An apple a day keeps the doctor away, goes the adage. But for how long? Sooner or later, we all have to make that visit to the doc. Some do it grudgingly, others more sportingly. A lot depends on the personality, right? Not just of the patient, but also of the one wielding the stethoscope. […]
As the results of the world’s largest democratic elections unfolded yesterday, four words echoed everywhere. Those who supported the victors, those who sympathised with the other contenders, just about everyone I know, said the same thing – I told you so! “The four most beautiful words in our common language,” as American writer Gore Vidal […]
“If they can make penicillin out of mouldy bread, they can sure make something out of you.” The quote is attributed to Muhammad Ali, the legendary boxer, and I couldn’t stop smiling as I read the words in an unlikely book, picked up at an airport recently. Did you know that penicillin was one of […]
It’s not just COVID — it’s measles, HPV, fake cures and more. Health is wealth, they say. That’s true of individuals and countries. Unless we invest in health care, and strengthen our fight against health misinformation, true progress is impossible. We need to work together and collaborate with experts to make credible, timely, relevant, understandable and actionable health information easily accessible for all.
The tendency to process information by looking for, or interpreting it, in a manner that is consistent with our existing beliefs is very common. And this is amply evident when it comes to decisions related to health. The home remedies we seek, the warnings on cigarette packets we choose to ignore, the celebrity product endorsements […]
The tendency to process information by looking for, or interpreting it, in a manner that is consistent with our existing beliefs is very common. And this is amply evident when it comes to decisions related to health. The home remedies we seek, the warnings on cigarette packets we choose to ignore, the celebrity product endorsements […]
How do you like your coffee? With butter? And some oil? Apparently, bulletproof coffee is what the celebs are having – instead of breakfast – to shed some superfluous body weight. Not surprisingly, social media buffs are in love with the magic potion. There’s a “small” problem though – the fad diet can actually harm […]
I come bearing exciting news: First Check has a new website! And we would love to get your feedback and suggestions. Tell us what you like, what you don’t. What do you think of our sagacious mascot (the eagle doc, Dr Eagle Eye (EI))? I’m all ears! Have you ever sat by a seashore watching the waves? […]
Dr Cyriac Abby Philips’ X account was recently suspended, following an interim injunction order by an Indian court for defaming a multinational personal care and pharmaceutical company. He had it coming, says a colleague, as we discuss the suspension of Dr Cyriac Abby Philips’ X (twitter) account — @theliverdr. Last week, a civil court in […]
We need comprehensive anti-online harassment tools and how-to guides designed for health workers in order to protect and equip them to combat the public health threat. From being called “The devil’s agent” to getting death threats on social media, Dr Ahmad Firdaus Mohd Haris, a practicing medical doctor based in Malaysia, has been the victim […]
Questions you can ask to ascertain whether the health information given by ChatGPT is accurate and reliable. Picture this: You are in search of a cure for sinusitis. Instead of checking with your doctor, you ask ChatGPT, the artificial intelligence (AI)-powered chatbot, whether antibiotics can help. Voila! You have the answer, with a complete list […]
From fighting societal norms to improving access to healthcare and innovations in medicine, the ground-breaking work of women in medicine deserves more credit. If the odds are stacked against you, the world seems unfair, or reality too bleak, Lady Doctors by Kavitha Rao is the dose of inspiration I strongly recommend. Published in 2021 by […]
have a question for you: What do you do when someone shares a glorious anecdote about a “miracle cure” or “quick fix” for a chronic health condition? Say, an unproven alternative therapy, sans the side effects of chemotherapy or radiation therapy, for cancer. Or, a home-made natural juice to prevent COVID or H2N3 flu.
Today is International Fact-Checking Day, promoted by the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) in partnership with fact-checking organisations around the world. As a verified signatory of IFCN, First Check has been working resolutely towards making health fact-checking a part of the mainstream discourse. I have a question for you: What do you do when someone shares […]
Dr Tanaya Narendra aka Dr Cuterus does a neat 101 in her book Everything Nobody Tells You about Your Body on the human body, contraception, periods, birth control, safe sex, masturbation, pubic hair, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and everything that we are too embarrassed to talk about freely.
Biologically, both men and women are born with a small amount of breast tissue. It’s only during puberty that females begin developing more breast tissue, unlike their male counterparts.
The pandemic has exposed our knowledge gap. There’s an urgent need to promote evidence-based reasoning and interdisciplinary approach, powered by collaboration.
A flagship initiative of DataLeads and signatory of the International Fact-Checking Network, First Check has 49 members from Australia, Africa, Bangladesh, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Italy, Nepal, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, United Kingdom and Yemen.
While Facebook claims to have made “considerable progress” with downgrading misinformation regarding COVID vaccines in users’ feeds, the internal company documents obtained by former Facebook product manager-turned-whistleblower raises pertinent questions about the platform’s business model and ethics.
Social media posts, based on a recent study conducted in Israel on the efficacy of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on the South African variant of the coronavirus, have been fuelling vaccine hesitancy in India.
While proper nutrition and hydration are essential for good health, there’s no evidence to support claims made by a WhatsApp forward to reduce the side effects of vaccines.
Top fact-checkers from Asia share personal stories, deep insights, and practical tips to tackle the avalanche of health fake news at the Misinformation in Medicine Summit 2020.
A viral WhatsApp message in India is asking people to click on a link to download a free app that monitors blood oxygen levels using one’s phone camera. The pandemic is seeing a surge in fake apps and cyber fraud.
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