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** The Saga of a Peer-Reviewed Paper by Misinformation Spreaders
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Publication in a peer-reviewed journal often means the content has been sufficiently vetted by outside scientists and is less likely to contain errors. But not always.

Case in point: A review article ([link removed]) by several well-known COVID-19 vaccine misinformation spreaders that was published at the end of last month in the journal Cureus, an open-access online medical journal that prioritizes fast publication. Citing studies already familiar to us, the review repeated many claims we’ve previously debunked, including the false notion that the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines have killed more people than they have saved.

The review was shared widely online by those opposed to COVID-19 vaccination, with many touting the paper’s appearance in a peer-reviewed journal as evidence of its validity.

“People have said I’m a misinformation spreader because since May 2021, I have been publicly saying the COVID vaccines are not safe,” wrote ([link removed]) former tech entrepreneur Steve Kirsch, who was one of the authors of the Cureus review, on X, the platform previously known as Twitter. “Now the medical peer-reviewed literature shows I was right. Do you believe me now?”

In a new piece, FactCheck.org Staff Writer Catalina Jaramillo recaps the many problems in the review article. She also explains that while peer review can help weed out bad science, it’s not failsafe -- and not always rigorous.

Shortly after we published our story, we learned that Cureus had decided to retract the paper based on an internal review that found multiple instances of data misrepresentation and incorrect or unsubstantiated claims.

Retraction Watch reported ([link removed]) that scientists from Yale University and Weill Cornell Medical College had written a letter to the journal and publisher on Feb. 9 with “serious concerns” about the paper.

“The point here is that the Cureus review merely regurgitates claims about mRNA vaccines that have circulated on the internet and been debunked over and over again, including by fact-checking organizations (e.g., Factcheck.org, and the USA Today and Politico factcheck teams),” their letter reads.

For more on the unfolding saga, see “Review Article By Misinformation Spreaders Misleads About mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines ([link removed]) .”
HOW WE KNOW
It's becoming commonplace for social media users to spread misinformation by using altered images, which we wrote about ([link removed]) once again this week. PCMag wrote a primer ([link removed]) on how to do a reverse search image on your desktop and your phone.
FEATURED FACT
The Public Health Service first recommended fluoridation of tap water in 1962. However, the decision on whether to add fluoride to tap water is up to states and municipalities. As of 2020, around 63% of Americans received fluoridated water. Read more ([link removed]) .
WORTHY OF NOTE
Congratulations to our parent organization, the Annenberg Public Policy Center, and its project Annenberg Classroom, which picked up a Bronze Award in the 3rd Annual Anthem Awards for its documentary on Juneteenth.

“Juneteenth: Exploring Freedom’s Stories” reviews the history of Juneteenth -- which marks the end of slavery in the United States on June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers reached Texas to free the remaining slaves.

The documentary, which includes interviews with scholars and other experts, examines how the fight to end slavery remade the Constitution and expanded freedom and citizenship to all Americans.

For more information, read the APPC's press release ([link removed]) on the film and the award.
REPLY ALL

Reader: Why can’t you tackle YouTube? They give false stories every day.

FactCheck.org Director Eugene Kiely: Of course we can always do more, but we do tackle YouTube videos. You can see some of our articles about misinformation on YouTube here ([link removed]) .

In particular, we have written a lot about false or misleading ([link removed]) videos ([link removed]) posted ([link removed]) to YouTube ([link removed]) about ([link removed]) COVID-19 ([link removed]) and COVID-19 vaccines.

We often come across these deceptive videos via our partnership with Facebook ([link removed]) when its users repost YouTube videos to Facebook. But readers can email us links to suspect YouTube videos at our general email address, which is [email protected].


** Wrapping Up
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Here's what else we've got for you this week:
* "Trump Repeats Many Claims in Fox News Town Hall ([link removed]) ": In a Feb. 20 town hall in South Carolina that aired on Fox News, days before the state’s Republican primary, former President Donald Trump repeated several false and misleading claims we’ve fact-checked before.
* "Trump Ad Misleads on Haley Opposition to Trump Border Policies ([link removed]) ": A new campaign ad from former President Donald Trump makes two misleading claims about Nikki Haley’s opposition to border policies championed by Trump.
* "IRS Has Not Introduced Immigrant Housing Tax Incentive, Contrary to Posts ([link removed]) ": The IRS has not introduced a tax incentive for U.S. families to house immigrants in exchange for labor. A bogus claim that was originally posted as satire is circulating on social media without a disclaimer.
* "Post Uses Altered Photo to Impugn Klobuchar’s Comments on Slain First Responders ([link removed]) ": Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar posted condolences and support for two police officers and a firefighter killed Feb. 18 while responding to a domestic incident. A post on social media uses an altered photo to falsely claim Klobuchar previously attended a meeting with people holding “DEFUND THE POLICE” signs. The original image shows the people were not holding any such signs.
* "CDC, Experts Say Fluoridated Water Is Safe, Contrary to RFK Jr.’s Warnings ([link removed]) ": The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and multiple expert groups endorse water fluoridation as a safe way to reduce tooth decay. However, independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made a sweeping claim about fluoride’s effects on the nervous system, and promised to order the CDC to ban fluoride from tap water.
* "Experts Say Proposed Vehicle Emissions and Fuel Rules Not an EPA ‘Ban’ on Gas-Powered Cars ([link removed]) ": Pending regulations under review by the Biden administration could greatly increase the number of electric vehicles sold in the U.S. But if implemented, the proposals to reduce tailpipe emissions and raise the fuel efficiency standards of cars and trucks would not “ban” the sale of new gasoline-powered vehicles, as a trade group for fuel makers falsely suggests in an ad campaign.
* "Amy Schumer Has Endometriosis, Not a Vaccine-Related Ailment ([link removed]) ": Comedian Amy Schumer has said she’s having “some medical and hormonal” issues related to endometriosis that have affected her appearance. But some social media users are falsely claiming that Schumer announced she is suffering from a vaccine-related ailment. Schumer has said no such thing.
* "Indictment of FBI Informant Undermines Centerpiece of GOP’s Impeachment Case ([link removed]) ": Republicans have cited an unverified report by an FBI informant to allege that Joe Biden took a bribe from a Ukrainian company. But that informant has now been indicted for lying to the FBI about the bribe.
* "Texas Abortion Recipients Not Subject to Penalty, Contrary to Online Claims ([link removed]) ": Abortion is illegal in Texas, with narrow exceptions for the life and health of a pregnant patient. Those who provide abortions can face stiff penalties, but Texas law specifies that those who get an abortion are not to be penalized. Posts have been circulating online falsely claiming that those who get an abortion in Texas can face fines and prison time.
* "Republicans Distort Facts on Special Counsel Decision Not to Charge Biden ([link removed]) ": At their weekly news conference, several Republican House leaders wrongly claimed the special counsel report into Joe Biden’s handling of classified documents found the president was mentally unfit to stand trial. The report said no such thing.
* "Posts Misidentify Suspect in Kansas City Parade Shootings ([link removed]) ": Kansas City authorities charged two juvenile suspects with crimes connected to the Feb. 14 shootings at the Kansas City Chiefs’ victory celebration, in which one person was killed and 22 others were injured. Social media posts falsely identified one of the shooting suspects as “Sahil Omar, a 44 year old illegal.” A police spokesperson said that was a “fake claim.”
* "Posts Use Bogus Document to Falsely Claim Zelenskyy Plans Move to Florida ([link removed]) ": President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has traveled throughout the world seeking support for Ukraine’s effort to resist Russia’s invasion, but he has always returned to his war-torn country. Some social media posts — showing a fake naturalization document — falsely claim preparations are underway to bring him to the United States.
* "Posts Make Unfounded Claim About Swift and Kelce’s Post-Election Plans ([link removed]) ": Neither Taylor Swift nor Travis Kelce has endorsed a candidate in the 2024 presidential race as of Feb. 16. But social media posts are making the unfounded claim that the pair said they plan to leave the U.S. if former President Donald Trump wins the 2024 election.


Y lo que publicamos en español ([link removed]) (English versions are accessible in each story):
* "Publicaciones identifican erróneamente a un sospechoso de los tiroteos en el desfile de celebración de Kansas City ([link removed]) ": Las autoridades de Kansas City han acusado a dos sospechosos menores de edad de delitos relacionados con los tiroteos en la celebración de la victoria de los Kansas City Chiefs el 14 de febrero, en los que una persona murió y 22 resultaron heridas. Publicaciones en redes sociales identificaron falsamente a uno de los sospechosos como “Sahil Omar, un inmigrante ilegal de 44 años”. Un portavoz de la policía dijo que esa era una “afirmación falsa”.
* "Artículo de revisión escrito por propagadores de desinformación engaña sobre las vacunas de ARNm contra el COVID-19 ([link removed]) ": Las vacunas de ARNm contra el COVID-19 tienen un buen historial de seguridad y han salvado millones de vidas. Pero publicaciones virales afirman lo contrario, citando un reciente artículo revisado por pares, escrito por conocidos propagadores de desinformación sobre el COVID-19 y publicado en una revista científica controvertida. El artículo repite afirmaciones previamente desacreditadas.

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