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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.

13,675 published reviews in this topic

Deutsche Presse-AgenturHealth & medicine

In den sozialen Netzwerken macht ein Posting (hier archiviert) die Runde, in dem behauptet wird: «Die Selbstmordzahlen sind gestiegen.» Es folgen ein Hinweis auf die Telefonseelsorge sowie die Bitte, die Nachricht zu kopieren an mindestens zwei User weiterzuposten.

Publisher’s rating: Bei dem Posting handelt es sich um einen Kettenbrief, der auch in anderen Ländern kursiert. Für die Behauptung, die Suizidrate sei gestiegen, gibt es keine statistische Grundlage. Vorläufige Daten zeigen eher einen rückläufigen Trend an.

The post at issue claimed that suicide numbers had risen, included a reference to the telephone counselling service, and asked readers to copy and forward the message to at least two users. The review says the wording circulated on Twitter and Facebook from around mid-November and was almost always the same. It also reports that the same post was circulating in other European countries, citing research by Mimikama. To assess the claim about Germany, the review consulted the available official statistics and sought figures from local authorities. It notes that the latest nationwide Federal Statistical Office figures available at the time covered 2018, because the national data were published with a substantial delay. Some states and cities had early 2020 figures, but the authorities contacted did not report notable increases. The local figures cited point in the other direction, while also being limited in scope. Bavaria reported about 1,400 suicide cases so far in 2020, compared with around 1,700 in 2019, and said the projection suggested a slight decline. Berlin’s police described the number as slightly below previous years; in Frankfurt, first-half figures were down by a third. The review cautions that the Frankfurt figures were preliminary and local, not representative of all Germany. Taken together, the evidence did not substantiate the post’s national claim of a rising rate. The review also says the telephone counselling number in the message was correct, a separate point that does not establish the claimed trend.

Vishvas NewsHealth & medicine

நான் நிறைய பேசும் புகைப்படங்களை பார்த்திருக்கிறேன் .. ஆனால் உண்மையாகவே ஒரு பேசும் புகைப்படத்தை இப்போது தான் நான் பார்க்கிறேன் .. இந்த புகைப்படத்தை எடுத்த நபர் உண்மையில் இந்த சமுதாயத்திற்கு எவ்வளவு பெரிய கருத்தை உணர்த்தியிருக்கிறார் என்பது தெளிவாக தெரிகிறது… இதை நகைச்சுவையாக எடுத்துக் கொள்ளாதீர்கள்… சுகாதாரத் துறையில் பணிபுரியும் ஊழியர்கள் செய்யும் தியாகங்களைப் பற்றி நன்கு சிந்தியுங்கள்,

Publisher’s rating: FALSE

FACTLYHealth & medicine

Vaccine to contain nano particles which in turn act as antennas will collect biometric data that will further be traded for cryptocurrency.

Publisher’s rating: FALSE

FACTLY examined a specific allegation in a viral video featuring Dr. Christiane Northrup: that COVID-19 vaccine nanoparticles would act as antennas, collect biometric data and enable it to be traded for cryptocurrency. The review distinguishes that claim from a patent application it says concerns monitoring physical activity in exchange for cryptocurrency. According to the review, Microsoft and Bill Gates had filed patent application 060606 for a system that rewards physical activity with cryptocurrency. But the review says the application does not mention nanoparticles or implanted microchips collecting biometric data. It also notes that the application had not been granted. These are the stated grounds for its conclusion: the cited patent does not substantiate the video’s claim about vaccine components collecting and trading biometric data. The supplied excerpt does not provide the patent text or independently document a search of it, so the assessment here is limited to the evidence and description in FACTLY’s review.

BR24 FaktenfuchsHealth & medicine

Corona-infizierte Menschen, die einen Suizid begehen oder bei einem Unfall sterben, werden als Corona-Tote gezählt

Publisher’s rating: Kommt darauf an. Ob Covid-19 erkrankte Menschen, die bei einem Unfall oder durch Suizid ums Leben kommen, gezählt werden, hängt von der Entscheidung des jeweiligen Gesundheitsamtes ab. Das RKI geht davon aus, dass die Gesundheitsämter solche Fälle nicht zählen. Ohnehin handelt es sich aber um Einzelfälle, die laut RKI in der Corona-Todeszahlen-Statistik nicht ins Gewicht fallen.

Vishvas NewsHealth & medicine

ഉലുവയുടെ ഒരു ടേപ്പ് സ്ട്രിപ്പ് പെരുവിരലിൽ ഒറ്റരാത്രികൊണ്ട് ഒട്ടിക്കുന്നത് കൊറോണ വൈറസ് സമയത്ത് തൊണ്ടയിലെ അണുബാധ തടയുമെന്ന് അവകാശപ്പെടുന്നു.

Publisher’s rating: FALSE

The claim under review is that attaching fenugreek seeds to the big toe overnight, using a strip of tape, can prevent or overcome a throat infection during coronavirus. The review says it received a video making a related claim involving fenugreek on a strip dipped in curd, and notes that the claim had been investigated previously. It identifies the specific claim as fenugreek seeds taped to the big toe overnight.

FACTLYHealth & medicine

The toxic metals used in the vaccine will create antennas in the human body that will be detected by 5G technology

Publisher’s rating: FALSE

FACTLY addressed this allegation as the second of five claims in a review of a viral Facebook video featuring Dr. Christiane Northrup. The review identifies the video as a clip from a longer interview and attributes the vaccine-related claims to Northrup. Its account of the 5G allegation is that it proposed toxic metals in a COVID-19 vaccine would create antennas in the body that 5G technology could detect. The review labels that allegation false. [S1]

Deutsche Presse-AgenturHealth & medicine

Wann dürfen Beschäftigte nach einer Corona-Infektion wieder zur Arbeit? Diese Frage wird in Österreich kontrovers diskutiert. Im Internet wird in einem oft geteilten Posting (hier archiviert) nun behauptet, «"leicht" positiv Getestete» dürften wieder arbeiten gehen. Nach der Arbeit müssten sie aber zu Hause eine Quarantäne einhalten. Diese Vorgabe wird Gesundheitsminister Rudolf Anschober (Grüne) zugeschrieben.

Publisher’s rating: Gesundheits- und Pflegepersonal darf bei einem positiven Corona-Test nach der Quarantäne wieder arbeiten gehen, wenn es als nicht mehr ansteckend gilt. Das ist der Fall, wenn bei einem PCR-Test der sogenannte Ct-Wert über 30 liegt. Beschäftigte müssen dann aber nicht nach der Arbeit zu Hause eine Quarantäne einhalten.

Social Media UsersHealth & medicine

රත්මලාන බොරුපන ප්‍රදේශයේ නිවසක මියගිය මුස්ලිම් කාන්තවකගේ PCR වාර්තා වෙනස් කර භූමිදානය කළාද?

Publisher’s rating: False

The allegation concerned the death of a Muslim woman at a home on Walagamba Mawatha in Borupana, Rathmalana, on November 15, 2020. Social-media posts claimed she was a close relative of Justice Minister Ali Sabry, that an initial PCR test found COVID-19, and that a second, falsified report was arranged so she could be buried according to Muslim rites. The investigation says the posts distorted the facts: it reports that the woman was a distant relative, not Sabry’s aunt, and that her body was released for funeral arrangements after one PCR test found no infection. [S1: “පසුගිය නොවැම්බර් මස 15දා රත්මලාන බොරුපන වලගම්බා මාවතේ නිවසක මියගිය අහමඩ් ජුනයිඩීන් ෆාතිමා නිලූෂා නමැති මුස්ලිම් කාන්තාව අධිකරණ ඇමති අලි සබ්‍රිගේ පුංචි අම්මාය.”; “PCR පරීක්ෂණයෙන් කෝවිඩ්-19 ආසාදිතයකු නොවන බවට (නෙගෙටිව්) තහවුරු වීම මත අවසන් කටයුතු සිදුකිරීමට ඇයගේ පවුලේ පාර්ශවයන් වෙත දේහය නිදහස් කර ඇති බව ඔහු පැවසීය.”] To check the account, the fact-checker says it contacted the area’s public health inspector and a forensic medical officer at South Colombo Teaching Hospital. The inspector said the family cooperated when the body was referred to the hospital for PCR testing, and that he faced no political pressure. The medical officer said this woman’s body was tested once—not twice—and that the negative result led to its release. He also said the body remained in the hospital mortuary while the result was awaited. [S1: “මේ සඳහා ඔහුට නිවැසියන්ගේ උපරිම සහයෝගය ලැබුණු අතර කිසිදු දේශපාලනඥයකුගේ බලපෑම් ඇති නොවූ බවද ඔහු සඳහන් කළේය.”; “මළ සිරුරකට එක PCR පරීක්ෂණයක් පමණක් සිදුකරන බව ඔහු වැඩිදුරටත් සඳහන් කළේය.”; “PCR පරීක්ෂණ වාර්තාව ලැබෙන තෙක් මෙම මුස්ලිම් කාන්තාවගේ දේහය දකුණු කොළඹ ශික්ෂණ රෝහලේ මෘතගාරයේ තිබුණු බවත්”] The investigation also distinguishes her from another reported COVID-19 death in Rathmalana. It says the Director General of Health Services’ November 17 notice concerned a 69-year-old Tamil woman from Rathmalana 37 Watta, whereas the Borupana woman was Muslim and had a negative test. Sabry told the fact-checker that the deceased was a distant relative, not his mother’s sister, and denied influencing the testing or funeral arrangements. [S1: “නොවැම්බර් මස 17 වැනි දින සෞඛය අධ්‍යක්ෂක ජනරාල්වරයා නිකුත් කළ නිවේදනයේ සඳහන් වන පරිදි රත්මලාන ප්‍රදේශයේ මියගිය කාන්තාව 69 වියේ පසුවු, රත්මලාන 37 වත්ත ප්‍රදේශයේ පදංචි දමිළ කාන්තාවක් බව සඳහන් කළේය.”; “එසේම රත්මලානේ මියගිය කාන්තාව ඔහුගේ ඉතා දුරස්ථ ඥාතියෙකු බවත්”]

Deutsche Presse-AgenturHealth & medicine

Deux produits à base de Remdesivir soulèvent beaucoup de questions auprès des internautes. Les photos de deux emballages de médicaments apparaissent sur les réseaux sociaux : Covifor et Jubi-R. Une utilisatrice suisse de Facebook présente : « Voici le vaccin de la Mort de convd 19.qui arrivé déjà en Afrique » (sic). Un autre internaute, belge, se questionne sur ces vaccinations en Afrique : « Les manoeuvres d'extermination vont-elles prendre fin un jour? » Ces commentaires s'appuient notamment sur le fait que les étiquettes des médicaments interdisent la distribution aux États-Unis, au Canada ou en Europe. De plus, l'image partagée qualifie les produits de vaccin contre le coronavirus.

Publisher’s rating: Le Remdesivir n'est pas un vaccin contre le coronavirus. C'est un antiviral utilisé dans les recherches de traitements contre le Covid-19, et ce, de manière curative. Gilead Sciences Inc. détient le brevet de cet antiviral et sous-traite à de nombreuses entreprises pharmaceutiques chargées de la distribution du médicament dans 127 pays à faible revenu et revenus intermédiaires. Chacune de ces entreprises produit un médicament à partir de cet antiviral qui ne peut être distribué que dans les 127 pays prévus dans le contrat de sous-traitance.

The review examines social-media posts showing Covifor and Jubi-R packages and presenting the products as coronavirus vaccines. It identifies both as medicines containing remdesivir, an antiviral intended for treatment rather than prevention. The review explains that remdesivir slows the development of viral genetic material and prevents the virus from multiplying in the body; it distinguishes this treatment purpose from the protective purpose of vaccines. It also states that, as of November 18, 2020, no coronavirus vaccine had been officially recognized. The packaging restrictions cited in the posts have a different explanation from the one implied by the vaccine claim. The review says Covifor and Jubi-R were made by two Indian pharmaceutical companies working under contract for Gilead Sciences. Gilead had licensed generic manufacturers to supply remdesivir in 127 lower-income countries or countries with insufficient medical services. The United States, Canada and Europe were outside that group, so those particular contracted products could not be distributed there. The review notes that remdesivir treatments were also available in those regions under other product names; it gives Veklury as the European example. The review separately addresses a reference to Cameroon and children being vaccinated. It describes a school vaccination campaign begun in September 2020 as a polio campaign, not a coronavirus vaccination effort. Thus, the packaging, distribution restrictions and Cameroon reference do not establish that Covifor or Jubi-R were coronavirus vaccines.

Vishvas NewsHealth & medicine

देशात परत एकदा लोकडाऊन लागणार आहे.

Publisher’s rating: FALSE

The claim concerned a viral post purporting to be from ABP News and saying India would return to lockdown from December 1 because coronavirus infections were increasing. Vishvas News reports that it investigated this post and found that the nationwide-lockdown announcement had not been made. It says the post was fabricated using ABP News’s name, rather than an authentic announcement by the channel. (S1: “व्हायरल होत असलेल्या ट्विट मध्ये दावा करण्यात येत आहे कि एक डिसेंबर पासून परत लोकडाऊन लागणार आहे आणि याचे कारण कोरोनाव्हायरस चे वाढते संक्रमण आहे.”; “न्यूज चॅनेल ABP न्युज च्या नावाने व्हायरल होत असलेले ट्विट खोटे आहे. न्यूज चॅनेल ने अशे कुठलेच ट्विट केले नाही”) The investigation describes checking ABP News’s official Twitter account, where it found no such nationwide-lockdown post. It also says ABP News’s spokesperson confirmed by email that the screenshot was fake and that the channel had not issued such information. The article notes that the viral post contained several errors, another reason it said the post was not credible. (S1: “ABP न्यूज च्या अधिकृत ट्विटर हॅन्डल वर देशभरात परत लोकडाऊन लागणार आहे असे कुठलेच ट्विट आम्हाला मिळाले नाही.”; “ABP न्यूज चे प्रवक्ता यांनी आम्हाला ई-मेल द्वारे सांगितले कि, ‘देशात परत एकदा लोकडाऊन लागणार हा ट्विट द्वारे केलेल्या दाव्याचा स्क्रीनशॉट खोटा आणि बनावटी आहे.”; “व्हायरल ट्विट मध्ये बऱ्याच चुका आहेत”) The article distinguishes the fabricated national claim from real, narrower discussions about Delhi. It reports that Delhi was considering local restrictions, including a proposal to limit wedding attendance to 50, and quotes Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain saying there would be no lockdown in Delhi. It also reports that Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said the Delhi government had no intention of imposing one. These local developments did not substantiate the viral claim of a nationwide lockdown. (S1: “दिल्ली मध्ये लग्न समारंभात आता २०० च्या जागी ५० लोकांचीच अनुमती देण्यात येईल”; “दिल्ली चे स्वास्थ्य मंत्री सत्येंद्र जैन यांनी स्पष्ट केले कि दिल्ली मध्ये परत लोकडाऊन लागणार नाही, त्याची सध्या काहीच आवश्यकता नाही.”; “दिल्ली सरकार चा परत लोकडाऊन लावण्याचा कुठलाच हेतू नाही आहे.”)