Get the facts on health

Fact checks about medical conditions, the NHS, social care and government funding of national health services

Get the facts on… Monkeypox Coronavirus Health spending

A&E pressures

Fact checks regarding Ambulance and A&E waiting lists and admissions

Monkeypox

Fact checks about the monkeypox outbreak, including symptoms, transmission, relation to other diseases and the latest information from public health bodies

NHS bureaucracy and efficiency

Fact checks about efficiency and inefficiency in the NHS and the outcomes of the Naylor review

Vaccines

Fact checks addressing conspiracy theories and unreliable health advice relating to the coronavirus pandemic

Bayer executive wrongly said mRNA vaccines are gene therapy
30 September 2022

A spokesperson for Bayer said Stefan Oelrich’s comments were an ‘obvious slip of the tongue’.

Claims about vaccine adverse events based on article since-deleted over inaccuracies
28 September 2022

An Express headline is being shared to claim the truth about the Covid-19 vaccine is “starting to unravel”. The article in question was deleted after the Express acknowledged it was …

Flu vaccines may contain harmless levels of formaldehyde
26 September 2022

Formaldehyde is naturally present in our bodies, and there isn’t enough in vaccines to harm us.

More fact checks on vaccines

Cancer care

Fact checks about cancer risks, treatments and cures

Coronavirus

Fact checks about the coronavirus pandemic, including causes, Covid-19 symptoms, vaccines and side effects

Health fact checks

Article on impact of voice assistants on children is not ‘new research’
4 October 2022

An article which suggests voice assistants may hinder children's cognitive and social development is not based on original research, and has been criticised by experts.

Bayer executive wrongly said mRNA vaccines are gene therapy
30 September 2022

A spokesperson for Bayer said Stefan Oelrich’s comments were an ‘obvious slip of the tongue’.

Claims about vaccine adverse events based on article since-deleted over inaccuracies
28 September 2022

An Express headline is being shared to claim the truth about the Covid-19 vaccine is “starting to unravel”. The article in question was deleted after the Express acknowledged it was …

See all health fact checks

GP 'crisis'

Fact checks about GP waiting lists, appointments, staffing and pharmacists

Health care systems

Fact checks related to the infrustructure of health care and potential impacts of privateistaton

Health spending

Fact checks about increases and decreases in funding of the NHS, including the number of hospitals being built and record levels of funding

Health tourism

Fact checks related to the ineligible and foreign nationals using NHS services

How healthy are we?

Fact checks about life expectancy and the reporting of medical risks

Immigration and the NHS

Fact checks related to the impact a changing population has on the NHS

Is the NHS being privatised?

Fact checks regarding private finance initiatives and commercialisation and external funding of the NHS

Junior doctors

Fact checks covering the recruitment, pay and development of NHS junior doctors

Mental health

Fact checks covering mental health service provisioning, self harm, suicide, anxiety and depression

NHS performance and satisfaction

Fact checks about the reported quality of the NHS, waiting lists and quality of care

NHS pressures

Fact checks about waiting lists, unpaid overtime and availability of health care services

NHS performance and satisfaction

Fact checks about the reported quality of the NHS, waiting lists and quality of care

NHS staff

Fact checks including NHS staff levels and NHS pay

Safety

Fact checks about health and safety related topics, including food safety standards

The seven day NHS

Fact checks about the idea of a seven day NHS and changes in health care services at weekends

Social care

Fact checks including care homes and social care budgets and policies