Medical claims, wellness fads, and what the evidence actually supports.
Claim:
The 2021 Frangoul et al. report on CTX001 stated that the sickle cell disease patient had increased fetal hemoglobin and experienced no severe pain crises during approximately 16.6 months of follow-up.
NOT BS
Claim:
Hydroxyurea treatment for sickle cell disease increases fetal hemoglobin production and reduces red blood cell sickling.
NOT BS
Claim:
Ex vivo CRISPR-based therapies for sickle cell disease typically require myeloablative conditioning with busulfan before reinfusion of edited hematopoietic stem cells.
NOT BS
Claim:
In women, lower levels of estrogen are associated with faster toenail growth.
TOTAL BS
Claim:
Skullcap (Scutellaria) herb is effective for preventing some cancers.
TOTAL BS
Claim:
In adult dreams, 99% of dream experiences are from a first-person viewpoint rather than a third-person viewpoint.
TOTAL BS
Claim:
The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron XBB subvariant is lethal and is not easy to detect.
TOTAL BS
Claim:
Sitting on a cold floor causes ovarian health problems.
TOTAL BS
Claim:
Cheap synthetic underwear fabrics such as pure polyester or nylon trap sweat and bacteria against the skin more than cotton underwear does.
NOT BS
Claim:
About one-third of Americans have excess liver fat.
HARDLY BS
Claim:
In the 1970s, about 5% of children in the United States were obese, and at the time a referenced documentary was made, about 17% of children in the United States were obese.
HARDLY BS
Claim:
In the Bogalusa Heart Study, about 25% of participants reached a healthy weight as adults and about 75% remained overweight or obese.
TOTAL BS
Claim:
About 16,000 children participated in the Bogalusa Heart Study over about 40 years.
MOSTLY BS
Claim:
The Bogalusa Heart Study was a long-term study that followed children's cardiovascular health into adulthood and found evidence that cardiovascular disease can begin in childhood.
NOT BS
Claim:
Swallowing chewing gum can cause intestinal problems.
NOT BS
Claim:
A person who previously had chickenpox (varicella) can become a carrier and transmit varicella after contact with an infected person.
TOTAL BS
Claim:
In the United States, the average adult height of Black people is higher than the average adult height of non-Hispanic White people.
TOTAL BS
Claim:
Writing a gratitude journal improves psychological well-being.
NOT BS
Claim:
AI chatbots are suitable for treating mental health conditions and can replace a human therapist.
TOTAL BS
Claim:
There is insufficient scientific evidence to conclude that depression is caused by neurotransmitter changes in the brain.
NOT BS
No checks match that verdict.