551 Health claim verifications avg. score 5.1/10 219 rated (mostly) true 266 rated (mostly) false
“A person who previously had chickenpox (varicella) can become a carrier and transmit varicella after contact with an infected person.”
The evidence does not support a post-exposure 'carrier' state in people who already had chickenpox. Public health sources describe spread from active varicella infection, while prior infection usually gives durable immunity and re-exposure typically only boosts antibodies. Rare reinfection is possible, but that is a different situation from becoming an asymptomatic carrier who then transmits varicella.
“Use of Sparx Maths in schools can place excessive pressure on students.”
The available evidence indicates that Sparx Maths can place excessive pressure on some students. This conclusion is supported by consistent user reports and by general research showing that demanding maths tasks can trigger anxiety. However, no strong independent study in the provided record measures how often Sparx causes this problem or isolates it from broader homework and maths-related stress.
“Spending long periods on repetitive mathematics questions on Sparx Maths can lead to frustration and anxiety.”
The evidence supports the claim in broad terms: long, repetitive maths practice can contribute to frustration and math anxiety, and user reports indicate this can happen on Sparx Maths. However, there is no strong peer-reviewed study directly measuring anxiety caused by Sparx specifically. So the practical risk described is credible, but the platform-specific link is not yet firmly established by high-quality direct research.
“There is a zombie outbreak in the United States.”
The claim is not supported by any credible evidence. Official U.S. and international health agencies do not report a zombie outbreak, and the CDC’s zombie materials were created as fictional preparedness tools, not outbreak announcements. References to zombie plans or “zombie viruses” are hypothetical, metaphorical, or about unrelated scientific topics, not evidence of undead people in the United States.
“Under thermal stress, elevated cortisol can reduce testosterone levels, affecting sexually dimorphic traits.”
The evidence supports the claim in broad terms. Heat or thermal stress can be associated with higher cortisol and lower testosterone, and glucocorticoids are well documented to suppress testosterone production. The main caveat is that heat can also lower testosterone through other pathways, so cortisol is a plausible mechanism, not always the sole or primary one; effects on sexually dimorphic traits are better supported for sustained hormone changes than for short-term stress.
“A memorandum issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services states that U.S. states may reduce Medicaid home- and community-based services (HCBS) for people with disabilities.”
No identified HHS memorandum says states may reduce Medicaid HCBS for people with disabilities. Federal HHS/CMS documents in the evidence set concern HCBS compliance, access, and implementation, not permission to cut services. The claim appears to confuse general Medicaid flexibility over optional benefits—and possibly a separate DOJ memo—with the contents of an HHS memorandum.
“Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) can cause persistent dysfunction of the hands and feet that interferes with daily activities and reduces quality of life.”
The evidence strongly supports this statement. Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy is well documented as sometimes persisting after treatment, especially in the hands and feet, and studies link it to difficulty with daily tasks, falls, disability, and reduced quality of life. The wording is appropriately cautious because it says this can happen, not that it happens to every patient.
“Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) severity can fluctuate over time and may not be fully captured during episodic clinic visits.”
Available evidence strongly supports both parts of the statement. Degenerative cervical myelopathy is commonly described as variable or stepwise over time, and some sources report severity can change even day to day. Studies also show that episodic clinic assessments, especially tools such as mJOA, may miss clinically meaningful progression or burden between visits.
“In degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM), smartphone-assessed motor performance correlates with standard clinical grading and with postoperative improvement.”
Available evidence supports the claim in broad terms. Peer-reviewed studies in DCM show smartphone-derived motor or mobility measures correlate with established clinical measures such as mJOA, VAS, and ODI, and some studies show these measures improve after surgery in parallel with clinical recovery. However, several findings are preliminary, some correlations are modest or inconsistent across scales, and early feasibility evidence was very small.
“Questionnaire-based mHealth usability instruments such as the Mobile App Usability Questionnaire (MAUQ), the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS), and the Health Information Technology Usability Evaluation Scale (Health-ITUES) measure perceived usability but do not directly capture specific interaction errors during task performance.”
The evidence supports the core distinction. MAUQ, MARS, and Health-ITUES are questionnaire-based rating tools that assess perceived usability or related app-quality dimensions through subjective responses, not by observing and recording concrete errors during tasks. Some items mention mistakes or interaction design, but that is still retrospective judgment rather than direct error capture.
“All humans have an eight-pack (eight distinct abdominal muscle segments).”
The claim is not supported by human anatomy. Studies of the rectus abdominis show that abdominal segmentation varies across people, and the most common pattern corresponds to a six-pack, not an eight-pack. An eight-pack is a minority anatomical variant, so stating that all humans have eight distinct abdominal segments is incorrect.
“The human enzymes CYP2C18 and CYP2C9 contribute to metabolism and other physiological functions in the human body.”
The statement is broadly supported, but one enzyme is much better established than the other. CYP2C9 clearly has major roles in drug and endogenous metabolism and affects physiological pathways. CYP2C18 is a human CYP enzyme with evidence of metabolic activity, yet its specific substrates and functions remain less well defined, so the claim slightly overstates certainty for that enzyme.
“The CYP2C19 gene has high genetic variability with 39 possible alleles that influence the rate of medication metabolism.”
The claim is broadly accurate: CYP2C19 is highly variable genetically, and that variation can change how quickly certain medicines are metabolized. The main caveat is that “39 alleles” is not a settled, timeless number; authoritative sources report slightly different counts depending on date and counting method. The practical point about variability affecting drug response is well supported.
“The human enzyme CYP2C19 metabolizes about 10% of commonly prescribed medications, including some antidepressants, proton pump inhibitors, clopidogrel, and voriconazole.”
Reliable medical references support the statement that CYP2C19 is involved in metabolizing about 10% of commonly prescribed drugs. The cited examples—some antidepressants, proton pump inhibitors, clopidogrel, and voriconazole—are all well-established CYP2C19-related medications. The exact percentage can vary by source and definition, but that caveat does not change the main takeaway.
“Scientific studies report an association between CYP2C19 genetic variants and major depressive disorder, longer depressive episodes, and greater depressive symptom severity.”
Published studies do report these associations. Systematic reviews and several primary studies describe links between CYP2C19 variants and depression risk, longer episodes, or greater symptom severity, even though results are mixed overall. The claim stays within what the evidence supports because it says studies report an association, not that the association is proven or universal.
“Genetic variants in the CYP2C19 gene that reduce CYP2C19 enzyme activity can contribute to relatively treatment-resistant depression by reducing the metabolism of some antidepressant medications.”
Reduced-function CYP2C19 variants do slow the metabolism of some antidepressants, but the best evidence does not show that this usually causes antidepressants to be less effective. These variants are more consistently associated with higher drug levels and more side effects, sometimes alongside equal or better remission. They can contribute indirectly to harder-to-treat depression through intolerance or discontinuation, but that is not the main or best-supported pattern.
“More than 35% of people in Bulgaria smoke tobacco.”
The best available evidence indicates Bulgaria’s smoking prevalence is above 35% if “smoke tobacco” means current smoking, including non-daily smokers. Several authoritative sources put current smoking around 36-37%, while lower figures near 29% refer to daily cigarette smoking only. The claim is directionally accurate but imprecise about the metric and population measured.
“Researchers have said that psilocybin has the potential to be used as an intervention for Alzheimer's disease.”
Researchers have indeed described psilocybin as a potential intervention related to Alzheimer’s disease. Multiple peer-reviewed papers and research institutions discuss it as a plausible therapeutic candidate, based mainly on mechanistic theory, preclinical findings, and early-stage human research. The statement is accurate because it reports researcher views about potential, not established clinical benefit.
“Discrimination by nurses is a common problem reported by foreign-born and culturally diverse patients in Western hospitals.”
Substantial evidence shows that migrant, foreign-born, and culturally diverse patients in Western hospitals often report discriminatory experiences, and nurses are specifically named in several studies and reviews. The claim fits the literature’s overall pattern. However, some evidence combines nurses with healthcare staff more broadly, and “common” is usually based on repeated qualitative reporting rather than a nurse-specific prevalence rate.
“Cultural misunderstandings commonly contribute to foreign-born and culturally diverse patients feeling they are not treated equally and fairly in Western hospitals.”
Evidence from systematic reviews, hospital-based studies, and survey research shows that cultural misunderstandings and related communication gaps often shape foreign-born and culturally diverse patients’ perceptions of unfair or unequal treatment in Western healthcare settings. The claim is appropriately framed as a contributing factor, not the sole cause. Exact prevalence varies by country, setting, and patient group.