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bigbio

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pubhealth

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There are places in America that are among the most dangerous in the world. You go to places like Oakland. Or Ferguson. The crime numbers are worse. Seriously.

"""Trump said, """"There are places in America that are among the most dangerous in the world. You go to places like Oakland. Or Ferguson. The crime numbers are worse. Seriously."""" Four American cities — though not Oakland or Ferguson — have some of the highest murder rates in the world. However, experts told us homicide rates alone are not enough to gauge whether a city is dangerous or not. In considering other security threats like war, terrorism, kidnappings, and other violence as well as the ability to mitigate risks, U.S. cities are nowhere near the most dangerous in the world."""

false

701

4174

Rhode Island officials lift advisories for blue-green algae.

Rhode Island health and environmental officials have lifted recreational advisories that have been in place for a number of bodies of water because of a blue-green algae known as cyanobacteria.

true

702

7838

Irish PM says won't be rushed on abortion issue.

Ireland’s prime minister said on Friday he would not be rushed into making a decision on the issue of abortion, after an Indian woman who was refused a termination died from blood poisoning in an Irish hospital.

true

703

27540

Filmmakers staged lemming death scenes for the Disney nature documentary White Wilderness.

“It’s a frequent question,” he said “‘Do they really kill themselves?’ No. The answer is unequivocal, no they don’t.”

true

704

7843

Online tool helps beachgoers avoid dirty waters.

If you plan on hitting the beach this summer, a new report recommends first checking your local water quality online before packing your bags - or risk bringing home more trouble than wet bathing suits and sand-filled shoes.

true

705

35791

"""The CDC """"quietly updated"""" its COVID-19 mortality statistics in summer 2020 to show only 6% of previously reported deaths were actually due to the coronavirus, while the remaining 94% died from preexisting health conditions. """

The point that the CDC was trying to make was that a certain percentage of [COVID-19 deaths] had nothing else but just COVID. That does not mean that someone who has hypertension or diabetes who dies of COVID didn’t die of COVID-19 — they did. So the numbers that you’ve been hearing — the 180,000-plus deaths — are real deaths from COVID-19. …It’s not 9,000 deaths from COVID-19.

false

706

5746

Polis seeks to boost child vaccinations, respect exemptions.

Colorado’s governor issued an executive order Thursday designed to address the state’s poor vaccination rates for children, but he insisted that he will respect existing religious and personal exemptions for parents unwilling to inoculate their children against communicable diseases.

true

707

8626

Indians light lamps to heed Modi's call for coronavirus comradeship.

Millions of Indians turned off their lights and lit up balconies and doorsteps with lamps, candles and flashlights on Sunday, in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to “challenge the darkness” spread by the coronavirus crisis.

true

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5796

Proposed hospital merger gets key state approval.

A proposed merger that involves 13 Massachusetts hospitals has received approval from a key state board, but hurdles remain.

true

709

3127

Juul Labs facing scrutiny from federal and state officials.

With e-cigarette giant Juul Labs facing a mounting number of state and federal investigations into its marketing and sales practices, a top Trump administration official pledged Friday to use all of the government’s regulatory and enforcement power “to stop the epidemic of youth e-cigarette use.”

true

710

29561

A Carbon Monoxide spike on the west coast indicates that a massive earthquake will soon hit.

Superstation 95, the web site that first propagated and promulgated this rumor, has a habit of creating dire-sounding stories out of half-truths and misinformation, such as a claim that cargo ships had ceased travel (in “a horrific economic sign”), an article which heavily exaggerated the effects the Fukushima nuclear disaster had on marine life (using photos stolen from other, unrelated sites), and a prediction that World War III would break out by 28 February 2016 (it didn’t).

false

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8401

French nursing home learns costly lessons on containing coronavirus.

When managers at La Riviera nursing home on France’s Cote D’Azur found out a resident had the COVID-19 virus, they put into action a standard playbook they believed would contain the spread. It did not.

true

712

6614

Case stirs question of school liability for student suicides.

Han Nguyen was consumed by depression and struggling to stay afloat at one of the world’s most prestigious universities. His mental health continued to decline until one day, moments after a professor confronted him about an offensive email, the 25-year-old jumped from the top of a campus building to his death.

true

713

37952

"""Images show former """"a wire"""" or """"an IV"""" on former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden's wrist as he coughed into his sleeve during a presidential debate."""

Myriad social media posts claimed the reddish-brown object on Joe Biden’s wrist during the his September 29 2020 presidential debate with Donald Trump was “a wire.” However, Biden’s habit of wearing son Beau Biden’s rosary at all times on his wrist is well-documented both in news articles and in images and video. Further, wireless technology is so common in 2020 as to be ubiquitous, making the need for “a wire” completely obsolete; we consider the “IV” claim to be so ridiculous (as there are many far less obvious places to hide an IV than out in plain view on one’s wrist during a debate on a stage from behind a podium) as to not even be worth fact-checking.

false

714

33294

Bugs crawl into a person's ear, make their home there, then slowly eat their way through the brain.

Bugs do wander into people's ears sometimes. But where can they go from there?

false

715

41315

Human and animal cells from sources like aborted foetuses are in vaccines and are linked to childhood leukaemia and diabetes.

They may be used in certain vaccines’ production, but are unlikely to make it to the final product.

unproven

716

4008

Measles saps kids’ ability to fight other germs.

Measles has a stealth side effect: New research shows it erases much of the immune system’s memory of how to fight other germs, so children recover only to be left more vulnerable to bugs like flu or strep.

true

717

25554

Each year, 18,000 people die in America because they don't have health care.

Indeed, uninsured people have higher mortality rate

true

718

2099

Study identifies best tests to predict Alzheimer's.

Combining a specific imaging test of the brain with a memory recall test appears to be the best predictor so far of Alzheimer’s disease, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday.

true

719

10249

Fish Oil Seems to Help Cancer Patients Preserve Muscle

The story used quotes given in a news release – and was wrong in stating that the findings were already published in the Feb. 28 online edition of Cancer. The story was published early this morning – but at 2 pm Central time, we checked with the editorial office of the journal and the study had not yet been posted online. That’s not the journalists’ responsibility but it is their responsibility to be accurate and for hours the story was inaccurate because it said the study was online when it was not. So any reader who may have wanted to track down the article couldn’t – for hours at least. at 4:30 pm Central time, we see that the study is now posted online. This obviously raises issues not only about the journalism process but about the journal and its news releases processes, since the journal’s news release also erroneously jumped the gun in stating that the study was posted online far before it had been. More importantly, the story never discussed the limitations of a small (16 people in the active arm of the trial), short-term (10-week) study. This is an important area of research. The researchers wrote: “more than 65% of advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer cases do not respond to first-line chemotherapy, and 1-year survival rates are low.”  But this story didn’t evaluate the quality of the evidence, didn’t give enough context on other research in this field, and didn’t report on limitations of such prelminary work. Yet it said this “raises hope.”  That’s the kind of statement that should probably await more evidence in bigger, longer studies.

false

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27707

A tweet reproduces a 90-second long sentence from a Donald Trump speech.

“My uncle used to tell me about nuclear before nuclear was nuclear” and “He would tell me, ‘There are things that are happening that could be potentially so bad for the world in terms of weaponry,'” Donald Trump has claimed, even though the U.S. had already developed and used nuclear weapons before he was born (1946). Could anyone have really been unaware or doubtful that “nuclear is powerful” in the 1980s, when Dr. Trump supposedly informed his nephew of that fact?

true

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Fox News barely covered (the Duggar family) scandal until Megyn Kelly was able to secure this interview.

"""Stelter said, """"Fox News barely covered this scandal until Megyn Kelly was able to secure this interview."""" Our review of media mentions of the Duggar story among CNN, MSNBC and Fox supports his statement. Fox News’ coverage was fleeting before Kelly’s interview was announced."""

true

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New guidelines define pre-Alzheimer’s disease

This report tells readers the stark reality, that lab tests and brain scans for Alzheimer’s are not ready for clinical use and even when the tests are validated, they will have limited value to patients until effective treatments are developed. This story includes a comment about how early diagnosis could help patients and families plan for the future; but it would have been nice to see an acknowledgment of the potential psychological and social consequences. Like the NPR story, this report fails to tell readers about the ties between quoted experts and companies that are developing tests and treatments, even though those ties were disclosed. This story quoted several experts, but none who are independent of the panel that issued the revised diagnosis guidance. It is more than just validation of the new diagnostic approaches being described that will be needed before these can influence clinical practice. All of the diagnostic test characteristics will need to be examined, including the ability of the test results to accurately predict which patients are likely to develop AD (the false positive, false negative, positive and negative predictive value, etc). Additionally, the reliability of the measures will need to be determined. From a clinical perspective, until there are treatments that can alter progression, other than helping patients understand what to expect in the future, currently there is not a lot of benefit and there are potential harms for knowing early on if a patient has this condition.

true

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More Aggressive Treatment for Weekend Stroke

This story about the clot-dissolving drug tPA emphasized the importance of getting to the hospital quickly in cases of suspected stroke. However, it didn’t add much to a press release issued by the AMA, and in some ways was less informative. The story provided no detail on costs or potential harms of tPA treatment, and didn’t do a very good job of explaining the benefits we can expect from the drug. It buried an important finding about mortality rates far down in the story, whereas the press release from the AMA included it in the second sentence. Treatment with tPA can increase the likelihood of a full recovery from stroke if administered early enough. So if patients are more likely to receive tPA on the weekends than during the week, this is a potentially important finding that deserves to be explored. That being said, coverage of tPA needs to provide context regarding the significant risks and costs associated with this treatment.

true

724

29509

"""Washington state has updated their curriculum standards to include teaching """"transgenderism"""" to Kindergarteners."""

What's true: Washington State has released updated curriculum guidelines in 2016 that include directives regarding gender and gender expression. What's false: Washington state Kindergarten students will be taught about transgender issues.

false

725

10885

At-home gene test stirs up debate

This is an excellent story that used a concrete example (i.e. bipolar disorder) to highlight the pitfalls involved with the use of genetic test kits for gene alleles. Rather than write a story heralding the first commercial availability of a test to identify genetic markers associated with risk of bipolar disorder, this was a thoughtful piece that presented both the hope and the hype associated with the product. While failing to provide concrete estimates for the benefit from the product or diagnostic alternatives, the story painted an accurate picture of the uncertainty for deriving benefit.

true

726

28343

Four quotations attributed to PETA president and co-founder Ingrid Newkirk in a viral November 2018 meme are authentic.

So the fourth quotation included in the meme did not actually originate with Ingrid Newkirk, although it was written by one of her colleagues. Perhaps more important, it was not intended as a comprehensive summary of PETA’s entire mission, but rather as a more nuanced description of the organization’s specific function in contracting with Northampton County, North Carolina, during the mid-2000s.

mixture

727

1850

Surf's up in the fitness studio.

Spun out on spinning? Bored in barre class?

true

728

3564

Police seize ‘Catnip Cocktail’ during nutrition store raid.

Police arrested the manager of a health and nutrition store after a raid turned up dozens of bottles of a cat sedative linked to bizarre behavior in humans.

true

729

6797

Wisconsin manufacturer finds groundwater pollution at plant.

A manufacturer in northeastern Wisconsin has discovered new evidence of groundwater pollution near Lake Michigan involving a chemical that has raised national health concerns.

true

730

37650

The same 3 companies make insulin for every country on Earth. These same 3 companies charge $20 a vial in every other country and $300+ per vial, for the exact same insulin, in the United States alone.

Do Only Three Companies Make All the World’s Insulin (Charging $20 Outside the United States and $300+ in the United States)?

mixture

731

10650

Drugs as good as stents for many heart patients

This story reported on the results of a recent study which found that the relief of chest pain from heart disease was only transiently better in those who had an angioplasty along with medical therapy as compared to those who only received medical therapy. It indicated that angioplasty is still indicated for the treatment of a heart attack or for those whose symptoms of heart disease was worsening. The story did a good job communicating that medical therapy may not be a simple thing to accomplish and likely would involve many interactions between patient and clinician in order to get it right.

true

732

26510

Facebook post Says a pandemic occurs exactly every 100 years.

The post suggests pandemics occur with synchronicity every 100 years, in 1720, 1820, 1920 and 2020. There wasn’t a pandemic in 1720. The years listed for the next two pandemics are wrong. Many more pandemics have occurred outside of a neat timeline.

false

733

10355

Hormone replacement tied to lower colon cancer risk

In only 546 words, this story covered most of the bases – providing absolute data from a big trial, saying that the findings support earlier theories, but warning that this does not change earlier advice about HRT. This story was judicious and cautious – two important characteristics in discussing hormone replacement therapy and colon cancer.

true

734

530

China reports fourth case of plague this month.

Chinese health authorities on Thursday reported a fresh case of bubonic plague in the country’s northern Inner Mongolia region, bringing the total number of plague cases to four since the beginning of the month.

true

735

27812

A photograph shows a large blood clot removed from a patient's lung.

A photograph purportedly captured a huge blood clot removed from a patient's lung.

true

736

9986

Stomach stapling may lower cancer risk in women

"""This story gets the broad brushstrokes right on a new study about bariatric surgery and cancer: It conveys that women who get bariatric surgery appear to have reduced risk of cancer, while men don’t. It puts the findings in context of previous research. Its greatest strength is the use of two solid quotes, from different sources, indicating that this study leaves a lot of questions unanswered about the obesity-cancer link. Still, the story fails on some very basic practices: It fails to mention the treatment’s costs, harms or alternatives. These could easily have been added; they should be included in nearly every story about the benefits of a medical treatment. An additional shortcoming: It fails to put what appears to be a large percentage risk reduction into terms a reader can understand. A 40 percent reduction in cancer risk is a big deal. A drop in risk in this population from 8 percent to 6 percent–that’s still a big deal, but easier for a reader to understand. The question that leaps to mind for many readers will be: Can a lower cancer risk be a """"tie-breaker"""" for women considering bariatric surgery? It would have been very useful to hear clinicians’ thoughts on that. Which brings us to this: Take a look at the report on this study that appeared in the Guardian newspaper in the UK, published in partnership with BMJ. It’s a careful, plain-English description of the findings and their implications for the public. It directly addresses that question of applicability. The AP report is 556 words. The Guardian’s is 676. It’s true that the AP story is 18 percent shorter. But it carries an elevated risk of reader misunderstanding. That’s a risk-benefit tradeoff worth pondering."""

mixture

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32277

Hillary Clinton was responsible for the siege on the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas, that ended with 76 civilian deaths.

While the operation involved hundreds of law enforcement officers from numerous local, state and federal agencies, and its aftermath resulted in multiple investigations by both the government and news media, we found no credible evidence that one of the people involved in the multitude of decisions that were made concerning the standoff was Hillary Clinton.

false

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37538

Saint Corona is the patron saint of epidemics.

Is St. Corona the Patron Saint of Epidemics?

false

739

12642

"""CountyNewsroom.info Says """"2 moms, 5 kids killed in car crash"""" in a nearby county."""

Fake news site alters real story of fiery car crash, tries to spread malware on your computer

false

740

15125

"""There are a """"multitude"""" of vaccines that do not prevent deadly and crippling diseases."""

"""Ben Carson, one of two medical doctors running for the GOP nomination, said during the second Republican debate that there is a """"multitude"""" of vaccines for diseases that are not deadly or disabling. The diseases targeted by the vaccines recommended for children on a set schedule, however, are nearly universally lethal. The one obvious exception, rubella, is a disfiguring disease that can lead to birth defects. A medical doctor would surely know that."""

false

741

28879

Zantac (ranitidine) or similar acid reflux medications cause users to falsely test positive for meth use.

What's true: Studies of a now discontinued urine testing protocol for amphetamines did show that, under rare and specific circumstances, false positives could be caused by the acid reflux medication Zantac (ranitidine); there is, as well, limited evidence of similar false positives using one test still on the market, but the occurrence is rare and also subject to specific conditions. What's false: Zantac, ranitidine, or other related medications consistently cause false positives on drug tests.

mixture

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34439

An eighth Russian with ties to the Trump-Russia scandal has mysteriously died.

As of 9 March 2017, no credible news reports have placed Oronov in the midst of the so-called Kremlin “peace plan” meeting, and according to his son-in-law and others he would have been physically unable to have been involved. He also did not die under suspicious circumstances.

unproven

743

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Viral image Says Tom Hanks has a volleyball to keep him company while he’s quarantined.

Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson tested positive for COVID-19 in Australia, where Hanks is shooting a movie. The image of Tom Hanks apparently holding a Wilson volleyball during his COVID-19 quarantine comes from a satirical Australian website.

false

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28277

"""We break down the factual claims made by the """"Other 98%"""" about the cases of John Walker Lindh and Michael Alonzo Thompson."""

Finally, according to Michigan Department of Corrections records, Thompson cannot undergo a parole hearing until April 2038, which was in 19 years’ time when the “Other 98” meme was published — contrary to the claim that Thompson “won’t be eligible for parole for 15 more years.” In fact, he will have to wait even longer than 15 years, so the meme actually slightly understated the case. As of May 2019, Thompson was 68 years old; at the latest, he might not be released until February 2047, by which time he would be 95 years old.

mixture

745

6437

Clinic helps veterans, first responders with free care.

They are there to protect and serve. They are Army Strong. They do whatever it takes and are exposed to trauma most people can’t fathom.

true

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9956

New U.S. analysis backs annual breast screening

This story reports on a new analysis of the scientific evidence used by the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) to make its 2009 recommendations regarding mammography screening. The authors of the analysis, published online by the American Journal of Roentgenology, arrived at different conclusions than the Task Force’s recommendations. But the story didn’t include any sense of how the new analysis was done or why its conclusions were different. There was no analysis of whether the new analysis took a reasonable approach. That’s what women needed in order to understand the story. The Task Force’s 2009 recommendations generated a lot of controversy. This new analysis is the first to use the Cancer Intervention and Surveillance Modeling Network to further examine the evidence used by the USPSTF. But this story did not provide strong or compelling data to help readers evaluate or compare the quality of the two analyses. And it did not present both sides of this controversy.

false

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New FAU study suggests benefits of regular mammography extend to the elderly

Researcher Charles H. Hennekens, MD looms large in this news release — perhaps larger than the study itself.This news release issued on behalf of a prestigious researcher — one said to have “saved more than 1.1 million lives” according to Science Heroes — claims the evidence is in that regular mammograms after age 74 save lives. But does the evidence presented really show that? We expected to see many different studies and opinions released when the USPTF announced its final recommendations on screening with mammograms, and we were not disappointed. This release raises some important points but it also seems to be touting the professional reputation of the study’s senior author (ranked ahead of Jonas Salk in terms of lifesaving prowess!) when it should have devoted more space to cost and limitations, and making a stronger case for the benefits and evidence. After skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women across all races and ethnicities. Some health experts are challenging the stubborn view that more frequent and technically advanced screening is necessary to confront breast cancer, and have become very vocal in educating the public about the harms of over-diagnosis and erroneous diagnosis (false positives). This release matters now because the study it informs us about indirectly challenges the findings (some might say non-findings) of the newly released US Preventative Services Task Force final recommendations for mammography screening in women. (In a Q&A on the new recs, the USPsTF says about mammograms for senior women: “For women age 75 and older, the evidence of the overall benefit of mammography screening is unclear, and the Task Force is unable to make a recommendation for or against screening.”) This study by Florida Atlantic University looked at Medicare claims data and came out with a recommendation that elderly women should continue to get regular mammograms. We can assume this release, based on a study published in July 2015, came out this week to coincide with and contribute to the discussion about the USPSTF final recommendations.

false

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A new study suggests it’s possible to get people off opioids and improve their pain

This story tackles a study that rounded up dozens of small studies to probe the effectiveness of painkiller “tapering:” a slow, gradual weaning of opioid painkillers for those who are addicted to the drugs. The story is much more than that, however, as it lays out some the core issues with the U.S. opioid epidemic, which gives the study crucial context and potential meaning. Readers are expertly walked through the study’s weaknesses as well as an important related issue: The troubles of trying to treat people for chronic pain without using opioids, and how access to such care is problematic. One quibble, though: We think the story could have provided more numerical data on the studies themselves. Finding better strategies to help wean people off opioid drugs is critical, so any method (especially a cheap and effective one) could help turn the tide as researchers find and introduce effective alternatives to opioid prescription drugs.

true

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36611

"""Placing your feet on a car's dashboard can cause your knees to go """"through your eye sockets"""" in the event of an airbag deployment."""

Can Airbags Send Your Knees ‘Through Your Eye Sockets’ When Deployed?

unproven

750

18397

"""A Wisconsin bill to limit use of food stamps for junk food would also """"prevent -- or limit --  the extent to which"""" food stamps could be used for organic foods."""

"""Clark said a bill to limit use of food stamps for junk food would also """"prevent -- or limit --  the extent to which"""" food stamps could be used for organic foods. There would be limits on which types of organic foods a person could buy with two-thirds of their food stamps, but not for the other third. The meat-and-potatoes portion of Clark's statement is accurate, but it needs a garnish or two of clarification."""

true

751

6138

Study: Most Texas school districts have scant sex education.

More than four-fifths of school districts offer no sex education or only teach abstinence in Texas, which has one of the country’s highest teen birth rates, according to a study released Tuesday.

true

752

3575

Secretary of state rejects 2 clean-energy initiatives.

Two clean-energy ballot initiatives were rejected by Oregon Secretary of State Bev Clarno Thursday, drawing condemnation from climate change action advocates who claimed Clarno is bowing to pressure from polluters and business interests.

true

753

10099

Aspirin Cuts Death Rate From Several Common Cancers

Of the three stories we reviewed, this one provided the most numbers to describe the study on the anti-cancer benefits of aspirin, but it ended up presenting a picture of the study that was too boosterish and not not realistic enough about the limitations of the study, the potential harms, and the costs. Aspirin’s benefits to reduce cardiovascular problems are well established, but there appears to be a growing body of evidence about its strengths in preventing certain cancers, too. If aspirin turns out to be a simple solution to preventing cancer with negligible side effects, it could prove to be a massive boon to health worldwide. With stakes this high, it’s all the more important for reporters to carefully weigh the evidence and explain to readers the science in clear terms with real numbers.

mixture

754

41357

Rigevidon can cause blood clots, strokes, and burst aneurysms.

A young black panther that escaped last week and was seen prowling the rooftops of a northern French town has been stolen from the zoo where it was held after being recaptured, police and city officials said on Tuesday.

true

755

2836

Novartis employees may have violated trial protocol in Japan.

Swiss drugmaker Novartis said on Friday it was looking into a report that employees of is Japanese unit may have violated clinical trial protocol by handling data from a small independent study of one of its cancer drugs.

true

756

11818

In a 2014 case involving a man convicted of abusing two underage girls, Judge Roy Moore disagreed and wrote the dissenting opinion.

An ad from the Jones campaign said that Moore disagreed and dissented in a case involving the abuse of two underage girls. There is no question that Moore dissented, but the ad provides no context for what Moore disagreed with. The glaring lack of detail leaves reasonable viewers with the impression that Moore disagreed with the conviction. That’s not what he said. He disagreed with the court’s decision not to consider a legal question of admissible evidence. Several independent law professors told us that Moore raised a valid point that was legally separate from the underlying conviction in the case. The ad leaves out critical context that gives a highly misleading impression.

false

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When you throw 23 million people off of health insurance -- people with cancer, people with heart disease, people with diabetes -- thousands of people will die. … This is study after study making this point.

"""Sanders said, """"When you throw 23 million people off of health insurance -- people with cancer, people with heart disease, people with diabetes -- thousands of people will die. … This is study after study making this point."""" Sanders’ statement on Meet the Press was phrased generally enough to be defensible. We found ample evidence in the academic literature to suggest that legislation on the scale of the House bill would produce """"thousands’ of additional deaths. That said, we can’t say with any specificity how many deaths will occur. It’s important to note that the studies provide estimates only, and each study found a slightly different result. """

true

758

15434

We are the only major country on Earth that doesn't guarantee health care to all people as a right.

"""Sanders said that the United States is the only major country that doesn’t guarantee health care to everyone as a right. Sanders was a bit vague about which countries he was comparing to America, but his office clarified that he was thinking of the group that belongs to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Among the wealthy OECD nations, America stands out as the only one that lacks universal coverage. Mexico also has not achieved universal coverage, but Mexico is also a much poorer country and not always considered an industrialized or advanced economy. As for a guaranteed right to health care, Sanders spoke as though every advanced economy had it. In reality, some do and some don’t. He should have talked about universal coverage, but he didn’t. Sanders’ statement lacked some much needed clarity."""

mixture

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One of the reasons I believe we’re in trouble in Yemen is we lost the population on drone strikes issues. That’s what stirred up the population. That’s what is happening in Yemen.

"""There is strong evidence that the U.S. drones in Yemen have antagonized many Yemenis who might have been allies in the fight against al-Qaida. But Chafee takes a big leap when he suggests that because of drone strikes """"we lost the population"""" — especially when there are no public opinion polls to back him up. Others argue that a civil war, with little link, if any, to drone strikes, is what’s driving unrest in Yemen, pushing about one million people out of their homes. That makes more sense to us."""

mixture

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10904

MRI Images May Pinpoint Time of Stroke

This is a story about the possible use of MRI scans to help determine the onset time of stroke. It provided a clear explanation about how this can be an issue for people who awaken to find that they have had a stroke sometime while sleeping or someone who knows when their symptoms of stroke began but are able to articulate this information. The story explained that the decision about whether to treat a person who has had a stroke with the medication tPA rests on this piece of information. While discussing the results of the soon to be published story, the story indicated that these results need to be validated before the technology could be adopted for this purpose. It was noteworthy that this story largely avoided hype, injecting caution about further research that is needed, while clearly showing what the potential impact of this research could be.

true

761

8306

Coronavirus test ramp-up to help Abbott weather 'toughest quarter'.

Abbott Laboratories Inc (ABT.N) said on Thursday a recent ramp up in coronavirus tests production would help it ride out a tough current quarter as the outbreak chokes demand for its other diagnostic kits.

true

762

18586

"""Scott Henson Says Texas has """"11 different felonies you can commit with an oyster."""

Henson said there are 11 Texas felonies one can commit with an oyster. He could have said 16, according to the state’s breakdown of felony offenses, though Parks & Wildlife suggests such  oyster-related crimes break down to seven distinct offenses. Significantly, too, these felony charges are rare. No one can even face one without having previously been convicted of at least one related misdemeanor.

true

763

513

Force-feeding off menu as France trials 'naturally fatty' foie gras.

In a barn in southwest France, farmer Valerie Fosserie squirts serum into a gosling’s mouth as a prelude to what she says is production of the world’s first ethically friendly foie gras.

true

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"""Catherine Cortez Masto Says """"Joe Heck voted 10 times to defund Planned Parenthood ... and Heck opposes a woman's right to choose, even when her health is at risk."""

"""A Catherine Cortez Masto campaign ad claims Joe Heck """"voted 10 times to defund Planned Parenthood,"""" and """"opposes a woman's right to choose, even when her health is at risk."""" Heck has voted to defund Planned Parenthood, a fact he publicly admits. The harder question to answer is whether to count procedural votes leading up to formal votes on the defunding measures as votes to defund the group. The ad is mostly accurate, but needs some clarification on the actual number of votes."""

true

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Supermarket chain restricts “chemicals of concern”.

A Maine supermarket corporation is executing new restrictions on the use of chemical products and packaging deemed hazardous by some environmental health groups.

true

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New osteoporosis treatment uses traditional Chinese herb to prevent bone loss

This news release describes research showing that a chemical compound in the red sage plant blocks an enzyme that promotes the breakdown of collagen in bones. This might be an interesting lead for scientists, but the release prematurely dubs the plant a “treatment” for osteoporosis and doesn’t mention that effects observed in cells in a lab dish or in mice might not translate to a benefit for human patients. The result people care about — reducing fractures — isn’t brought up. The news release’s assertion that this herb “might hold the key to a new osteoporosis therapy that could prevent bone loss without causing side effects” might raise false hopes. The use of red sage to treat osteoporosis in traditional Chinese medicine has inspired researchers. A 2014 review found 36 clinical trials using the plant, also called danshen or salvia miltiorrhiza, which it says constituted “more than 30 percent of all herbal clinical trials successfully targeting osteoporosis.” Osteoporosis is common, affecting 5.1 percent of men and 24.5 percent of women over the age of 65, according to the CDC. The condition increases the risk of bone fractures, which can lead to pain and disability. But isolating a plant compound and testing it in the lab are preliminary steps, and there’s no guarantee that red sage can safely prevent bone fractures. News releases should refrain from predicting outcomes for human beings based on studies in lab dishes and mice.

false

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Article details 'four things you didn't know' about Martin Luther King, Jr.

As for the assertion that “no other public holiday in the United States honors a single individual” besides Martin Luther King Day, we note that Columbus Day (honoring explorer Christopher Columbus) is a federal holiday, as is George Washington‘s Birthday.

false

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Meetings set to discuss higher cancer rates in 4 NY regions.

The state Health Department is holding public meetings in four New York regions with higher rates of cancer.

true

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"""New Virginia regulations on abortion clinics """"provide the same sanitary environment we expect of dental offices."""

"""A PAC affiliated with the Susan B. Anthony List says in an ad that McAuliffe opposed new regulations that would """"require women’s health clinics to provide the same sanitary environment we expect of dental offices."""" McAuliffe did oppose new regulations that were approved for abortion clinics earlier this month. But it is ridiculous to imply that these rules elevate the sanitary standards for clinics to those of dental offices. Abortion clinics will be held to hospital building codes, must comply with with federal guidelines for infection prevention and will be inspected at least once every two years. Dental offices do not have to meet any of these guidelines and will continue to be inspected only in response to a complaint. Without any evidence, the PAC has launched a misleading ad that trivializes very significant and polarizing changes Virginia has made to the way it regulates abortion clinics."""

false

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"""U.S. Representative Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona voted to """"allow abortions up to birth."""

We asked Sinema’s Congressional office and election campaign whether, setting aside her voting record as a legislator, she personally supports any gestational age limit or fetal viability limit on the performance of abortions, but we did not receive a response from either in time for publication.

false

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In a day, Italy sent home more than 14,000 patients after treating them with Aspirin and Apronax.

The Italian Medicines Agency doesn’t mention aspirin or apronax in its list drugs used to treat Covid-19 outside of clinical trials. And there’s no record of a day when 14,000 people were sent home from hospital in Italy.

false

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Ex-Colorado Gov. Hickenlooper supports universal health care.

John Hickenlooper, the former governor of Colorado who is considering a run for president in 2020, said Thursday he supports universal health care and thinks the U.S. eventually should provide it.

true

773

9596

Dry needling' for pain therapy is under scrutiny

This is a story about an alternative therapy known as “dry needling.” It involves inserting needles into the skin, similarly to acupuncture. The story leads with an anecdote that comes dangerously close to being a promotional advertisement for an unproven alternative therapy for pain, but that’s just the hook. The story (and the headline) is more measured, sifting through what we know and what we don’t know yet about dry needling, largely through interviews with competing trade associations. We would have liked if the story had gone a step further and delved into the actual science behind dry needling and acupuncture more deeply, and if some of the interviews with people with vested interests had been exchanged for interviews with pain management experts who don’t have a predisposition for or against the procedure. There is enough evidence on acupuncture as a therapy to have persuaded at least some states to create medical licensure programs for its practice, and the story touches at the very end on the idea that there is a training component here that needs further exploration. [Editor’s note: The notion that the evidence on acupuncture has persuaded states to create medical licensure programs has been contested by the Society for Science-Based Medicine in this post. They argue that evidence is not a factor in state licensing of such practitioners. We have also amended our comments under the “Independent Sources” criterion below in response to their feedback.] For this type of story, which is trying to truth-test some of the claims being made about a buzzed about alternative therapy, we really appreciate the question and answer format. The story calls out some of the key elements, including risks and costs, that are necessary for patients to make informed decisions. Dry needling has become increasingly popular despite questionable evidence for the procedure. A pertinent question, which the story attempts to address, is whether or not it is acupuncture in disguise.

true

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"""CNSNews Says """"under Oregon law, girls from 15 years of age and up are given complete control over whether to be sterilized or not."""

In Oregon, do 15-year-olds have complete control over sterilization?

false

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Weighing risk for obese youth

This is a story about a study of the use of one particular weight loss surgery (gastric banding) for the treatment of children who are obese. This story did accurately report the results of the story, though selectively so. Further, the title of the research study mentioned that the results were 'short-term'. This is important because the surgeons promoting the use of the surgery make the claim that it would have an effect on the chronic diabetes and cardiovascular disease that these kids would be facing. There is no evidence that inserting a gastric band in children will decrease the risk of these diseases in adulthood because there is no evidence that the band will decrease the risk of obesity in these children as they become adults. While participants of the study lost about 63% of their excess weight by one year after surgery, they had already started to regain weight by 18 months. Thus while the story did contain accurate information about the increasing prevalence of obesity, it did not contain information about treatment options, costs of weight loss surgery or adequate information about the potential for weight regain.

mixture

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Texas cattle groups dispute over tick treatment ban.

A recent decision to ban a tool to treat a deadly tick could put cattle at risk, according to Texas ranchers and several government agencies.

true

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For every forwarded copy of an e-mail received, the American Cancer Society will donate three cents to cancer research.

So please, if you get it, don’t forward it. You’re giving the wrong person immortality.

false

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A doctor in Italy shared numerous details about how hospitals in the country are dealing with COVID-19, a disease caused by the new coronavirus.

I don’t spend a lot of words about the people who define us heroes these days and who until yesterday were ready to insult and report us. Both will return to insult and report as soon as everything is over. People forget everything quickly.

true

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Study: Poor Results From Lap-Band Surgery

This story detailed the long-term outcomes at one institution for obese individuals who had gastric banding surgery. The story was clear about the drawbacks inherent in the study. For example, that the data were obtained from a relatively small number of patients, and these patients, by virtue of the time at which they had the surgery performed, may differ somewhat from the results in current patients. The story also presented information  useful for setting up realistic expectations about the long-term benefits and potential harms of gastric banding. As more people consider the available options for assisting in obesity management, the information about the amount of weight lost and the lackluster impact on weight-related health conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and sleep apnea, this story serves as an important counterbalance to the direct-to-consumer advertising on the procedure. Obesity is a significant public health issue and impacts up to one third of American adults. Diet and exercise are still the preferred approach. Drug therapy for obesity remains elusive as evidenced by the recent refusal of the FDA to approve Qnexa. Increasingly, people with morbid obesity are turning to surgical treatments. Patients have two choices in this regard. The standard gastric bypass or placement of an adjustable band around the stomach opening. Both approaches are deemed safe. While the banding approach is simpler and carries fewer immediate risks, the weight loss is not as great as with the bypass procedure. This new study adds to our understanding of the longstanding outcomes of a group of patients who received an earlier generation banding device.

true

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Facebook post Says Gov. Tony Evers is “pushing firearm confiscation orders”

A Facebook post finding new life amid the coronavirus outbreak says Evers is pushing gun confiscation, but the linked article is from April 2019. At that time, Evers hadn’t proposed any such thing, and the article only details a call for red flag laws from the attorney general. So what was wrong in 2019 is now both wrong and ridiculous.

false

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A drop of 21 million cellphone subscribers in China in early 2020 documents that the death toll from COVID-19 was vastly underreported in that country.

The ruling Communist Party says it is trying to prevent large gatherings from causing a new outbreak. But its tight controls appear to be part of a concerted attempt to avoid an outpouring of anguish and anger that could be a visceral reminder of its early missteps and efforts to conceal the outbreak. Those same public displays or discussions of loss could also feed skepticism over how China has counted the dead.

unproven

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"""A school uniform policy helps with """"school safety, helps with truancy."""

Adkins said school uniforms improve school safety and truancy. There are some studies that say there are changes for the better and worse for both school violence and attendance statistics once uniforms are adopted, but there’s hardly a consensus. Even if there is improvement, research suggests the positives are slight -- not exactly the evidence Adkins says overwhelmingly supports the benefits of these policies. Some experts think the actual impact on students is negligible or even negative. The statement is partially accurate but leaves out important details.

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People are five to seven times more likely to be murdered in workplaces that allow firearms than in those that prohibit it.

Workplace homicides more likely where guns allowed, anti-gun violence group says

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Jakarta coffin maker faces gruelling days as coronavirus death toll climbs.

As debate rages about the true death toll caused by the coronavirus outbreak in Indonesia, Jakarta coffin maker Sahroni has been too busy to pay the issue much attention.

true

785

5260

Alaska quake damage could have been much worse, experts say.

The magnitude 7.0 earthquake that rattled Alaska’s largest city cracked roads and collapsed highway ramps, but there were no reports of widespread catastrophic damage or collapsed buildings.

true

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The Doctor’s Not In: Checkup By Teleconference

In this story we learn about a new concept in urgent care: checkups by teleconference. This technology purports to fill gaps in healthcare, providing convenient care for minor ailments. With long waits at emergency rooms, this concept is very appealing. However, this story fails to describe the evidence to support the claim that this type of care delivery is as safe and effective as traditional care. The medical ethics expert points out several potential harms of the technology, such as mistaking a major condition for a minor one or ignoring true emergencies. The story mentions emergency room and urgent care centers as the alternatives. The story should have provided some more detail about the pros and cons of the different options. The story quotes two sources, the physician who is affiliated with the teleconferencing company and an independent medical ethicist. The story could have provided some additional perspectives, such as from a doctor who works in urgent care settings. Most importantly, the story does not provide any evidence to support the claim that these centers provide care that is at least as safe or as good quality as regular visits. Also, the story does not attempt to quantify the benefits of the technology nor does it state where these centers are located and how common they are.

true

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John McCain was released after five years of captivity in Vietnam in 1973, the same year Donald Trump was sued by the Justice Department for racial bias in real estate.

John McCain vs. Donald Trump in 1973 Meme

true

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Florida is ranked 50th in the nation for mental health care funding.

"""Smith said, """"Florida is ranked 50th in the nation for mental health care funding."""" A key source of data for ranking states on mental health spending is the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors Research Institute. That data shows that Florida ranked 51st in 2014. However, it is difficult to compare Florida with other states because it administers its Medicaid program differently than most states."""

true

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Tech billionaires such as Bill Gates and Steve Jobs advocated limiting children's use of technology.

A number of tech billionaires seemingly agree on at least one piece of parenting advice: Limit your children's use of technology.

true

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Chrono Therapeutics' Smoking Cessation Technology Demonstrates Significant Reduction in Nicotine Cravings

Nicotine delivery system and smartphone app. Image: Chrono TherapeuticsThis news release provides an overview of a smoking cessation product developed by Chrono Therapeutics, and discusses its reported benefits in reducing nicotine cravings. The news release cites a clinical trial that involved 24 men, smoking at baseline at least 11 cigarettes daily, who were randomly assigned to have nicotine delivered over a 30-hour time period through a wearable transdermal drug delivery device. Along with delivering nicotine, the device is synced with a smartphone app that provides “behavioral support.” Compared to the control group who received placebo, the device had a statistically significant effect on reducing nicotine cravings, according to the release. Although we appreciate the details regarding the clinical trial, we note that the trial compares the new device to placebo, so does not inform us about the effectiveness compared to other smoking cessation methods. We are also concerned about the transparency of the study data. When we requested the study abstract upon which the release is based, and which was presented at a national medical meeting, we found that the study pertains to a trial group of 12, not 24 as mentioned in the release. The study abstract also references another trial that was to be completed in October 2015, so we’re left confused about which study was presented at the Society for Research on Nicotine & Tobacco annual meeting. We are also dismayed at the unjustified claims about solving the world’s smoking problem, a bit grandiose for a trial lasting 30 hours that does not measure smoking outcomes. Smoking is a health risk spanning years or decades, and people trying to quit experience high relapse rates. [Editor’s note: After this review was published the news release issuer provided additional background on the research presented at the medical conference. According to the company’s representative, “Chrono ended up completing that second study in Sept 2015 and this is the study that generated the p-values for the cravings reduction. Therefore, the company presented more data at SRNT, and wrote the press release inclusive of this, beyond what had originally made it into the abstract. Knowing this, and with the presentation attached, I hope this allows for a fairer evaluation of the release, with the fuller data set clarified.” Although this background clears up the discrepancy between the number of volunteers cited in the news release and the study, it doesn’t affect the overall review rating since we apply our review criteria to the release and not the study.] According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 40 million American adults currently smoke, and smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease and death across the nation. Although no one can argue the importance of reducing smoking rates, public health efforts have helped reduce the rate of smoking by almost 5% since 2005. The CDC also estimates that 7 out of 10 smokers want to quit and that the average smoker  makes 8-10 attempts. A new option to help people reach their quitting goal is welcome — if it works and is cost-effective.

false

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"""The city of Brookhaven’s ordinance could cause the Pink Pony to close, thereby """"putting 300 Pink Pony employees out of work in this economy."""

Pink Pony ad warns fight could cost jobs

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A photograph shows the bedroom of the sons of murdered civil rights leader Medgar Evers.

Is This the Bedroom of Medgar Evers’ Sons?

true

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Jeanne Shaheen Says Scott Brown co-sponsored legislation to let employers deny women coverage for mammograms.

Shaheen said Brown co-sponsored legislation to let employers deny women coverage for mammograms. The amendment, which Brown supported, was written loosely enough to allow a religious-conscience opt-out for almost any conceivable form of preventive care. But it didn't target mammograms, as Shaheen implied. And while the amendment would have protected religious-conscience objections, we failed to uncover any evidence that mammograms have inspired religious opposition, either now or in the past. The claim contains an element of truth but ignores critical facts that would give a different impression.

false

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Trump directs government to revamp care for kidney disease.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Wednesday revamping care for kidney disease so more people whose kidneys fail can have a chance at early transplants and home dialysis, and others don’t get that sick in the first place.

true

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After knee repair, half can't play sports the same.

After knee reconstruction surgery, half of people who played sports both competitively and just for fun don’t perform as well as they used to, according to an Australian study.

true

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Arkansas gets donation of Trump-promoted anti-malarial drug.

A pharmaceutical company has given Arkansas 100,000 tablets of an anti-malarial drug that President Donald Trump is heavily pitching as a treatment for the coronavirus.

true

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9436

Spit test may diagnose, predict duration of concussion in kids

CNN’s story describes a study that identified microRNA markers in the saliva of children and teens who’ve sustained a concussion; five of these biomarkers could be used in an algorithm to predict whether or not the youngsters’ concussions symptoms would subside within four weeks of their injury. The story did a good job explaining the study’s limitations, and describing similar tests under development–helping readers understand this is by no means the only method that’s being studied. We were also pleased to see independent sources and disclosure of potential conflicts of interest. However, the story could have provided more information on the potential harms of screening tests, as well as expected costs. Concussions are a hot medical topic, as we explain in Communicating effectively about concussion research: 6 tips for writers. When it comes to screening tools, however, news outlets sometimes overlook the nuances. This CNN story, for example, didn’t discuss the potential downsides of false-positive and false-negative results.

true

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Happiness study draws frowns from critics.

A high-profile 2013 study that concluded that different kinds of happiness are associated with dramatically different patterns of gene activity is fatally flawed, according to an analysis published on Monday which tore into its target with language rarely seen in science journals.

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"""Portland Public Schools invites """"well-paid, well-fed school bureaucrats, administrators, teachers, other staff, non-needy students, affluent parents of students, and other adults, including on the other extreme the adult homeless, illegal aliens, fanatical Muslim terrorists, or drug addicted street people, to enjoy cheap breakfasts in taxpayer-paid school facilities amidst school children."""

Portland Public Schools invites all adults for a cheap $1.75 breakfast?

false