Facebook Twitter Tumblr Close Skip to main content
A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

Unpacking the FDA’s Black Friday Vaccine Memo

Unpacking the FDA’s Black Friday Vaccine Memo

The head of the Food and Drug Administration’s vaccine division claimed in a leaked email that “at least 10 children” died from COVID-19 vaccination, using that to justify major vaccine regulatory changes. Experts, however, say too little information was provided to verify the claim.

Q&A on Vetting of Accused National Guard Shooter

Q&A on Vetting of Accused National Guard Shooter

In the aftermath of the deadly ambush shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., President Donald Trump and others in his administration immediately blamed Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden, for failing to vet the Afghan national accused of the attack. Here, we’ll answer some questions about what we know so far about the suspect and the vetting process.

Previewing the CDC’s December Vaccine Advisory Meeting

Previewing the CDC’s December Vaccine Advisory Meeting

The vaccine advisory committee of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is scheduled to meet Dec. 4 and 5. On the agenda: the hepatitis B vaccine, the overall childhood vaccine schedule and specific vaccine ingredients. We’ll summarize what we’ve written about these topics and what the committee has said about them in recent meetings.

Experts Say Democratic Video Not ‘Seditious,’ as Trump Claims

Experts Say Democratic Video Not ‘Seditious,’ as Trump Claims

After six congressional Democrats released a video advising members of the U.S. military and national security community to “refuse illegal orders,” President Donald Trump said the lawmakers should be tried in court for “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!” But legal experts told us this was not sedition and that the legislators were restating the law that only lawful orders must be followed.

Our Annual Fundraising Appeal

Our Annual Fundraising Appeal

Today, we’re launching our annual end-of-year fundraising drive. Please consider donating to FactCheck.org.

Revised CDC Website About Autism and Vaccines Is Not Evidence-Based

Revised CDC Website About Autism and Vaccines Is Not Evidence-Based

Under Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime anti-vaccine advocate who is now Health and Human Services secretary, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revised its website to say that its previous statement that “vaccines do not cause autism” is “not an evidence-based claim.” But it’s the revised website that misleads about vaccines.

Trump at Odds with CIA Assessment on Khashoggi Killing

Trump at Odds with CIA Assessment on Khashoggi Killing

President Donald Trump brushed aside a reporter’s question to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman about the 2018 killing of Washington Post contributing columnist Jamal Khashoggi, saying the crown prince “knew nothing about it and we can leave it at that.” But Trump’s claim is at odds with a CIA assessment.

Trump Serves a Misleading Thanksgiving Meal Statistic

Trump Serves a Misleading Thanksgiving Meal Statistic

Walmart’s 2025 Thanksgiving meal consisting of pre-selected products costs about one-quarter less than last year’s meal, but it also includes fewer grocery items and different food brands. Yet President Donald Trump has been misleadingly touting the decline in the price of this year’s meal without mentioning the reasons for the big decrease.

Trump Officials Cite Dubious Estimates of Medication Abortion Harms

Trump Officials Cite Dubious Estimates of Medication Abortion Harms

As justification for a Food and Drug Administration review of a drug used in medication abortion, two Trump administration health officials have referenced an April report from an anti-abortion group that claims to show a far higher rate of serious side effects from the drug than has been found previously. However, the report, which is not peer-reviewed research, didn’t disclose where it got its data and has substantial methodological issues, reproductive health experts say.