healthmisformation
*Some studies suggest that consuming eight glasses of water per day is ideal for a healthy individual, but it is not a one\-size\-fits\-all solution\.*By Tej Kumar A viral Instagram reels video claims that drinking more than three litres of water is dangerous to health. The video has garnered more than 11 million views. While there is a grain of truth in the claims made, there is little scientific evidence to recommend that overconsumption of water is a serious health hazard for most people. Experts agree that drinking too much water can lead to hyponatremia, wherein sodium levels in the blood...
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While the rest of the world is seeing a relative lull in new cases and a dip in the active COVID-19 cases, the United States continues to fight a grim battle – nearly a year after vaccinations began. And the anti-vaxxers are not letting up, even now. By Varadarajan Ananthakrishnan The virus has got a stranglehold on the United States, again. While broadly, the world is seeing a relative lull in the COVID-19 numbers, the US is struggling. Despite being one of the earliest countries to begin vaccinating their population, the country is still struggling to get rid of the virus altogether. Not onl...
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World AIDS Day: Misinformation about the infection continues to spread on several social media platforms, misleading people about the nature of this oft-stigmatised disease. By Tej Kumar December 1 is World AIDS Day, an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV/AIDS, a major global public health challenge. Unfortunately, misinformation about the infection continues to spread on several social media platforms, misleading people about the nature of this oft-stigmatised disease. A Facebook post, for instance, claims that HIV/AIDS is a “scam to destroy gays” and it is not ...
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YouTube videos advocate easy, home-based remedies that not only promise complete cure, but also prevention of future heart problems. However, there’s little scientific evidence to support any of the claims. By Tej Kumar Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death globally. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 17.9 million people died from CVDs in 2019, representing 32% of all global deaths. Of these deaths, 85% were due to heart attack and stroke. Understandably, people are looking for solutions to heart problems. YouTube videos advocating easy, home...
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Research has established that consumption of bitter bottle gourd juice can be life-threatening. Yet the popularity of YouTube videos hailing the many virtues of the detox drink continues unabated. By Tej Kumar Recently writer-director Tahira Kashyap put out a post on Instagram about her experience with bottle gourd toxicity. The 38-year-old mother of two was admitted to the ICU after drinking bottle gourd juice. However, the popularity of videos on YouTube hailing the many virtues of the detox drink continues unabated. A Viral YouTube video in Telugu, for instance, claims that drinking bottle ...
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People tend to engage more with misinformation than factual information. The reason: misinformation promises quick-fixes, a quicker road to recovery and a false promise of complete cure. By Varadarajan Ananthakrishnan Recently the father of a very close friend was diagnosed with cancer. Needless to say, he was devastated and so was his family. The first step was to understand the condition. What is the stage he is at? Is it curable? Can things be pulled back? Friends and relatives pitched in with their own advice: go for chemotherapy, go for radiation. Some said fasting for long periods starve...
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The new policy against violating publisher content, Google-served ads, and monetised YouTube videos come into effect from November 2021. By Abeen Shayiq The changing landscape of information, which has now turned to a continuous rage of mis/disinformation, could no longer be overlooked by social media giants like Google and YouTube. Last month, Google announced via its blog post that it is updating its ads and monetisation policies around climate change. The new policy against violating publisher content, Google-served ads, and monetised YouTube videos will come into effect from November 2021....
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There is a sizeable section that peddles misinformation, mis-attributes natural calamities to everything but climate change, and spreads canards about menstruating and jeans-wearing women as being the cause of disasters. By Varadarajan Ananthakrishnan It is that time of the year when there is a nip in the air, and you can smell winters around you – at least in North India. This year has been a bit unusual too – with the rains pounding the North, unusual for this time of the year. This year, rains have rather been prolonged and heavy in short bursts. Does this indicate something abnormal or sug...
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There has been growing interest in Ivermectin, a broad spectrum anti-parasitic agent, as a possible medication for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19. A biologist and researcher from Italy sheds light on the facts and misconceptions about the potent drug. By Dr. Nicola Simone Ivermectin is a broad spectrum anti-parasitic agent, but can it be used to prevent or treat COVID-19? In the absence of solid conclusive evidence, its use as an antiviral medicine poses significant harm to public health, particularly given its dangerous side effects. Experts warn against self-medication; the drug sh...
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A YouTube channel called ‘Unmask Express’ has been consistently making unscientific claims about the vaccines against COVID-19, RT-PCR tests and the existence of the coronavirus itself! First Check sets the record straight. By Tej Kumar Dr. Sachin Pethkar, a Pune-based Ayurvedic physician and entrepreneur, is the face of ‘Unmask Express’, the YouTube channel that has garnered a lot of buzz due to its controversial claims about COVID-19. While the channel has been consistently making unscientific health-related claims, here are some of the most harmful assertions that First Check decided to sif...
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