Rep. Mike Rogers, the ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, said congressional testimony this week showed that President Joe Biden ignored the advice of top generals about what to do in Afghanistan while former President Donald Trump “did listen to it.” That’s not entirely accurate. In testimony this […]
Facts Check
Facebook Posts Distort Robert E. Lee’s Actions and Views on Slavery
Quick Take A statue commemorating Gen. Robert E. Lee was taken down in Richmond, Virginia, on Sept. 8. Days after the statue was removed, Facebook posts about Lee misleadingly claimed he freed his slaves, and a quote from Lee referring to slavery as a “moral evil” is taken out of […]
Generals Contradict Biden on Afghanistan Advice
Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Gen. Mark Milley and Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, commander of U.S. Central Command, contradicted President Joe Biden’s claim last month that top military advisers didn’t recommend keeping a residual force in Afghanistan. In a Sept. 28 Senate hearing, both generals said they believe the U.S. should […]
Ads Distort How Much Biden’s Tax Plans Could Cost ‘Your Family’
The 2022 budget proposed by President Joe Biden would redistribute income, hitting high-income earners with tax increases and providing refundable tax credits to low- and middle-income Americans. Ads from the conservative Club for Growth targeting nine vulnerable Democrats and one centrist Republican in the House, however, distort the impact of […]
Posts Spread Dubious Claim About Ivermectin and Male Fertility
SciCheck Digest The Food and Drug Administration says male infertility is not a known side effect of the antiparasitic medication ivermectin. Dubious claims that the drug sterilizes 85% of male users were incorrectly attributed to a questionable 2011 study of the drug’s effect on a small sample of Nigerian men with […]
Debt Limit Q&A
Democrats and Republicans are once again in a standoff over a looming debt limit crisis. Congress must raise or suspend the limit on federal borrowing soon or the U.S. government won’t be able to pay its bills. Here we provide the facts on the political dispute. What is the debt […]
COVID-19: The Unvaccinated Pose a Risk to the Vaccinated
Q: How do people who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 pose a risk to people who have been vaccinated? A: An unvaccinated person who is infected with COVID-19 poses a much greater risk to others who are also unvaccinated. But vaccines are not 100% effective, so there is a […]
Social Media Post on Use of Ivermectin for Refugees Lacks Context
SciCheck Digest The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the use of ivermectin as a treatment for arriving refugees to treat parasitic infections. But a social media post by Dr. Simone Gold, a proponent of ivermectin as a treatment for COVID-19, references the CDC guidance without accurately explaining the […]
Ongoing Clinical Trials Will Decide Whether (or Not) Ivermectin Is Safe, Effective for COVID-19
SciCheck Digest Studies on whether ivermectin is beneficial in treating COVID-19 patients haven’t been conclusive, and health officials have warned people not to self-medicate. But multiple large trials are continuing to assess the antiparasitic drug. Yet, Sen. Rand Paul reportedly said researchers were “unwilling to objectively study” it because of […]
Experts: No Link Between COVID-19 Vaccines and Erectile Dysfunction
SciCheck Digest Public health officials around the world have explained that erectile dysfunction is not a side effect of COVID-19 vaccines, but a viral tweet from rapper Nicki Minaj has spread the unfounded claim that it is. There is no evidence to support that claim. What side effects should you […]