent. For oral use, the review cites Healthline as saying Epsom salt may be used as a supplement, while noting that the evidence for many reported benefits is limited. It also warns that taking it in its original form or overdosing can have serious repercussions. Medical News Today is cited for groups who should not consume it, including people with kidney or heart disease, pregnant women, and children. The review further notes that the FDA has not approved Epsom salt and provides no official dosage or consumption guidelines. The review cites a study describing magnesium sulfate as Epsom salt’s active compound and warning of potential serious toxic effects, including cardiac arrest, when serum concentrations exceed therapeutic values. These qualifications support a distinction between possible harm from oral intake—especially overdose—and the post’s broader assertion that Epsom salt is inherently poisonous. For bathing, the review says it is safe for people without sensitive skin and recommends a patch test. The excerpt does not provide study details or dosage measurements, so it does not establish a specific safe oral dose.

YouturnHealth & medicine

எச்சரிக்கை: உப்பு எனும் உயிர்க்கொல்லி! இந்தியாவில் அயோடின் கலந்த உப்புகள் என்ற பெயரில் விற்கப்படும் டாடா , அண்ணபூர்ணா மற்றும் பல பிரண்ட்டட் உப்புகளை ஆய்வு செய்த அமெரிக்க நிறுவனம் அதிர்ச்சி தரும் ரிப்போர்ட் ஒன்றைத் தந்திருக்கிறது.

Publisher’s rating: false