Q: Has the Food and Drug Administration announced that vaccines cause autism?
A: No. FDA statements are grounded in scientific evidence. There is no evidence that vaccination is linked to autism.
Debunking False Vaccine Claim
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Trump Didn’t Cut Canine Program
Q: Did President Donald Trump shut down a service dog training program for veterans?
A: No. Walter Reed National Military Medical Center ended its contract with the program and told us that the president was not a factor.
Texas Shooting Unrelated to Antifa
Q: Was the man who killed more than two dozen people in a rural Texas church trying to start a civil war as a member of antifa?
A: No. Law enforcement officials believe the mass shooting was motivated by a family dispute, and they are not investigating it as an act of terrorism.
Blackout or Ham Radio Drill?
Q: Is the Department of Defense planning a drill that will cause a nationwide blackout? Is antifa involved?
A: No and no. The Army is conducting a drill with ham radio operators, and it has nothing to do with antifa.
Seahawks Players Didn’t Burn Flag
Q: Did players for the Seattle Seahawks burn the American flag?
A: No. A widely circulated picture was altered to make it look that way.
Trump Didn’t Change NFL Tax Status
Q: Did President Donald Trump revoke the National Football League’s status as a nonprofit organization?
A: No. The NFL’s league office voluntarily gave up that status in 2015.
Puerto Rican Teamsters Stories are Bogus
Q: Did a Teamsters strike hinder aid efforts in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria?
A: No. Stories claiming so misrepresented an actual quote from an Air Force colonel.
Trump Nixed Gun-Control Rule
Q: Did President Donald Trump repeal a rule that aims to block some people with mental disorders from buying guns?
A: Yes. The Social Security Administration is no longer required to submit the names of certain mentally disabled beneficiaries to a federal agency that conducts gun background checks.
Answering NFL National Anthem Questions
Q: Does the NFL have rules for player conduct during the national anthem? Does the Department of Defense fund patriotic ceremonies at NFL games?
A: Prior to May 2018, the league didn’t require players to stand during the anthem. The Defense Department no longer funds various patriotic displays.
False Headline on HIV Blood Donation
Q: Will California allow HIV-positive people to donate blood?
A: No. The Legislature has passed a bill that would reduce the penalties for those, including blood donors, who knowingly expose others to the HIV virus.