A cardiologist who opposes vaccines and has a large social media platform spoke to the Arizona Senate Novel Coronavirus Southwestern Intergovernmental Committee. In his speech, he falsely claimed that COVID-19 vaccines have caused mass deaths. He also falsely claimed that ivermectin is a safe and effective treatment for COVID-19. Recommendation:...
Reports that Pfizer exceeded methylene chloride discharge limits into a Michigan drain prompted city officials to issue a no-contact advisory for the Kalamazoo River. In response to these reports, some social media users shared unsubstantiated claims that the chemical spill is related to Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccines. These users are...
Two vaccine exemption bills in Southern states are sparking conversation online. In West Virginia, HB 5105—which was passed by the House and Senate—would eliminate vaccine requirements in public virtual schools. In Oklahoma, HB 3249—which was passed by the House—would expand vaccine exemptions for daycare students. Vaccine...
The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene shared a social media post encouraging parents to vaccinate their children against measles and other diseases, as routine vaccines are required for children who attend school and daycare. In response to the post, some social media users commented that infants...
Posts circulating in English and Spanish claim that a “new study” declared Amish children are the “world’s healthiest children” because they are unvaccinated. The post claims that the study found Amish communities have a “90 times lower” COVID-19 death rate than “fully-vaxxed and boostered, mask-wearing and locked-downed” Americans. Recommendation:...
Social media posts cast doubt on HPV vaccine safety Several social media posts in English and Spanish shared an article from a well-known anti-vaccine website saying that a study conducted in Colombia links the HPV vaccine to rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune disorders. One of the posts quotes an anti-vaccine...
A controversial physician whose board certification was revoked for promoting “false or inaccurate medical misinformation” claimed in a recent interview to have treated hundreds of patients with COVID-19 vaccine injuries. The doctor insists without evidence that 70 percent of the people he treats have so-called “long vax, not long COVID....
Conversations about emergency contraception spiked after a recent concert headlined by pop star Olivia Rodrigo in St. Louis. Social media users posted that they had received emergency contraceptive pills and condoms at the concert as part of the singer’s Fund 4 Good initiative, which aims to ensure “an equitable...
Pop star and actress Selena Gomez and New York Jets defensive lineman Solomon Thomas led a panel discussing mental health at the South by Southwest conference. Gomez has been public about her bipolar disorder diagnosis and mental health crisis, while Solomon discussed anxiety and grief after his sister died by...
The Biden administration recently launched an initiative called the Challenge to Save Lives from Overdose, described as a nationwide call to increase training on and access to opioid overdose reversal medications like naloxone. This follows the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s approval of over-the-counter Narcan spray and the...