This week, readers sent us comments about our story on the whoppers of 2018, and on vaccine safety and additives.
Rep.-elect Green Wrong About Vaccines, CDC Fraud
At a town hall event on Dec. 11, Rep.-elect Mark Green of Tennessee inaccurately claimed that vaccine preservatives might cause autism. He also repeated an unsubstantiated claim that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “fraudulently managed” data that showed a link between vaccinations and autism.
No Evidence New York Legislator Died from Flu Shot
A self-described “alternative news” story suggests the flu shot was responsible for the death of a New York state senator. The official cause of death is still pending.
Did the Polio Vaccine Cause Cancer?
Q: Did people develop cancer because of the polio vaccine?
A: There are no known cases, and it’s very unlikely. In the 1950s and 1960s, people did receive polio vaccines contaminated with a virus that causes cancer in rodents. But research suggests this virus doesn’t cause cancer in humans.
Debunking False Vaccine Claim
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.
Scientific Evidence and the EU Court
A European Union court decision about vaccines raises interesting two scientific questions: How do scientists decide whether vaccines can cause conditions such as multiple sclerosis. And how certain can they be about their conclusions?
FactChecking the CNN Republican Debate
The candidates flubbed claims on vaccines, immigration, Hillary Clinton and more.
Fiorina’s Fuzzy Vaccine Claims
Carly Fiorina said some unnamed vaccine-preventable diseases are “not communicable” and “not contagious.” Every immunization recommended by the CDC covers a highly communicable disease.
FactChecking Rand Paul
Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul is now the second major Republican candidate to officially declare he will run for president. We present a sampling of some past claims from Paul that we have reviewed on our site.
FlackCheck.org Video: SciCheck Findings
FlackCheck.org, our sister website for political literacy, recaps the recent work of SciCheck, our new feature on false and misleading scientific claims that are made by partisans to influence public policy.