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100 | 18292 | """Chain email Says """"At age 76 when you most need it, you are not eligible for cancer treatment"""" under Affordable Care Act.""" | Will seniors be denied cancer treatment under Obamacare? | false |
101 | 26523 | “As soon as I endorsed (Supreme Court Justice Daniel Kelly), the Wisconsin Democrats said, let’s move the election to two months later.” | Trump is connecting dots on a coincidence and forgetting his own past endorsements. Evers’ call to switch to a mail-in election came an hour after Trump tweeted an endorsement of Kelly. But the push to delay the election entirely wasn’t until days later And most notably, that wasn’t Trump’s first endorsement of Kelly. He also urged supporters to vote for Kelly in a January campaign stop. | false |
102 | 9491 | New Heart Imaging Method May Predict Heart Attack | From the headline to the text, this story is problematic–readers don’t learn the actual results of the study, which identified and measured the size and shape of inflamed and unstable fat cells in the arteries of people undergoing bypass surgery, and compared them in some fashion to people having angiograms to assess the presence of heart disease. The story also seems to confuse two separate issues. One issue is gradual narrowing of arteries over many years, which is what this new test seems to be looking at. The second issue is a sudden heart attack that occurs in seconds, which is not the same thing. Most confusing is that the study is designed to assess the possibility of using inflammation to predict risk in people long before they have atherosclerotic buildup that can been seen with angiograms or heart CT scans; or before there are heart disease symptoms. But the study was performed on people having bypass surgery or angiograms, presumably because they already have heart disease or symptoms. That’s a big limitation to this research that’s never discussed in the news story. The article also makes some claims about the value of statins as anti-inflammatories that need context. Heart disease remains the number one killer of Americans, and while the use of statins, other drugs, better heart imaging and lifestyle changes (diet, exercise, smoking cessation) have seriously lowered the risk of some heart attacks and strokes, having a tool that could more accurately predict who needs statins and other interventions sooner would be most welcome. This article attempts to describe a study designed to validate arterial tissue inflammation as a sensitive marker for heart attack risk, but stories about diagnostic advances need to make very clear what was measured, what the study’s endpoints were, i.e. what question was asked and answered; and why the investigators think their advance is worth pursuing. | false |
103 | 2974 | New Mexico man in house arrest sues to use medical marijuana. | A New Mexico man serving a house arrest sentence for drunken driving is suing to be allowed to use medical marijuana. | true |
104 | 18022 | """Obamacare provision will allow """"forced home inspections"""" by government agents.""" | """Bloggers passed around a claim last week that a provision of the new health care law will allow """"forced"""" home inspections by government agents. But the program they pointed to provides grants for voluntary help to at-risk families from trained staff like nurses and social workers. What bloggers describe would be an egregious abuse of the law — not what’s allowed by it.""" | false |
105 | 8920 | Cruise ship passengers 'in limbo' off San Francisco awaiting coronavirus tests. | First, the food buffet was shut down as gloved staff scurried about wiping every surface in sight. Then the ocean liner’s gym, bar, casino and boutiques were closed, with passengers urged to keep to themselves. Finally, they were confined to their staterooms. | true |
106 | 2304 | Study paves the way for a blood test to predict Alzheimer's. | British scientists have identified a set of 10 proteins in the blood that can predict the onset of Alzheimer’s and call this an important step towards developing a test for the incurable brain-wasting disease. | true |
107 | 37788 | """If you Google """"unprofessional hairstyles for men"""" and """"""""unprofessional hairstyles for women"""" or """"professional hairstyles for men"""" and """"professional hairstyles for women,"""" results appeared to be racially biased.""" | ‘Unprofessional Hairstyles for Men or Women’ Versus ‘Professional Hairstyles for Men or Women’ Google Image Results | mixture |
108 | 33085 | According to a body language expert, a photograph of President Obama crying reveals he is a psychopath. | According to Dr. Glass, the thrust of the meme is unequivocally false. Whether folks believe President Obama’s tears at the 5 January 2016 appearance were legitimate or not, the meme based on that moment in no way represents the analytical work of the body language expert to whom it is attributed. | false |
109 | 28379 | At least 100,000 churches called for the withdrawal of Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination. | What's true: The National Council of Churches, an umbrella organization representing over 100,000 Christian congregations, called for the Supreme Court nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to be withdrawn. What's false: All of those congregations did not individually call for Kavanaugh's nomination to be withdrawn. | mixture |
110 | 31932 | A landline disengaged from its cradle will eventually self-dial 911. | Technology has brought along with it alternatives for individuals to summon help without dialing 911 and speaking to an emergency dispatcher, a particularly useful function in dangerous situations where a victim cannot discuss their situation. However, experts in emergency telecommunications have confirmed that simply knocking the phone off the hook was never a failsafe for callers in need of assistance. And while people and pets (and the occasional tomato) have on occasion accidentally summoned the police, they did not do so by simply removing a receiver from its hook. | false |
111 | 34447 | """Massaging olive oil into breast skin and tissue can prevent and reverse """"sagging.""" | There is research [PDF] (conducted by individuals who contracted with cosmetic medical firms) that indicates some success in the ongoing development of a topical version of botulinum toxin type A (popularly known by the brand name Botox) and intended solely for the face. However, that research only concerns a clinically prescribed substance (botulinum toxin, not a pantry product) and included no indications that it could be used on breast tissue. | unproven |
112 | 26777 | The mortality rate for the flu is “right around” that of the new coronavirus: “It’s right around 2%.” | """The mortality rate for the flu is considered by most experts to be about 0.1%. That's """"sort of the canonical seasonal influenza mortality figure,"""" said Dr. Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security. Although this percentage seems like a small number, influenza is responsible for an estimated 30,000 to 40,000 deaths annually. Estimates for the mortality rate for coronavirus are currently around 2%, but this number could change depending on how cases are diagnosed.""" | false |
113 | 8865 | Clot-busting drugs save limbs from frostbite. | Doctors using specialized imaging methods to precisely deliver drugs to frostbitten hands and feet may be able to save them from amputation, researchers reported on Monday. | true |
114 | 26324 | Mitch McConnell said he wanted states to go bankrupt instead of the federal government providing relief. Today, Thom Tillis agreed. | U.S. Senate Leader Mitch McConnell said he doesn’t want the federal government to help states pay for debt that wasn’t incurred as part of the coronavirus outbreak, which could include allowing them to declare bankruptcy. U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) said he agrees with McConnell “more or less,” but never explicitly said he wants states to declare bankruptcy. Tillis added that he doesn’t support an “across the board” bailout, and wants to review aid on a “case-by-case basis.” | false |
115 | 25645 | David Perdue Says his policy is that “health insurance should always cover preexisting conditions. For anyone. Period.” | Perdue has voted to do away with Obamacare and the protections it provides. His bill to provide similar protections contains loopholes for insurance companies. He weighed in on the side of extended short-term plans, which can legally deny coverage based on preexisting conditions. | false |
116 | 26845 | Amy, I looked online at your (health care) plan. It’s two paragraphs. | Warren’s campaign said she was referring to just the paragraphs that specifically addressed universal health care. But those two paragraphs are just one part of a four-webpage policy statement that collectively runs 64 paragraphs long. | false |
117 | 10982 | Vitamin B and its role in improving memory | This story provided insightful information about whether there exists an associations between the intake of specific B vitamins, including B6, folic acid (B9), and B12 (cobalamin), and chance of developing dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, this story is a very well organized discussion about what is and is not known about these vitamins, the levels of the amino acid homocysteine, and age-related or disease related cognitive impairment. The story never explained why this information was being reported at the current time, but it did provide a well considered look at the research on a complicated topic. As the population ages, we are feeling the effects of cognitive decline in large numbers of people. Most families have been affected in some way by Alzheimer’s or a similar condition. A simple solution like B vitamins would provide hope for many, and stories like this provide readers a welcome analysis of the true basis for that hope. | true |
118 | 8012 | Iran plans tougher restrictions as coronavirus toll rises. | Iran had 117 new coronavirus deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing the total to 2,757, a health ministry spokesman said on Monday, prompting the Middle East’s worst hit country to consider tougher curbs on movement. | true |
119 | 29128 | Red Bull and Bang energy drinks test positive for various illicit or prescription drugs in substance or urine tests | What's true: The meme may have alluded (knowingly or unknowingly) to the theoretical possibility that the energy drinks in question could, like other innocuous substances, produce false positives for the drugs listed in the meme. What's false: We found no evidence of a pattern of Red Bull, Bang, or other energy drinks producing false positives for methamphetamine, ecstasy, or the other drugs listed in the meme. The photograph included in the meme did not constitute evidence that supported its claims, which were expressed in misleading and confusing terms. | false |
120 | 11214 | Blood drug trades benefit for risk | This article, reporting on findings of a published paper on the experimental blood-thinning drug prasugrel, is an excellent example of a thorough, intelligent and disinterested report on study findings. Specifically: It makes clear that, while the findings can be interpreted favorably, FDA approval is not guaranteed It makes clear that the benefits and risks need to be carefully compared and are controversial. It does so using both study data and commentary from a number of knowledable experts. In each case the relationship of the source to the study, both professional and financial, is made clear. The article places the controverial findings in the context of market competition, which is the proper backdrop for a study of what is essentially a copycat drug. It’s worth noting that this excellent five-star story was reported in fewer than 1,000 words. It was done by a medium-market newspaper, with a reporter filing under deadline on the road. It’s also worth noting that this same newspaper announced 60 staff cuts this week. We hope it doesn’t affect future health care news coverage. | true |
121 | 26131 | Wearing masks for the coronavirus “decreases oxygen intake, increases toxin inhalation, shuts down immune system, increases virus risk, scientifically inaccurate, effectiveness not studied.” | Studies show masks can curb spread of the novel coronavirus. Experts say the face coverings do not cause health problems. | false |
122 | 6801 | Wisconsin man accused in illegal THC vaping cartridge scheme. | A Wisconsin man is accused of running a 10-man operation that manufactured thousands of counterfeit vaping cartridges loaded with THC oil every day for almost two years, authorities said. | true |
123 | 10789 | Yoga shows some benefit for diabetes | The story discussed the impact of yoga on levels of ‘oxidative stress’. The story never clarified that the link between oxidative stress and disease is tenuous at best. Even the weight loss was not really quantified; what does “a handful of pounds” really mean? There are many individuals managing type II diabetes with an interest in the most effective means of management. But they certainly need a lot more detailed information and context than what was provided in this story. | false |
124 | 9131 | New study from KKI shows feasibility of acupuncture in young children with ASD | This news release focusing on a small study of acupuncture treatment adherence published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine does a good job framing what the study can and cannot tell us — for the most part. However, it strays a bit when it says the study should give parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) a “hopeful sign” and states it measured the effects of the intervention on the children’s behavior, ability to pay attention, sleep, and parenting stress — but shared none of these findings. There is no mention of quantified benefits, cost or potential harms. According to the release, the study was designed to determine whether young children, ages 3 to 10, with autism were able to complete an eight-week regiment of acupuncture treatment. The key finding appears to be the fact that all 10 children completed the therapy, which was performed twice weekly over eight weeks. The release would have been improved had it included more details and some data from the study on those aspects of the things that were measured — the children’s behavior, attentiveness and sleep. Or, since this was such a tiny study whose results are likely to be unreliable anyway, perhaps those aspects should have been left out of the release entirely. According to the CDC, approximately 1 in 68 children in the U.S. has ASD. In other words, a lot of people are affected. People who have ASD can present a wide variety of behaviors. ASD’s impact on an individual’s quality of life also varies, depending on each person’s situation and the behaviors he or she exhibits. This study looked specifically at parents of young kids, between the ages of 3 and 10. Many, if not most, parents are willing to do whatever they can to help their kids. And if they think that acupuncture might help their child with ASD, they may seek it out. This release says, in its headline, that the relevant study “shows feasibility of acupuncture in young children with ASD.” We wish the release had also told readers why parents and caregivers should consider acupuncture for children with ASD in the first place. The study was not intended to evaluate acupuncture as a therapy and the release could have spelled that out more plainly. The study was intended to determine the feasibility of using acupuncture on a population that requires a lot of time and effort to undergo therapy. The release might be helpful for other researchers but much less so for parents or the general public. | false |
125 | 3718 | Colombian rebel-turned-candidate OK after heart surgery. | Doctors in Colombia have successfully performed heart surgery on Rodrigo Londono, the leader of the country’s once-largest guerrilla group who is running for president. | true |
126 | 40952 | Covid-19 clots the blood causing thrombosis, stopping blood flow and oxygenating the heart and lungs. | Severe Covid-19 can cause blood clotting problems and issues like this have been seen in Covid-19 patients, but this is not the only thing that can be fatal in patients. | false |
127 | 19716 | """George Flinn Says his """"patents in ultrasound have revolutionized modern medicine.""" | Memphis candidate George Flinn claims his patents “revolutionized modern medicine” | false |
128 | 3675 | Kansas lawmakers want stronger law on mental health coverage. | A bipartisan group of Kansas lawmakers is proposing a measure aimed at making sure that health insurance companies don’t skirt a state law for ensuring that they cover mental health services. | true |
129 | 35062 | The Trump administration fired the U.S. pandemic response team in 2018 to cut costs. | On Feb. 24, 2020, the Trump administration requested $2.5 billion to address the coronavirus outbreak, an outlay critics asserted might not have been necessary if the previous program cuts had not taken place. Fortune reported of the issue that: | true |
130 | 4868 | Former NFL player Ryan Leaf gives speech on substance abuse. | Former NFL quarterback Ryan Leaf returned to his Montana hometown and delivered a speech about dealing with mental health and substance abuse, a report said. | true |
131 | 12046 | """Some states hit hardest by opioid deaths """"have more opioid prescriptions than residents.""" | """Schneiderman said some states hit hardest by the opioid crisis """"have more opioid prescriptions than residents."""" West Virginia and Kentucky — two states with the highest rates of opioid deaths in the country — reported more opioid prescriptions than their respective population, according to CDC data. Six other states had more prescriptions than residents, too.""" | true |
132 | 2079 | The chubby girl from Ipanema? Brazil puts on weight. | Brazilians’ waistlines are bulging, belying the country’s image as a place of buff sun worshipers and lithe soccer players. | true |
133 | 38268 | Charles Manson has been granted parole and will be released from prison. | Charles Manson Granted Parole, Will Be Released from Prison | false |
134 | 18569 | Only three in 10 Texas doctors are currently accepting new Medicaid patients. | """Perry said only three in 10 Texas doctors currently accept new Medicaid patients. In a recent year, some 67 percent of Texas physicians submitted at least one Medicaid claim. More recently, 42 percent of the state’s physicians responding to a 2012 survey said they refuse all new Medicaid patients. Then again, 32 percent said they accept all new Medicaid patients and 26 percent said they limit such patients--signaling that 58 percent of physicians accept at least some new Medicaid patients. By not specifying that the cited """"three in 10"""" reflects only doctors who accept all new Medicaid patients, Perry’s statement falls off target by nearly 30 percent. Still, it has en element of truth.""" | false |
135 | 2712 | Samsung Bioepis biosimilar to Roche's Herceptin wins FDA nod. | The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Friday it had approved a biosimilar to Roche Holding AG’s blockbuster breast cancer treatment, Herceptin. | true |
136 | 34178 | A set of photographs shows the gruesome results of a pico jackfruit snake bite. | In sum, the above photographs most likely show the gruesome aftermath of a snake bite, but because we were unable to uncover specific details about the pictures. | unproven |
137 | 8644 | Italy experts say reliable coronavirus antibody test may be ready soon. | A reliable antibody blood test to find out who has already had the coronavirus would give a better picture of the extent of Italy’s epidemic and could possibly be identified within days, scientific advisers to the government said on Friday. | true |
138 | 10514 | Drug’s benefit to younger breast cancer patients in question | This story never adequately characterized the results of a randomized controlled trial called AZURE on the use of zoledronic acid (Zometa) for early stage breast cancer. Other studies had indicated that zoledronic acid (a bone density-enhancing bisphosphonate) may also prevent bone tumors in various metastatic cancers, including metastatic breast cancer. Its role in early stage breast cancer, however, isn’t clear. The headline and lead muddled the main conclusion of the study: that zoledronic acid failed to provide any benefit in the study population as a whole, and the story gave too much weight to a subgroup analysis indicating that the drug does extend life among women with established menopause. Even when they are pre-planned, as in this study, subgroup analyses are difficult to interpret—since they involve only a portion of study subjects. The story also failed to tell readers about some serious adverse events, including bone disease in the jaws of some women in this trial. Zoledronic acid and other bisphosphonates have been employed as treatments for osteoporosis and to prevent skeletal complications among women with metastatic breast cancer. However, their role in the prevention of recurrence among women with early stage breast cancer isn’t clear. Animal studies suggest that bisphosphonates may have direct anti-tumor effects in bone. Proponents of zoledronic acid believe it may provide a significant advantage for women with early stage breast cancer—in terms of recurrence and survival. But the results of studies in humans have been contradictory. A large randomized controlled trial from Austria (the ABCSG-12 trial) published in 2009 suggested that the addition of three years of zoledronic acid to hormonal therapy following surgery for early stage breast cancer provided a 32% advantage in disease-free survival, compared to subjects who did not receive this drug. All the women in the ABCSG-12 trial had chemically induced menopause. The AZURE trial attempted to confirm the benefits of zoledronic acid in a different study population, one that included both premenopausal and postmenopausal women with early stage breast cancer. AZURE and other trials are important not only to assess any benefits of zoledronic acid but also to study its adverse effects—which include the potentially devastating side-effect of osteonecrosis of the jaw bone. | mixture |
139 | 33540 | Image shows radioactive seepage spreading across the Pacific Ocean from the Fukushima nuclear plant. | A chart purportedly showing radioactive water seeping into the ocean from the Fukushima nuclear plant actually depicts something else. | false |
140 | 5621 | Brazil’s Bolsonaro eyes new body for environmental policy. | The administration of President Jair Bolsonaro is considering a dramatic change in the council that oversees Brazil’s environmental policy, replacing a broad-based panel of independent voices with a small group of political appointees, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press. | true |
141 | 9747 | Heart Drug Linked to Extra Years for Cancer Patients | This Wall Street Journal article nicely summarizes the findings of a retrospective study of 1,400 cases of women with ovarian cancer; some of whom had been prescribed beta-blockers for high blood pressure and appeared to have better outcomes than those not taking beta-blockers. It hits on nearly all of our criteria, and was more thorough and balanced than an MD Anderson news release that initially announced the findings to the world. (More on that below.) A bit more detail on the cost of these drugs, and a bit more restraint in discussing the outcomes of a small group of women who were taking a particular class of beta-blocker and had much better survival statistics, would have rounded out this story. We often say that news releases can set the tone for subsequent media coverage of new research, and that a poor news release can lead to a great deal of misinformation reaching the public. We’ve compared this phenomenon to sheep following one another. However, it’s also true that good reporting can fill in the holes left by an incomplete news release and present a more balanced portrait of findings to readers. In this case, MD Anderson announced the results of this study with a news release that has been reviewed separately on HealthNewsReview.org and found wanting in several areas. Specifically, it used inappropriate language to describe the benefits and lacked a discussion of harms and limitations of the research. This story by and large addresses those issues and demonstrates how good health reporting can play an important and useful role in informing the public. There are plenty of reporters out there who can’t be led like sheep, and our project aims to shine a light on them and hopefully cultivate many more of them. | true |
142 | 33027 | Residents of Flint, Michigan have been threatened by CPS with removal of their children if they refuse to pay for contaminated water. | An article claims that CPS threatened to remove children affected by the Flint water crisis from their homes if families refused to pay for lead-contaminated water. | false |
143 | 9011 | University of Waterloo develops new way to fight HIV transmission | This very brief news release about a University of Waterloo study looks at a medicated vaginal implant designed to diminish the T-cell immune response to HIV infection. It’s based on previous observations which suggest that women who may be naturally resistant to HIV infection show low baseline T-cell activation in the vaginal wall. This so-called “immune quiescent” state can be achieved with the medication hydrochloroquine (HCQ) embedded in the implant which, in turn, is embedded in the vagina not unlike an IUD device. Although the news release does a nice job of describing how the implant works as a medication delivery system, as well how the medicine affects T-cells and subsequently risk for HIV transmission, it falls short in several important ways. First, even though the language repeatedly implies the approach could “prevent women from getting HIV infection,” it fails to mention the study is in rabbits and can make no claims of efficacy in humans. Also, claims of efficacy, reliability, and affordability are not backed up with any data whatsoever from the study. There’s also no discussion of potential harms, or just how much more time or research is needed before this implant could be tested in humans. Over 36 million people around the world were living with HIV in 2016. Most of these people live in the developing world where anti-HIV medications and condoms may be hard to get. So the idea of a women-oriented strategy to prevent the spread of HIV in an affordable and effective way holds strong appeal; especially if it could work as a stand-alone option, or even if it was used as an adjunct with current strategies. This study is very preliminary, based entirely on an animal model, and quite clearly in a very developmental stage. That’s key information that needs to be shared clearly and up high in the release. Otherwise, the news release runs the risk of being misleading, and instilling false hope in people who need reliable information in the face of a global public health threat. | false |
144 | 11092 | Partnership plans to build cancer treatment machine | This story reads like a promotional vehicle for a new, potentially cost-prohibitive machine manufactured by TomoTherapy. Information in this story does not go beyont that found in a press release by TomoTherapy, Inc. (maker of the device) and there is little, if any, new enterprise reporting in the piece. The story cites Dr. DeVere White and Dr. Matthews of UC Davis Cancer. Researchers at the Center helped finance and develop the proton therapy machines with TomoTherapy, Inc., so they have an interest in positively promoting their work. The story also cites a senior project manager at TomoTherapy, Inc., who also cannot provide unbiased information about this new device. The story needs balance, possibly from interviews with cancer researchers (radiologists) and clinicians who could provide perspective on this emerging technology as cancer treatment. The story presents proton therapy as a newer, alternative option for shrinking tumors; however, this technology as cancer therapy is still in early development, though it has received FDA approval. The story gives us no data to support this newer option as better than existing methods of X-ray radiation treatment for cancer. The story does not mention that current forms of X-ray radiation can be targetted to a tumor via computer imaging and the use of devices (i.e. balloon, seeds, etc.) This sometimes reduces harm to healthy tissue. Despite company reassurances, we do not know if this form of therapy is as efficacious as current radiation or if it is safe. We are also not told if this therapy is only for a particular type of cancer or if it could be used on tumors anywhere in the body. Lastly, the story lists the cost of the machine but does not mention how this would influence treatment costs for the patient. We are not told if this method of cancer treatment would be covered by health insurance, or how the cost would compare to current radiation treatments. In short, the story needed more on costs, context, and evidence in comparison with existing alternatives. Independent perspectives were sorely needed. | mixture |
145 | 34800 | Jacqueline Saburido, the victim of a drunk driving accident, seeks donations to help with the expenses of medical treatment for her extensive injuries. | Jacqui Saburido, the victim of a drunk driving accident, sought donations to help with the medical treatment for her extensive injuries. | mixture |
146 | 9732 | Text Reminders Help People Lower Cholesterol, Blood Pressure | The story focuses on a JAMA study that found coronary heart disease patients who received four health-related text messages per week for six months were more likely to take steps to reduce their risk of heart-related health problems — and saw corresponding improvements in cholesterol and blood pressure. The story does a nice job of describing the study and is careful to note the study’s limitations, but could have done more to explain the extent to which patients benefited from the intervention. According to the CDC, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States for both men and women, and coronary heart disease is the most common form of heart disease — killing more than 370,000 people annually. In short, the odds are good that just about everyone knows someone who has been affected by coronary heart disease. In addition, the disease has an enormous economic impact. For example, the estimated burden of cardiovascular disease in the U.S. in 2010 was $444 billion. Behavior change is an important piece of reducing heart disease risk, and lifestyle changes such as exercise are associated with other positive health outcomes as well, including reduced risk of stroke, better mental health outcomes (depression and anxiety), and lower extremity arthritis. | true |
147 | 20418 | Nearly 45 percent of the women who receive health screenings through (the Women’s Health Program) do so at a Planned Parenthood health center. | The Democratic legislators wrote that nearly 45 percent of women who received health screenings through the targeted family-planning program in fiscal 2010 had them at Planned Parenthood clinics. That could be so, but we identified a couple of unsettled hitches. According to the state, 46 percent of the cited program’s clients went to a Planned Parenthood clinic, but the state has no breakdown of the number of women who were screened overall, which is what the Democrats focused on. Also, the Democrats’ statement implies that 46 percent of women rely on Planned Parenthood exclusively for screenings, but some women included in the 46 percent could have had screenings at a different kind of clinic, though (again) such details are not available. | mixture |
148 | 6787 | In Madagascar, plague outbreak now threatens largest cities. | As plague cases rose last week in Madagascar’s capital, many city dwellers panicked. They waited in long lines for antibiotics at pharmacies and reached through bus windows to buy masks from street vendors. Schools have been canceled, and public gatherings are banned. | true |
149 | 10986 | Preventive neuroradiology: Brain imaging bolsters efforts to lower Alzheimer's risk | Vague descriptions, sweeping generalizations, overly laudatory quotes — these are some of the things that we think news releases should avoid. But this release includes all three and accordingly received low marks on most of our criteria. What are the major problems? The news release provides no evidence to back up its central claim — that MRI imaging will help convince people to adopt healthier behaviors that reduce Alzheimer’s disease risk. It also provides no meaningful description of the review article that’s the basis for the release, and does not describe the methodology utilized in identifying the studies included in the review. The release also never establishes what exactly is new here that merits attention. And it displays no awareness that overuse of medical technology (including so-called “MRI abuse”) is one of the main drivers of spiraling health care costs. In fact, there is no mention of costs at all in this release. Nearly 44 million people worldwide suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, which is the sixth leading cause of death in the US. Not only that, treatment is expensive: The cost of caring for Alzheimer’s patients in the US is estimated to be $226 billion in 2015, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. Since there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, any measures that could identify and prevent cognitive decline would be beneficial to patients and clinicians. What we don’t need are expensive new tests that will raise the cost of care without any evidence that they improve outcomes. | false |
150 | 7712 | European measles cases highest in a decade as pockets refuse vaccination. | Europe had a record number of measles cases last year, in part due to a growing number of pockets where parents are refusing vaccination for their children, the World Health Organization said on Thursday. | true |
151 | 4248 | Wisconsin residents using medical cannabis amid restrictions. | After four decades of using strong prescription drugs to treat Crohn’s disease, a chronic digestive disorder, Patty developed an aggressive form of skin cancer. | true |
152 | 7434 | Denver to furlough thousands of workers amid coronavirus. | Denver Mayor Michael Hancock said Thursday that thousands of city employees, including himself, will be furloughed for eight days this year to help close what is expected to be a $226 million budget gap caused by the coronavirus, joining mayors across the country that have made the same move or are thinking about it. | true |
153 | 24532 | """Insurers delayed an Illinois man's treatment, """"and he died because of it.""" | Obama says decision to revoke insurance led to Illinois man's death | false |
154 | 37019 | """Fetal cells from abortions are being used to flavor commercial foods and drinks or in the production of a mysterious substance known as """"adrenochrome.""" | Are Fetal Cells Ingredients in Food and Drinks? | false |
155 | 12017 | I personally am pro-choice. I always have been. And I made no qualms about that when I was elected governor. | """Bruce Rauner said his signing of a controversial abortion bill was consistent with his pro-choice principles and that he had never presented himself as anything but pro-choice. We looked through numerous campaign appearance videos, ads and news stories and found no evidence that Rauner ever tried to hide or downplay his pro-choice beliefs. In fact, his campaign touted the Rauners’ support of abortion rights groups to rebut the charge that he was not pro-choice. Rauner sought anti-abortion voters by assuring them that, as governor, he had no social agenda and that """"the right for a woman to choose is the national law and… that ain’t gonna change in Illinois."""" Politically, it proved to be a smart strategy that helped gain him election in 2014. By 2017, however, it became impossible to continue finessing the issue. In picking a side, Rauner declared that he has been consistent in declaring his pro-choice beliefs.""" | true |
156 | 15370 | """Tammy Baldwin Says Scott Walker's views on abortion are more restrictive """"than any Republican president in recent times.""" | """Baldwin said Walker's views on abortion are more restrictive """"than any Republican president in recent times."""" Walker supports outlawing abortion in all circumstances. The three most recent GOP presidents each supported exceptions, such as allowing abortion to protect the life of the mother.""" | true |
157 | 36601 | """Popeye's Louisiana Kitchen is selling """"emotional support chicken"""" for weary flight passengers.""" | Is Popeye’s Offering ‘Emotional Support Chicken’ to Harried Travelers? | true |
158 | 2897 | EU panel recommends suspension of risky bone disease drug. | European regulators have recommended suspending a popular bone-building drug made by unlisted French firm Servier because of the risk of serious heart problems and blood clots. | true |
159 | 280 | Fate of opioid litigation hinges on government 'police power'. | The fate of thousands of lawsuits seeking to hold drugmakers responsible for fueling the U.S. opioid epidemic hinges in part on a thorny legal question: Can a company use a bankruptcy to stop lawsuits from cities and states? | true |
160 | 32696 | Retailers T.J. Maxx and Marshall's sell counterfeit salon products. | However, it is likely the rumor will persist among stylists and salons seeking to warn clients off low-priced alternatives. | false |
161 | 16880 | """ISIS leader Abu Bakr al Baghdadi was """"released by Obama in 2009.""" | """Pirro said that Obama released the current head of ISIS from government custody in 2009. The Defense Department said that the man now known as Baghdadi was released in 2004. The evidence that Baghdadi was still in custody in 2009 appears to be the recollection of an Army colonel who said Baghdadi’s """"face is very familiar."""" Even if the colonel is right, Baghdadi was not set free; he was handed over to the Iraqis who released him some time later. But more important, the legal contract between the United States and Iraq that guaranteed that the United States would give up custody of virtually every detainee was signed during the Bush administration. It would have required an extraordinary effort to have held on to Baghdadi and there is no evidence that he was on anyone’s radar screen, assuming that he was in custody at all in 2009. The U.S.-Iraq agreement drove the release of thousands of detainees in 2009, but Obama had nothing to do with that.""" | false |
162 | 24101 | More people are driving under the influence of drugs than are driving under the influence of alcohol. A recent roadside survey showed that 16 percent of the people tested, tested positive for illicit or licit drugs. That's significantly higher than alcohol. | Drug czar says more people drive under influence of drugs than alcohol | mixture |
163 | 4679 | Cricketer Maxwell to take break due to mental health issues. | Cricket Australia says batsman Glenn Maxwell will take a break from the game to deal with mental health issues. | true |
164 | 40516 | The email says that Simon and Schuster has announced a new CD-ROM computer game where “…to win the game, boys must strip supermodels down to their underwear, then provide photographs of them to aliens who wore out their one lingerie catalog – or else the aliens hormone driven anger will destroy the earth.” | New CD-ROM computer game features panty raids | true |
165 | 35145 | If you can hold your breath without coughing, discomfort, stiffness, or tightness, your lungs do not suffer from fibrosis and therefore you have no COVID-19 infection. | Fibrosis occurs when excess connective tissue is deposited in the lungs in response to scarring or other factors. This excess of tissue can severely reduce the ability of lungs to bring oxygen to the body. To date, no major health agency has listed fibrosis as a symptom of COVID-19 at any stage in its progression. It is not listed as a symptom in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) “Clinical Guidance for Management of Patients with Confirmed Coronavirus Disease,” nor is it listed as a symptom in the World Health Organization’s joint report with China on the progression and spread of the disease. | false |
166 | 33696 | The fruit of the graviola tree (soursop or guyabano), or other components of the plant (A. muricata), are a viable cure for cancer. | While it is factual that laboratory and animal studies suggest the potential for some chemicals found within the graviola plant to have anticancer or antitumor effects, no studies have demonstrated its efficacy as a treatment, let alone cure, for cancer. Studies have, however, shown that there is a credible risk that the plant’s active components are neurotoxic as well as toxic to cancer cells. Because of this, we rank the claim that this plant is the “cure” for cancer as false. | false |
167 | 10967 | New Drug Shows Promise Against Huntington’s Disease | The HealthDay story covers a phase III drug study that was recently published in The Lancet Neurology. The main problem with this story is its contradictory statements regarding the drug’s benefits. The article states that a higher dose of pridopidine showed a “significant benefit,” but how significant? Later in the story, an independent source comments that the “benefit is modest.” The story did not mention anything about the researchers’ inability to meet their primary endpoint. The apparent benefits of the drug were found in the tertiary endpoint – a sign that the magnitude of the drug’s effects may be smaller. The article did not detail any research methods from the study. For example, how did researchers measure improvements in motor function? The story highlights the difficulty in deciphering ambiguous medical evidence for the general public. On one hand, the researchers were not able to prove their main hypothesis. But they uncovered benefits in another endpoint that may prove to be promising. The article could have differentiated this evidence and provide a more cautious interpretation of the study’s findings, which could have made for a more thorough and more accurate story. | mixture |
168 | 26850 | Michael Bloomberg Says “black babies die at rates twice as high as white babies because of a lack of access to affordable health care.” | Bloomberg's figure about infant mortality rates is accurate, but his claim oversimplifies the cause of this disparity. | true |
169 | 5430 | Moldy bread or grain blamed for Canada geese deaths. | Moldy bread or grain has been blamed for the death of dozens of Canada geese in an upstate New York park. | true |
170 | 8817 | Nordic scientists start trial on nicotine vaccine. | Nordic scientists have launched a trial on a vaccine designed to help smokers kick the world’s deadliest habit by depriving them of one of its chief pleasures, the firm that owns the vaccine said on Tuesday. | true |
171 | 4656 | State awards license to grow medical marijuana in Missouri. | Missouri officials have granted licenses to 60 of the more than 500 companies that applied to grow marijuana for the state’s fledgling medical cannabis industry. | true |
172 | 26511 | Instagram posts Says “Bill Gates and other globalists, in collaboration with pharmaceutical companies, are reportedly working to push tracking bracelets and ‘invisible tattoos’ to monitor Americans during an impending lockdown.” | The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation funded research into invisible ink technology that could accompany vaccines to strengthen vaccination record-keeping in developing countries. MIT began its research in July 2016, years before the first cases of the novel coronavirus emerged. There’s no evidence Bill Gates is pushing for tracking bracelets, or that the MIT research has anything to do with “tracking Americans” amid the pandemic. | false |
173 | 15144 | """Pediatricians have cut down on the number and proximity of vaccines because they recognize there have been """"too many in too short a period of time.""" | """Carson said pediatricians have cut down on the number and proximity of vaccines because they recognize there have been """"too many in too short a period of time."""" Leading medical organizations have concluded that the scheduling of vaccines -- including multiple ones at once -- is safe. While there is evidence that some parents ask pediatricians to delay vaccines, that’s a decision based on parents’ wishes and isn’t based on scientific evidence. There is no evidence that pediatricians are cutting down the number and proximity of vaccines based on any conclusion by them that there have been too many in too short a period of time. Carson has provided no evidence to support his claim.""" | false |
174 | 26203 | Joe Biden Says President Donald Trump “took more than a month to allocate Congress’ emergency funding to tribes — and only did so after tribes sued.” | The $2.2 trillion CARES Act included $8 billion for tribal governments. The law said funds had to be disbursed within 30 days. More than a month after the CARES Act, the Trump administration said it would begin giving tribes part of the funds. A judge presiding over a lawsuit on the delay said the administration should have made more progress, but did not find that the delay was egregious. | true |
175 | 2989 | Amid doc’s murder case, lawsuits reflect battle over blame. | In the year since an Ohio hospital system announced an intensive care doctor had ordered excessive painkillers for dozens of patients who then died, the allegations led to murder charges against him, lawsuits, firings and potential disciplinary action for some of his colleagues. | true |
176 | 40827 | The number of mental health nurses has fallen from 46,155 to 39,358 [since 2009]. | This is the difference in the number of mental health and learning disabilities nurses between two different months which isn’t the best way to compare the figures. Comparing the figures in September 2009 and 2017 shows the drop has been larger. | mixture |
177 | 18519 | """Abortion coverage is a standard insurance benefit """"in nearly 90 percent of private plans sold in the U.S.""" | """NARAL said McDonnell’s amendment banning an upcoming health care exchange from offering insurance plans that include abortion denies Virginians """"coverage that currently exists as a standard benefit in nearly 90 percent of private plans sold in the U.S."""" NARAL bases its claim on a 9-year-old study by the Guttmacher Institute that found 87 percent of typical of typical employer-based insurance policies covered """"medically necessary or appropriate abortions."""" Contrary to NARAL’s contention, the findings do not reflect coverage """"that currently exists."""" The research focused on policies that were offered in 2002. Guttmacher never updated its report. The only other major research on abortion coverage was conducted by Kaiser in early 2003 and produced a different result. It found that 46 percent of workers with employer-based insurance had coverage for abortions. Experts have struggled to reconcile the two numbers. Guttmacher, in 2011, said that the """"actual level of coverage is probably somewhere between"""" its estimate and that of Kaiser. So NARAL is citing as gospel an old figure that even its authors undercut.""" | false |
178 | 17622 | The Walton family, which owns Wal-Mart, controls a fortune equal to the wealth of the bottom 42 percent of Americans combined. | """One Wisconsin Now wrote: """"The Walton family, which owns Wal-Mart, controls a fortune equal to the wealth of the bottom 42 percent of Americans combined."""" For comparison purposes, the latest data available, for 2010, the figure is 41.5 percent.""" | true |
179 | 13521 | You've got a medical report on me that meets the same standard as Mitt Romney and Barack Obama. | """Clinton said, """"You've got a medical report on me that meets the same standard as Mitt Romney and Barack Obama."""" If Romney and Obama exemplify a standard, then the information Clinton has provided to the public is on a comparable level. But Clinton's statement implies a standard that doesn’t really exist, according to the experts. And both the quality and quantity of information on presidential candidates has varied widely. Because the statement is accurate but needs clarification or additional information. " | true |
180 | 11144 | Relapses of childhood leukemia improve with high doses of common chemo drug | This release reports the findings of a large clinical trial testing whether alternative dosing regimens of standard chemotherapeutic drugs can improve the treatment of B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The study showed that using high doses of the drug methotrexate, rather than the standard regimen of gradually increasing doses, improved the outcomes for patients with the disease. The study also showed that using the steroid dexamethasone increased a debilitating bone condition in patients 10 and older but not in patients nine or younger. While the study results are promising, they are by no means clear-cut in the release. The release needed some qualifiers in order to give a clear picture of the benefits. The release also neglected to discuss costs and potential conflicts of interest among the investigators. This form of cancer — B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia — is the most common cancer in children and a major cause of cancer death in patients under 40 years old. And while the majority of patients survive with appropriate treatment, anywhere from one-fifth to one-quarter of patients do not. This study showed that refining the dosing of standard cancer drugs may improve the outcome for some high-risk patients. | true |
181 | 4348 | Governments to discuss tackling tuberculosis at UN summit. | Governments from around the world will gather Wednesday to discuss the persistent scourge of tuberculosis, which last year claimed more lives than any other communicable disease. | true |
182 | 10450 | Low-Carb Diet Lowers Blood Pressure | More information was needed on how well these diet plans might work in the real world. There is no information on who dropped out of the study or how well the two groups were able to adhere to the diet. Single source, straight from a news release. Bad news. Obesity and hypertension are both prevalent and use of low carbohydrate diets is a very common strategy to combat them. Also important: What’s the point of health journalism if not to critically examine the claims put out by press offices? | false |
183 | 31268 | The household plant Dieffenbachia, one of the most common indoor plants, is so poisonous it can kill a child in one minute and an adult in 15 minutes. | Krenzelok told us it was not uncommon at his center to see patients, most commonly children, for exposure to Dieffenbachia. In fact, it is the second most common plant exposure treated in American poison control centers, and a majority of those cases involve children. Krenzelok said the Center typically treated these cases by providing the child milk or water (“It didn’t matter. Basically, just to take the irritation away,” he explained) and by offering assurances to the parents that there would be no long term problems once the pain subsided. | false |
184 | 26670 | “The CDC can detain anyone with a fever — indefinitely. … Vaccination (is) a way people could get out of detention.” | The CDC does have the power to isolate people with certain infectious diseases and quarantine those who had contact with an infected person. However, many of the details of this assertion are wrong. People can’t be quarantined for just having a fever; they have to be shown to have been exposed to one of a specific set of diseases. Most quarantines are done voluntarily, not by force of the government. And vaccination is not a ticket out of quarantine. Most quarantine decisions are up to states and localities, rather than the CDC. | false |
185 | 37394 | """An article published in a medical journal makes reference to nicknames for hormone replacement therapy that included """"antiboyotics, trans-mission fluid, and the Notorious H.R.T.""" | Did a Medical Journal List ‘The Notorious H.R.T.’ as a Nickname for Hormone Replacement Therapy? | true |
186 | 10880 | Mammograms’ Value in Cancer Fight at Issue | This story offers readers a comprehensive overview of the study of screening mammography in Norway. It clearly explains how this study is different from earlier examinations of the effect of mammography, so that readers can get a better understanding of why the results of this latest study are different from what has been reported in the past. This story does a good job of presenting the comments of experts who have different interpretations of the results of the study, so that readers can see their conclusions in context, rather than just a “he-said-she-said” argument. The story also highlights the role of the multidisciplinary treatment teams available to all the women who were screened with mammography in Norway, thus making clear that screening is just one component of a overall approach to dealing with breast cancer. Readers of this story will see the new results as a useful addition to other evidence on the value of mammography screening. By providing proper context, the story helps readers understand why these researchers concluded that mammography may have smaller benefits than had been believed, so that the latest findings can be seen as an advance in understanding, rather than a contradiction of earlier reports. | true |
187 | 9026 | New tool helps identify risk for post-surgical dislocations following hip replacement | This news release describes an unpublished study looking at hip replacement outcomes among patients who underwent a new assessment protocol prior to surgery. Compared with those who did not undergo the protocol, these patients had lower rates of hip dislocation after their surgery, which would presumably reduce the need for revision surgeries to replace a failed implant. How did the protocol help? The release suggests that pre-operative imaging scans helped identify and guide the treatment of patients with spinal problems who needed so-called dual mobility implants. These implants allow a greater range of motion and are credited with decreasing the risk of a hip dislocation. Here’s what we liked about the release: It features a relatively thorough description of how the study was conducted, quantifies the benefits in absolute terms, and gives good insight on why such a presurgical assessment might be helpful to direct patient care. Our main concern is this: The release suggests that the new protocol deserves all the credit for the better outcomes, when in reality it’s not clear whether other factors played a role. Information about costs and the potential harms of dual mobility implants would also have been helpful for readers. Update 3/16/18: Due to an editing error, the release was scored 2 stars. We have updated the review to indicate the release scored 3 stars. Hip dislocation is one of the reasons that hip replacement surgeries can fail, leading to pain, disability, and possibly a costly second surgery. If there were a way to predict which patients were more likely to suffer hip dislocations, and use implants that would reduce the risk, it would represent an advance for patient care and likely reduce the overall costs of treatment. Total hip replacement surgery is commonly performed in older individuals with pain and impaired function due to hip arthritis. It is also done in younger individuals for a number of reasons including trauma or congenital conditions. Hip dislocation following surgery is an uncommon but scary complication. Though not stated in this release, most dislocations occur soon after the surgery and can be treated non-surgically under anesthesia. Around 30-40% may require repeat surgery. Fortunately, hip dislocation is an uncommon complication occurring in only 1-2% of procedures. Regardless, identifying those at increased risk for dislocation and working to prevent this complication would seem like a good thing. | mixture |
188 | 41721 | """No other country comes even close to"""" the """"nearly 40,000 people in this country"""" lost to gun violence.""" | The first of the back-to-back Democratic debates in July included spin from the candidates on gun violence, Republican tax cuts, climate change, manufacturing jobs and more. | false |
189 | 30 | Villains or visionaries? Hedge funds short companies they say 'greenwash'. | Tens of trillions of global investment dollars are pouring into companies touting robust environmental, social and governance credentials. Now short-sellers spy an opportunity. | true |
190 | 5569 | Berlin nightclub patrons urged to get meningitis test. | Berlin authorities on Thursday urged patrons of a famed nightclub in the German capital to immediately visit a doctor to be checked for bacterial meningitis after a visitor was hospitalized for the illness. | true |
191 | 9435 | Want to Live Longer? Every Movement Counts, Even Cleaning the House | The story recaps a recent study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society that used accelerometers to track the activity of women between the ages of 63 and 99. The study followed study participants for a mean of 3.1 years, tracking mortality for all participants. The study found that even “light activity” reduced the relative risk of dying during the study period. In other words, even light physical activity can contribute to health. The story did a good job explaining what “light activity” means in this context, and explaining how the study was designed. But, when it came to the risk reduction, we wanted to know what this translated to in absolute terms, but the story doesn’t say. Also, as the story points out, the study can’t prove a cause-and-effect relationship between light activity and reduced mortality. Yet the story never really explains why this is the case, and it contradicts itself with the clickbait headline. Telling readers that the study wasn’t able to prove cause and effect is a good start, but providing more information on why this is the case helps them understand why studies like these are often contradicted by later, more rigorous research. | false |
192 | 1854 | As America's waistline expands, costs soar. | U.S. hospitals are ripping out wall-mounted toilets and replacing them with floor models to better support obese patients. The Federal Transit Administration wants buses to be tested for the impact of heavier riders on steering and braking. Cars are burning nearly a billion gallons of gasoline more a year than if passengers weighed what they did in 1960. | true |
193 | 12527 | """Under ‘Trumpcare,’"""" domestic violence and sexual assault """"could be considered pre-existing conditions.""" | """Moore says that """"under ‘Trumpcare,’"""" the Republican replacement for Obamacare, domestic violence and sexual assault """"could be considered pre-existing conditions"""" -- something that could trigger higher insurance prices for those victims. Moore’s claim goes too far. Simply being a victim of domestic violence or sexual assault would not mean a person had a pre-existing condition. But it is important to know that conditions stemming from those assaults, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, could. For a statement that contains an element of truth but ignores critical facts that would give a different impression""" | false |
194 | 14259 | """The Human Rights Campaign is """"more powerful than the NRA.""" | """McCrory said the main group against HB2, the Human Rights Campaign, is """"more powerful than the NRA."""" It’s a strong claim, given the NRA’s reputation for power and influence, and even the HRC spokesman was unwilling to embrace it. That’s not to say the HRC isn’t powerful. It’s a multimillion-dollar organization and the country’s largest gay rights group. But it doesn’t have the resources, adherents or success rate that the NRA does. In every way we tried to define influence, the HRC doesn’t even come close to the NRA’s level of power.""" | false |
195 | 37939 | """On August 13 2020, U.S. President Donald Trump said: """"They need that money in order to make the post office work so it can take all of these millions and millions of ballots... Now, if we don’t make a deal, that means they don’t get the money. That means they can’t have universal mail-in voting, they just can’t have it.”""" | Did Trump Say That Without a Deal ‘They Can’t Have Universal Mail-in Voting, They Just Can’t Have It’? | true |
196 | 2441 | Predicting violence in psychopaths is 'no more than chance'. | Assessment tools used to predict how likely a psychopathic prisoner is to re-offend if freed from jail are “utterly useless” and parole boards might just as well flip a coin when deciding such risks, psychiatrists said on Tuesday. | true |
197 | 10393 | Nonalcoholic Beer Aids Marathon Recovery | The story states that it’s reporting on “a new study” but it never explains that the study is only an abstract of a presentation given at a professional meeting. Thus the data have not been peer-reviewed, and no detailed methods or results are available. The only perspective on the research comes from the lead author, and no other alternatives for marathon recovery are discussed. The story specifically states that the beer was only effective if it was nonalcoholic. However, this was not tested, so this is unknown. In addition, the properties of the nonalcoholic beer that might be responsible for the beneficial effects are not known, since it’s not clear what placebo beverage was used. The lead researcher is quoted as hypothesizing that the beneficial effects of the beer might be due to the presence of polyphenols, but there is no evidence to support this. The story then focuses in on polyphenols, discussing other foods that contain large amounts of polyphenols. Running a marathon can be grueling and can result in reduced immune function, which can lead to an increase in upper respiratory tract infections such as colds. Athletes, from weekend warriors to professionals, could benefit from treatments or products that aid recovery. | false |
198 | 24064 | """Bill White Says Republican state leaders are using """"Soviet-style"""" budget management.""" | """Bill White objects to what he calls """"Soviet-style"""" budget management by Republican leaders""" | false |
199 | 5652 | Man in Rhode Island tests positive for rare equine virus. | Public health officials say a Rhode Island man has tested positive for the potentially deadly mosquito-borne virus eastern equine encephalitis. | true |