Latest Fact-checks in Public Health Clear Any Rating True Mostly True Half True Mostly False False Pants on Fire Full Flop Half Flip No Flip Any Speaker Any Date Range Last 3 Months Last 6 Months Last 12 Months 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 Any Category Rebecca Quigley stated on May 14, 2015 in a comment on a "State of the State" TV program.: "Once a woman enters into the sex trade, her average life expectancy is seven years." Ron Johnson stated on May 19, 2015 in an interview: Says Democratic challenger Russ Feingold "was the deciding vote on Obamacare." Kathleen Sullivan stated on April 29, 2015 in testimony before the House Judiciary Committee: "The proportion of Rhode Islanders entering substance abuse treatment primarily due to marijuana use has reached its highest point in 20 years." Children's Defense Fund-Texas stated on April 28, 2015 in a press release: "In the last 24 months, 10 rural Texas hospitals have been forced to shut their doors because state leaders" chose not to expand Medicaid. Dino Baccari stated on April 16, 2015 in testimony before the Senate Committee on Health & Human Services.: A Penn State University study found that "electronic cigarettes . . . are far less addictive than cigarettes." Van Wanggaard stated on April 21, 2015 in a legislative floor debate: "There's no statistical evidence that" a waiting period for handgun purchases "reduces violence whatsoever." Barack Obama stated on March 25, 2015 in a speech: The Affordable Care Act is "a major reason why we’ve seen 50,000 fewer preventable patient deaths in hospitals." Gina Raimondo stated on March 13, 2015 in a television interview: "Rhode Island has the second highest per enrollee (Medicaid) cost of any state in the country, which is 60 percent higher than the national average." Bloggers stated on March 21, 2015 in posts on social media: Say Michelle Obama "mandates" weighing children in day care. Donna Nesselbush stated on March 6, 2015 in a commentary: "In an average grocery store, roughly 75 percent of processed foods contain genetically modified organisms, or GMOs." Phil Robertson stated on February 27, 2015 in a speech at the CPAC conference: According to the CDC, "110 million Americans now have a sexually transmitted illness." NaturalNews.com stated on February 5, 2015 in a story making the rounds on social media: The measles vaccine has killed 108 people in the last decade, while no one has died of measles. Johnny Isakson stated on February 2, 2015 in an Associated Press news story: "When you have 8,000 veterans a year committing suicide, then you have a serious problem." Karina Wood stated on February 12, 2015 in testimony before the R.I. Senate Judiciary Committee: Cigarette butts "poison babies and small children because of the nicotine in them." Marjorie Sanfilippo stated on February 16, 2015 in a Florida Senate criminal justice committee hearing: "200,000 students attempt suicide every year on college campuses." Peter DeFazio stated on February 12, 2015 in an interview on MSNBC: "Monarch butterflies are becoming extinct" because of increased use of crops genetically modified to withstand pesticides. Rick Perry stated on February 5, 2014 in an interview with the Texas Tribune and Washington Post.: "When I came into office, our vaccination rate in Texas was 65 percent. When I left two weeks ago, it was 95 percent." Mike Adams stated on February 10, 2015 in a story making the rounds on social media: Mercury is used in vaccines, and there is no safe level of mercury. Katty Kay stated on February 8, 2015 in comments on NBC's "Meet the Press": "There are countries in Africa where they have higher vaccination rates than here in the United States." Rush Limbaugh stated on February 3, 2015 in a broadcast of the "Rush Limbaugh Show": The children coming across the southern U.S. border "were never examined after they got here and quarantined if they had a disease. They were just sent out across the country. Many of them had measles ... We now have an outbreak of it all because of our immigration policy." Elizabeth Cohen stated on February 2, 2015 in an interview with Anderson Cooper: "If someone is in a room that has measles and leaves and you walk in two hours later, you could get measles from that person." Celine Gounder stated on February 3, 2015 in an interview on CNN: "Measles is one of the most common causes of child blindness worldwide." Megyn Kelly stated on February 2, 2015 in a broadcast of "The O'Reilly Factor": Science is "very certain" that the measles vaccine doesn't cause autism. Bob Sears stated on February 2, 2015 in an interview on CNN: "Every year in the United States between 3,000 and 4,500 severe vaccine reactions are reported to the Centers for Disease Control. Not mild reactions. Severe reactions that land somebody in the hospital, the intensive care unit or cause a permanent disability or death." Nationwide stated on February 1, 2015 in an ad during the Super Bowl: "The No. 1 cause of childhood deaths is preventable accidents." Richard Besser stated on February 1, 2015 in comments on ABC's "This Week": "It used to be that the only children at school who weren't vaccinated were those who had true medical" conditions. "Now there are 19 states that allow personal belief exemptions." Patrick Lynch stated on November 24, 2014 in a newspaper commentary: Exposure to the electromagnetic fields from power lines "has been associated with childhood leukemia and other diseases." James Crowley stated on December 6, 2014 in a commentary in The Providence Journal: "Surveys of teens in high school reveal that knowing a classmate who sells cannabis is 90 times more common than knowing a classmate who sells alcohol." Doonesbury stated on December 14, 2014 in the Sunday comics: Says 3,000 Americans "died of gunfire" between the time of the Ebola scare in Dallas and the midterm elections. Glenn Grothman stated on November 30, 2014 in an interview: "A single parent with a couple kids can easily get $35,000 a year" in public assistance in Wisconsin.
Clear Any Rating True Mostly True Half True Mostly False False Pants on Fire Full Flop Half Flip No Flip Any Speaker Any Date Range Last 3 Months Last 6 Months Last 12 Months 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 Any Category
Rebecca Quigley stated on May 14, 2015 in a comment on a "State of the State" TV program.: "Once a woman enters into the sex trade, her average life expectancy is seven years." Ron Johnson stated on May 19, 2015 in an interview: Says Democratic challenger Russ Feingold "was the deciding vote on Obamacare." Kathleen Sullivan stated on April 29, 2015 in testimony before the House Judiciary Committee: "The proportion of Rhode Islanders entering substance abuse treatment primarily due to marijuana use has reached its highest point in 20 years." Children's Defense Fund-Texas stated on April 28, 2015 in a press release: "In the last 24 months, 10 rural Texas hospitals have been forced to shut their doors because state leaders" chose not to expand Medicaid. Dino Baccari stated on April 16, 2015 in testimony before the Senate Committee on Health & Human Services.: A Penn State University study found that "electronic cigarettes . . . are far less addictive than cigarettes." Van Wanggaard stated on April 21, 2015 in a legislative floor debate: "There's no statistical evidence that" a waiting period for handgun purchases "reduces violence whatsoever." Barack Obama stated on March 25, 2015 in a speech: The Affordable Care Act is "a major reason why we’ve seen 50,000 fewer preventable patient deaths in hospitals." Gina Raimondo stated on March 13, 2015 in a television interview: "Rhode Island has the second highest per enrollee (Medicaid) cost of any state in the country, which is 60 percent higher than the national average." Bloggers stated on March 21, 2015 in posts on social media: Say Michelle Obama "mandates" weighing children in day care. Donna Nesselbush stated on March 6, 2015 in a commentary: "In an average grocery store, roughly 75 percent of processed foods contain genetically modified organisms, or GMOs." Phil Robertson stated on February 27, 2015 in a speech at the CPAC conference: According to the CDC, "110 million Americans now have a sexually transmitted illness." NaturalNews.com stated on February 5, 2015 in a story making the rounds on social media: The measles vaccine has killed 108 people in the last decade, while no one has died of measles. Johnny Isakson stated on February 2, 2015 in an Associated Press news story: "When you have 8,000 veterans a year committing suicide, then you have a serious problem." Karina Wood stated on February 12, 2015 in testimony before the R.I. Senate Judiciary Committee: Cigarette butts "poison babies and small children because of the nicotine in them." Marjorie Sanfilippo stated on February 16, 2015 in a Florida Senate criminal justice committee hearing: "200,000 students attempt suicide every year on college campuses." Peter DeFazio stated on February 12, 2015 in an interview on MSNBC: "Monarch butterflies are becoming extinct" because of increased use of crops genetically modified to withstand pesticides. Rick Perry stated on February 5, 2014 in an interview with the Texas Tribune and Washington Post.: "When I came into office, our vaccination rate in Texas was 65 percent. When I left two weeks ago, it was 95 percent." Mike Adams stated on February 10, 2015 in a story making the rounds on social media: Mercury is used in vaccines, and there is no safe level of mercury. Katty Kay stated on February 8, 2015 in comments on NBC's "Meet the Press": "There are countries in Africa where they have higher vaccination rates than here in the United States." Rush Limbaugh stated on February 3, 2015 in a broadcast of the "Rush Limbaugh Show": The children coming across the southern U.S. border "were never examined after they got here and quarantined if they had a disease. They were just sent out across the country. Many of them had measles ... We now have an outbreak of it all because of our immigration policy." Elizabeth Cohen stated on February 2, 2015 in an interview with Anderson Cooper: "If someone is in a room that has measles and leaves and you walk in two hours later, you could get measles from that person." Celine Gounder stated on February 3, 2015 in an interview on CNN: "Measles is one of the most common causes of child blindness worldwide." Megyn Kelly stated on February 2, 2015 in a broadcast of "The O'Reilly Factor": Science is "very certain" that the measles vaccine doesn't cause autism. Bob Sears stated on February 2, 2015 in an interview on CNN: "Every year in the United States between 3,000 and 4,500 severe vaccine reactions are reported to the Centers for Disease Control. Not mild reactions. Severe reactions that land somebody in the hospital, the intensive care unit or cause a permanent disability or death." Nationwide stated on February 1, 2015 in an ad during the Super Bowl: "The No. 1 cause of childhood deaths is preventable accidents." Richard Besser stated on February 1, 2015 in comments on ABC's "This Week": "It used to be that the only children at school who weren't vaccinated were those who had true medical" conditions. "Now there are 19 states that allow personal belief exemptions." Patrick Lynch stated on November 24, 2014 in a newspaper commentary: Exposure to the electromagnetic fields from power lines "has been associated with childhood leukemia and other diseases." James Crowley stated on December 6, 2014 in a commentary in The Providence Journal: "Surveys of teens in high school reveal that knowing a classmate who sells cannabis is 90 times more common than knowing a classmate who sells alcohol." Doonesbury stated on December 14, 2014 in the Sunday comics: Says 3,000 Americans "died of gunfire" between the time of the Ebola scare in Dallas and the midterm elections. Glenn Grothman stated on November 30, 2014 in an interview: "A single parent with a couple kids can easily get $35,000 a year" in public assistance in Wisconsin.
Rebecca Quigley stated on May 14, 2015 in a comment on a "State of the State" TV program.: "Once a woman enters into the sex trade, her average life expectancy is seven years."
Ron Johnson stated on May 19, 2015 in an interview: Says Democratic challenger Russ Feingold "was the deciding vote on Obamacare."
Kathleen Sullivan stated on April 29, 2015 in testimony before the House Judiciary Committee: "The proportion of Rhode Islanders entering substance abuse treatment primarily due to marijuana use has reached its highest point in 20 years."
Children's Defense Fund-Texas stated on April 28, 2015 in a press release: "In the last 24 months, 10 rural Texas hospitals have been forced to shut their doors because state leaders" chose not to expand Medicaid.
Dino Baccari stated on April 16, 2015 in testimony before the Senate Committee on Health & Human Services.: A Penn State University study found that "electronic cigarettes . . . are far less addictive than cigarettes."
Van Wanggaard stated on April 21, 2015 in a legislative floor debate: "There's no statistical evidence that" a waiting period for handgun purchases "reduces violence whatsoever."
Barack Obama stated on March 25, 2015 in a speech: The Affordable Care Act is "a major reason why we’ve seen 50,000 fewer preventable patient deaths in hospitals."
Gina Raimondo stated on March 13, 2015 in a television interview: "Rhode Island has the second highest per enrollee (Medicaid) cost of any state in the country, which is 60 percent higher than the national average."
Bloggers stated on March 21, 2015 in posts on social media: Say Michelle Obama "mandates" weighing children in day care.
Donna Nesselbush stated on March 6, 2015 in a commentary: "In an average grocery store, roughly 75 percent of processed foods contain genetically modified organisms, or GMOs."
Phil Robertson stated on February 27, 2015 in a speech at the CPAC conference: According to the CDC, "110 million Americans now have a sexually transmitted illness."
NaturalNews.com stated on February 5, 2015 in a story making the rounds on social media: The measles vaccine has killed 108 people in the last decade, while no one has died of measles.
Johnny Isakson stated on February 2, 2015 in an Associated Press news story: "When you have 8,000 veterans a year committing suicide, then you have a serious problem."
Karina Wood stated on February 12, 2015 in testimony before the R.I. Senate Judiciary Committee: Cigarette butts "poison babies and small children because of the nicotine in them."
Marjorie Sanfilippo stated on February 16, 2015 in a Florida Senate criminal justice committee hearing: "200,000 students attempt suicide every year on college campuses."
Peter DeFazio stated on February 12, 2015 in an interview on MSNBC: "Monarch butterflies are becoming extinct" because of increased use of crops genetically modified to withstand pesticides.
Rick Perry stated on February 5, 2014 in an interview with the Texas Tribune and Washington Post.: "When I came into office, our vaccination rate in Texas was 65 percent. When I left two weeks ago, it was 95 percent."
Mike Adams stated on February 10, 2015 in a story making the rounds on social media: Mercury is used in vaccines, and there is no safe level of mercury.
Katty Kay stated on February 8, 2015 in comments on NBC's "Meet the Press": "There are countries in Africa where they have higher vaccination rates than here in the United States."
Rush Limbaugh stated on February 3, 2015 in a broadcast of the "Rush Limbaugh Show": The children coming across the southern U.S. border "were never examined after they got here and quarantined if they had a disease. They were just sent out across the country. Many of them had measles ... We now have an outbreak of it all because of our immigration policy."
Elizabeth Cohen stated on February 2, 2015 in an interview with Anderson Cooper: "If someone is in a room that has measles and leaves and you walk in two hours later, you could get measles from that person."
Celine Gounder stated on February 3, 2015 in an interview on CNN: "Measles is one of the most common causes of child blindness worldwide."
Megyn Kelly stated on February 2, 2015 in a broadcast of "The O'Reilly Factor": Science is "very certain" that the measles vaccine doesn't cause autism.
Bob Sears stated on February 2, 2015 in an interview on CNN: "Every year in the United States between 3,000 and 4,500 severe vaccine reactions are reported to the Centers for Disease Control. Not mild reactions. Severe reactions that land somebody in the hospital, the intensive care unit or cause a permanent disability or death."
Nationwide stated on February 1, 2015 in an ad during the Super Bowl: "The No. 1 cause of childhood deaths is preventable accidents."
Richard Besser stated on February 1, 2015 in comments on ABC's "This Week": "It used to be that the only children at school who weren't vaccinated were those who had true medical" conditions. "Now there are 19 states that allow personal belief exemptions."
Patrick Lynch stated on November 24, 2014 in a newspaper commentary: Exposure to the electromagnetic fields from power lines "has been associated with childhood leukemia and other diseases."
James Crowley stated on December 6, 2014 in a commentary in The Providence Journal: "Surveys of teens in high school reveal that knowing a classmate who sells cannabis is 90 times more common than knowing a classmate who sells alcohol."
Doonesbury stated on December 14, 2014 in the Sunday comics: Says 3,000 Americans "died of gunfire" between the time of the Ebola scare in Dallas and the midterm elections.
Glenn Grothman stated on November 30, 2014 in an interview: "A single parent with a couple kids can easily get $35,000 a year" in public assistance in Wisconsin.
