copenlu/druid huggingface dataset:
Claim: COVID-19 vaccination of pregnant women is connected to an increase in U.S. infant mortality rate in 2022 (Facebook Users, 2023-11-15)
Evidence (2022-01-10): In a research letter published in April 2022, investigators evaluated the association between COVID-19 vaccination during early pregnancy and risk of major fetal structural anomalies identified on ultrasonography. Of 2622 patients who received at least 1 dose of COVID-19 vaccine, 1149 (43.8%) were vaccinated within the teratogenic window. Results of this analysis found that vaccination within the teratogenic window was not associated with presence of a congenital anomaly identified on ultrasonography (Ruderman 2022). [...] There is no evidence of adverse maternal or fetal effects from vaccinating pregnant individuals with COVID-19 vaccine, and a growing body of data demonstrate the safety of such use (Ciapponi 2021, Ciapponi 2023, Wainstock 2021, Kachikis 2021, Magnus 2021, Fu 2021, Ruderman 2022). Therefore, individuals who are or will be pregnant should receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Emerging data indicate that vaccine-induced antibodies cross the placenta, but the degree of protection these antibodies provide to the neonate is unknown (Yang 2022). In a recent case-control study from 20 pediatric hospitals, CDC found that COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy reduced the risk of infant hospitalization with COVID-19 by 61%, suggesting that COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy might also help protect babies. These findings emphasize the importance of COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy to protect pregnant people and their babies from COVID-19 (Halasa 2022). Vaccination may occur in any trimester and emphasis should be on vaccine receipt as soon as possible to maximize maternal and fetal health.
Claim: COVID-19 vaccination of pregnant women is connected to an increase in U.S. infant mortality rate in 2022 (Facebook Users, 2023-11-15)
Evidence (2022-06-07): References - Hobbs CV, Woodworth K, Young CC, et al.; Overcoming COVID-19 Investigators. Frequency, characteristics and complications of COVID-19 in hospitalized infants. Pediatr Infect Dis J 2022;41:e81–6. https://doi.org/10.1097/INF.0000000000003435 PMID:34955519 - Marchant A, Sadarangani M, Garand M, et al. Maternal immunisation: collaborating with mother nature. Lancet Infect Dis 2017;17:e197–208. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(17)30229-3 PMID:28433705 - Nir O, Schwartz A, Toussia-Cohen S, et al. Maternal-neonatal transfer of SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin G antibodies among parturient women treated with BNT162b2 messenger RNA vaccine during pregnancy. Am J Obstet Gynecol MFM 2022;4:100492. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajogmf.2021.100492 PMID:34547533 - Trostle ME, Aguero-Rosenfeld ME, Roman AS, Lighter JL. High antibody levels in cord blood from pregnant women vaccinated against COVID-19. Am J Obstet Gynecol MFM 2021;3:100481. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajogmf.2021.100481 PMID:34562636 - Yang YJ, Murphy EA, Singh S, et al. Association of gestational age at coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination, history of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, and a vaccine booster dose with maternal and umbilical cord antibody levels at delivery. Obstet Gynecol 2021. Epub December 28, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1097/AOG.0000000000004693 PMID:34963127 - Olson SM, Newhams MM, Halasa NB, et al.; Overcoming Covid-19 Investigators. Effectiveness of BNT162b2 vaccine against critical Covid-19 in adolescents.
Claim: COVID-19 vaccination of pregnant women is connected to an increase in U.S. infant mortality rate in 2022 (Facebook Users, 2023-11-15)
Evidence (2023-11-21): A recent federal report shows a 3% increase in the U.S. infant mortality rate between 2021 and 2022, which is the first statistically significant rise in 20 years. The cause of the uptick is unknown, but there’s no evidence that it’s due to COVID-19 vaccination, as some social media posts baselessly suggest. A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that in 2022, 5.6 infants out of every 1,000 live births died before they turned 1 in the U.S., a 3% increase over 2021. This returns the infant mortality rate, which has steadily fallen over the decades, to the 2019 level. [...] The rise in 2022 was driven by significant increases in mortality for several categories measured in the report — in infants born to women ages 25 to 29; in infants born in four states (Georgia, Iowa, Missouri and Texas); in infants of American Indian and Alaska Native and white women; in infants born preterm; and in male babies. Mortality rates also increased in cases of maternal complications and bacterial sepsis, two of the 10 leading causes of infant death.
Claim: COVID-19 vaccination of pregnant women is connected to an increase in U.S. infant mortality rate in 2022 (Facebook Users, 2023-11-15)
Evidence (2024-02-06): This large population-based safety study found no evidence of increases in adverse neonatal events in infants born to individuals vaccinated against COVID-19 during pregnancy. In contrast, exposure to COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy was associated with reduced rates of nontraumatic intracranial hemorrhage, hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, and neonatal mortality. The observed reduction in risk may reflect residual confounding rather than an actual protective effect of vaccination. However, these findings may provide reassurance to public health authorities, clinicians, pregnant individuals, and their families that infants are not at higher risk of adverse events due to COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy.
Claim: COVID-19 vaccination of pregnant women is connected to an increase in U.S. infant mortality rate in 2022 (Facebook Users, 2023-11-15)
Evidence (2024-02-12): The COVID-19 pandemic caused unique disruptions to health and social care programs serving MCH populations. Between school and child care closures, telehealth limitations in maternal care, and preexisting inequities, the pandemic pushed an already Unwieldy system to its limits. Closures and limitations coupled with anxiety, extreme stress, and burnout exacerbated social drivers of health linked to poor health outcomes, especially related to maternity care, mental health, and racial and ethnic disparities. For example, the U.S. maternal mortality rate increased from 20.1 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2019 to 32.9 deaths per 1,000 in 2021. These rates increased across racial and ethnic groups, with the highest rates observed for Black women.
Claim: COVID-19 vaccination of pregnant women is connected to an increase in U.S. infant mortality rate in 2022 (Facebook Users, 2023-11-15)
Evidence (2024-08-28): - McLaughlin JM, Khan F, Schmitt H-J, et al. Respiratory Syncytial Virus–Associated Hospitalization Rates among US Infants: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Infect Dis. 2022; 225(6): 1100-11.
Claim: COVID-19 vaccination of pregnant women is connected to an increase in U.S. infant mortality rate in 2022 (Facebook Users, 2023-11-15)
Evidence (2023-12-21): To tease out the effect of vaccination, the researchers compared the impact of COVID-19 infection on preterm births between areas with the fastest vaccine uptake and those with the slowest. Zip codes with the fastest uptake had an 86% vaccination rate by March 2022. Those with the lowest rates reached 51% during the same time period. Until May 2021, the impact of COVID-19 infection on preterm birth rates was similar between areas. They then dropped sharply in high-vaccination areas, while staying high in low-vaccination areas until almost a year later. This strongly suggests that vaccination accounted for the difference in the rate of preterm births. By the end of 2022, the impact of COVID-19 on preterm births had faded, despite an increase in infections caused by the Omicron variant. Vaccines had become widely available as well as effective therapies for COVID-19. New variants had emerged, and more of the population had acquired immunity to SARS-CoV-2. [...] References: Vaccination, immunity, and the changing impact of COVID-19 on infant health. Torche F, Nobles J. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2023 Dec 5;120(49):e2311573120. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2311573120. Epub 2023 Nov 27. PMID: 38011548.
Claim: Vitamin B17 “was banned by the US because of its cancer-killing properties” (Facebook user, 2023-03-01)
Evidence (2023-03-01): Despite the lack of evidence for the effectiveness of so-called alternative cancer treatments, these still continue to be used by patients desperate for a cure. Amygdalin and its synthetic counterpart laetrile are examples of alternative cancer treatments promoted online. However, overwhelming evidence from almost a century of research indicates that both are ineffective against cancer and can instead cause cyanide poisoning. Rather than prolonging life, research shows that switching from conventional cancer treatments to alternative treatments actually reduces the patient’s odds of survival.
Claim: Vitamin B17 “was banned by the US because of its cancer-killing properties” (Facebook user, 2023-03-01)
Evidence (2016-05-31): In June 2016 an image macro became newly popular (likely due to a concurrent cancer conspiracy rumor) on social media, holding that the bitter almond tree had been banned across the United States since 1995 because it contains high levels of the cancer-fighting vitamin B17 (also known as Laetrile): The claim was an old and deceptively multi-layered one, asserting that the bitter almond tree had been banned across the United States, that the ban was enacted in a particular year (1995), that the banned substance contained levels of Vitamin B17 sufficient to prevent and treat cancer, and that the unspecified powers that be explicitly and unquestionably banned the plant solely because it could save people's lives by fighting cancer. [...] Following the investigation by FDA, the USAO, and the USPIS, the U.S. District Court for Eastern District of New York placed Vale's illegal sales and promotion of Laetrile — also known as amygdalin, "Vitamin B-17", or apricot pits — under injunction in April 2000. Defying the court order, Vale set up a shell corporation in Arizona, and continued to ship the product from the basement of his own home to customers passed on to him by his New York firm. For these activities, Vale was found guilty 11 months ago of three counts of criminal contempt, and ordered to be held without bail pending his sentencing.
Claim: Vitamin B17 “was banned by the US because of its cancer-killing properties” (Facebook user, 2023-03-01)
Evidence (2022-08-30): "CANCER HAS BEEN DEFEATED," declares a post on a Facebook page in Nigeria. "Cancer can be cured: Vitamin B17." [...] "Vitamin B17" is a name given to a substance called amygdalin, which is found in some nuts, seeds and plants. The US National Library of Medicine classifies it as an irritant. [...] ‘Vitamin B17’ isn’t a vitamin "Vitamin B17" is a name given to a substance called amygdalin, which is found in some nuts, seeds and plants. The US National Library of Medicine classifies it as an irritant.
Claim: Vitamin B17 “was banned by the US because of its cancer-killing properties” (Facebook user, 2023-03-01)
Evidence (2022-11-21): Laetrile (amygdalin or vitamin B17) [...] Some people call laetrile vitamin B17, although it isn’t a vitamin.
Claim: Vitamin B17 “was banned by the US because of its cancer-killing properties” (Facebook user, 2023-03-01)
Evidence (2024-08-02): Vitamin B17 destroys cancer cells but it has been banned by the FDA. [...] A misleading post that was widely shared in 2015 is recirculating on X (formerly Twitter). The post claims that cannabis oil and "vitamin B17" destroy cancer cells. It goes on to say that both substances have been banned by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and that this needs to be explained. [...] It is also true that ‘vitamin’ B17 has been banned for several decades by the FDA.
Claim: Vitamin B17 “was banned by the US because of its cancer-killing properties” (Facebook user, 2023-03-01)
Evidence (2023-10-15): Although the names laetrile, Laetrile, vitamin B-17, and amygdalin are often used interchangeably, they are not the same product. The chemical composition of U.S.-patented Laetrile (mandelonitrile-beta-glucuronide), a semisynthetic derivative of amygdalin, is different from the laetrile/amygdalin produced in Mexico (mandelonitrile beta-D-gentiobioside), which is made from crushed apricot pits.[15,16] Mandelonitrile, which contains a cyanide group, is a structural component of both products.[15] It has been proposed that released (hydrogen) cyanide is the active cancer-killing ingredient in laetrile, but two other breakdown products of amygdalin—prunasin (which is similar in structure to Laetrile) and benzaldehyde—may also be cancer cell inhibitors.[17-20] The studies discussed in this summary used either Mexican laetrile/amygdalin or the patented form. In most instances, the generic term laetrile will be used in this summary; however, a distinction will be made between the products when necessary.
Claim: Vitamin B17 “was banned by the US because of its cancer-killing properties” (Facebook user, 2023-03-01)
Evidence (2022-08-30): The meme’s long description claims apricot seeds contain "vitamin B17" – "known as amygdalin or laetrile". It says studies show this substance has anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties. [...] But there isn’t any "scientific evidence that laetrile [amygdalin or vitamin B17] is an effective treatment for cancer or any other illness", as Cancer Research UK also says.
Claim: Vitamin B17 “was banned by the US because of its cancer-killing properties” (Facebook user, 2023-03-01)
Evidence (2023-03-14): On 1 March 2023, a Facebook reel with more than 1.6 million views claimed that "Vitamin B17", a compound present in apricot kernels, "was banned by the U.S. because of its cancer-killing properties". "Vitamin B17" is the name that some people use to refer to amygdalin, a compound present in some plants like clover and notably in the seeds of fruits from the Rosaceae family, such as bitter almonds, apricots, plums, and cherries. [...] One well-known characteristic of amygdalin is its capacity to release hydrogen cyanide when it breaks down in the intestine[4]. Hydrogen cyanide is known as a potentially deadly poison that interferes with cells’ ability to use oxygen. This mode of action of cyanide directly contradicts the mechanism proposed by the Facebook user, who claimed that B17 kills cancer cells because it "put[s] oxygen and hydrogenate[s] cells again".
Claim: Vitamin B17 “was banned by the US because of its cancer-killing properties” (Facebook user, 2023-03-01)
Evidence (2024-10-09): One Facebook post claims "Vitamin B17 was banned by the FDA because it cures cancer!", while others refer to B17 fighting cancer as well as killing cancer or cancer cells. [...] Adrian Harris, Emeritus Professor of Medical Oncology at Oxford University, previously told AAP FactCheck "vitamin B17" can cause poisoning, especially if taken in tablet form, while Ian Olver AM, a cancer researcher at the University of Adelaide and a former Cancer Council chief executive, said the cyanide produced by amygdalin kills cells regardless of whether they’re cancerous. [...] False claims about "vitamin B17" curing cancer have also been debunked by fact-checkers at Health Feedback and Full Fact.
Claim: Vitamin B17 “was banned by the US because of its cancer-killing properties” (Facebook user, 2023-03-01)
Evidence (2022-08-30): "The bitter almond tree, the highest source of vitamin B17, known to prevent and treat cancer, was banned from the USA in 1995," says a meme shared on Facebook in South Africa in August 2019. [...] The substance has been called "vitamin B17", but it’s not a vitamin.
Claim: Vitamin B17 “was banned by the US because of its cancer-killing properties” (Facebook user, 2023-03-01)
Evidence (2017-01-13): Discussion of the cancer-fighting properties of a chemical (variously referred to as amygdalin, laetrile, or "vitamin B17") has been a fixture of the so-called alternative medicine movement for decades. Despite an exhaustive body of research demonstrating that its use is both ineffective and potentially dangerous, these claims still make their way onto the internet’s most popular "natural health" blogs and continue to fuel anti-government conspiracies. [...] Perhaps the most prominent force keeping the laetrile myth alive is the book "World Without Cancer: The Story of Vitamin B17" (which was very positively reviewed by "Dr." Ernst Krebs Jr himself!) by G. Edward Griffith, a libertarian activist with no medical training. Despite his book being basis for many pro-laetrile arguments, Griffith himself seems to be less enthused by that notion these days, as evidenced by this fairly convoluted introduction on his web site VitaminB17.org: As webmaster of VitaminB17.org, certainly I believe in B17. I wouldn't have spent my time and personal resources on this site all these years if I didn't believe in it. The thing about life is, you can only go by the best information you have at the time. You don't know what you don't know. While I still believe in B17, new information has come to light that I believe is not only also valid information, but more central to cancer than B17. That said, I still would pursue B17 as a treatment for cancer.
Claim: Vitamin B17 “was banned by the US because of its cancer-killing properties” (Facebook user, 2023-03-01)
Evidence (2021-07-07): Common Names - Apricot pits - Vitamin B17 - Mandelonitrile-beta-glucuronide (semi-synthetic) [...] Amygdalin is a naturally occurring cyanogenic glycoside derived from nuts, plants, and the pits of certain fruits, primarily apricots. Bitter almonds containing amygdalin are used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to remove "blood stasis" and to treat abscesses (1). Amygdalin was first used to treat cancer more than a century ago in Russia and later in the United States. A purified form sold as Laetrile has been a popular alternative cancer therapy since the 1960s. Some claimed amygdalin to be a vitamin (B17) and that deficiencies could cause cancer, but this is not substantiated by scientific evidence (2). Amygdalin is banned in the United States, but it is available in other countries and online.
Claim: Vitamin B17 “was banned by the US because of its cancer-killing properties” (Facebook user, 2023-03-01)
Evidence (2019-11-12): Do apricot seeds fight cancer? What is vitamin B17? The idea that such products could fight cancer arose because apricot pits contain a substance called amygdalin, which is broken down by the body to produce hydrogen cyanide. Because of the levels of certain enzymes in cancer cells, hydrogen cyanide is particularly poisonous to such cells, according to one theory. Another theory holds that cancer is a result of a vitamin deficiency, and amygdalin – also known as vitamin B17 – can restore the body to health. Yet another theory claims that in damaging cancer cells, amygdalin boosts the immune system to fight cancer.
Claim: Vitamin B17 “was banned by the US because of its cancer-killing properties” (Facebook user, 2023-03-01)
Evidence (2023-03-10): - Health "Vitamin B17" is neither a vitamin nor a cancer treatment and can cause cyanide poisoning [...] Factually inaccurate: The so-called "vitamin B17" is actually amygdalin, a compound that isn’t a vitamin and which decades of research have shown to be ineffective as a cancer treatment. [...] On 1 March 2023, a Facebook reel with more than 1.6 million views claimed that "Vitamin B17", a compound present in apricot kernels, "was banned by the U.S. because of its cancer-killing properties".
Claim: Vitamin B17 “was banned by the US because of its cancer-killing properties” (Facebook user, 2023-03-01)
Evidence (2024-02-29): Many websites tout the benefits of amygdalin (also called nitriloside, purasin, and vitamin B17) for cancer. Though these sites post stories of personal successes after using it, the scientific proof simply isn't there. [...] Some people have also suggested that it teams up with enzymes in cancer cells to destroy them. Others say the cancer was caused because you didn't have enough "vitamin B17." But there's no proof that amygdalin acts like a vitamin in your body or that you even need it. Calling it a vitamin is a way to get around regulations for drugs.
Claim: Vitamin B17 “was banned by the US because of its cancer-killing properties” (Facebook user, 2023-03-01)
Evidence (2017-07-31): - "Vitamin B17" 1 tab TID. [...] There are several theories explaining how cyanide could specifically target cancer cells, while leaving non-cancer cells unharmed. It has been proposed that cancer cells exhibit higher beta-glucuronidase activity, thus making them more susceptible to the uptake and hydrolysis of amygdalin to cytotoxic cyanide (1). Another theory states that cancer develops as a result of specific vitamin deficiencies, and the addition of Vitamin B17 (Laetrile) can restore health to the body (1). Granted, these theories do have an experimental basis, however, the clinical evidence supporting the use of Laetrile as an anti-cancer agent is lacking. [...] There have been no randomized controlled trials or quasi-RCTs to evaluate the effectiveness or safety of laetrile. Production and distribution of Laetrile has been banned in the United States, as supported by distinct public statements from organizations including the American Cancer Society and National Cancer Institute (1,6). In the 1970s, the mainstream nature of the controversy was such that even "Doonesbury", a popular syndicated daily comic strip, made reference to the dangers of Laetrile and how its ongoing availability and marketing is nothing more than a "money grab" (7). Despite this, Laetrile continues to be available in Mexico, marketed in products such as Vitamin B17 to a contemporary market of vulnerable and desperate consumers.
Claim: Vitamin B17 “was banned by the US because of its cancer-killing properties” (Facebook user, 2023-03-01)
Evidence (2005-09-23): Laetrile is a compound that has been used as a treatment for people with cancer. Laetrile is another name for amygdalin. Amygdalin is a bitter substance found in fruit pits, such as apricots, raw nuts, lima beans, clover, and sorghum. It makes hydrogen cyanide which is changed into cyanide when taken into the body. Hydrogen cyanide is thought to kill cancer cells. Laetrile is also called Vitamin B-17, although it has not been approved as a vitamin by the American Institute of Nutrition Vitamins.
Claim: Vitamin B17 “was banned by the US because of its cancer-killing properties” (Facebook user, 2023-03-01)
Evidence (2009-04-30): ALSO KNOWN AS: Laetrile, "vitamin B17," mandelonitrile-beta-glucuronide (semisynthetic), mandelonitrile beta-D-gentiobioside (natural product), laevorotatory and mandelonitrile, prunasin. [...] RESEARCH: Amygdalin is metabolized by the enzyme betaglucosidase into benzaldehyde, glucose, and cyanide.[1] Claims of its anticancer activity rely on the theory, now proven false, that cancer cells contain elevated amounts of the betaglucosidase compared to normal cells. The cyanide resulting from the hydrolysis of amygdalin is believed to be cytotoxic.[2] It was further postulated that normal cells convert the cyanide to benign thiocyanate. However, there is no convincing evidence for this selective effect on neoplastic cells. It has also been claimed by some promoters that amygdalin is a vitamin (B17) and that cancer develops due to deficiencies in B17, but no data substantiate this idea. Laboratory studies suggest that amygdalin has anticancer properties,[3] but a 1982 clinical trial conducted by the National Cancer Institute failed to find any effectiveness. Moreover, several study patients had symptoms of mild cyanide toxicity or significant levels of cyanide.[4] A systematic review of 36 case series and case reports concluded that amygdalin is ineffective.[5]