John Gregory
@johngregoryx.bsky.social
Health editor at NewsGuard, tracking and countering false health claims.
The father of the vaccine-autism myth is back with a new report pushing the same false claim.
By counting studies of varying quality and methods as if they were equal, the report is like "a mountain of garbage," according to one expert. Read more here: www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/claim-dism...
By counting studies of varying quality and methods as if they were equal, the report is like "a mountain of garbage," according to one expert. Read more here: www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/claim-dism...
Claim Dismissed as ‘Mountain of Garbage’ Links Vaccines to Autism
NewsGuard spoke to experts who dismissed a widely-promoted new report claiming to link vaccines to autism as based on misinterpreted data
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com
November 4, 2025 at 9:37 PM
The father of the vaccine-autism myth is back with a new report pushing the same false claim.
By counting studies of varying quality and methods as if they were equal, the report is like "a mountain of garbage," according to one expert. Read more here: www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/claim-dism...
By counting studies of varying quality and methods as if they were equal, the report is like "a mountain of garbage," according to one expert. Read more here: www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/claim-dism...
President Donald Trump’s pick for Surgeon General, Casey Means, has spread multiple provably false and potentially dangerous health claims — from the debunked myth that vaccines are linked to autism to the perilous claim that raw milk has health benefits.
Five Health Hoaxes Pushed by Trump’s Surgeon General Nominee
Casey Means, Trump’s pick for Surgeon General, has advanced five provably false health claims since 2024, including that vaccines cause autism
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com
October 29, 2025 at 9:16 PM
President Donald Trump’s pick for Surgeon General, Casey Means, has spread multiple provably false and potentially dangerous health claims — from the debunked myth that vaccines are linked to autism to the perilous claim that raw milk has health benefits.
Chemtrails still aren't real, even when there's a government shutdown.
Read the latest from NewsGuard's Reality Check:
newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/the-end-of...
Read the latest from NewsGuard's Reality Check:
newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/the-end-of...
The End of Secret Government ‘Chemtrails’?
Conspiracy theorists are claiming that the government shutdown ended the practice of controlling the population through ‘chemtrails’ — a phenomenon that doesn’t actually exist
newsguardrealitycheck.com
October 9, 2025 at 2:01 AM
Chemtrails still aren't real, even when there's a government shutdown.
Read the latest from NewsGuard's Reality Check:
newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/the-end-of...
Read the latest from NewsGuard's Reality Check:
newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/the-end-of...
Conservative social media accounts are baselessly claiming that Tylenol overdoses among pregnant women are increasing because liberals are taking large amounts of the medication to spite President Donald Trump.
Read more with NewsGuard's Reality Check: www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/pregnant-w...
Read more with NewsGuard's Reality Check: www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/pregnant-w...
Pregnant Women Are Not Downing Tylenol to Spite Trump
No evidence supports a growing right-wing claim that liberal pregnant women are overdosing on Tylenol as a protest against Trump
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com
September 30, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Conservative social media accounts are baselessly claiming that Tylenol overdoses among pregnant women are increasing because liberals are taking large amounts of the medication to spite President Donald Trump.
Read more with NewsGuard's Reality Check: www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/pregnant-w...
Read more with NewsGuard's Reality Check: www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/pregnant-w...
In less than 24 hours, there were 38,000 posts on X mentioning both “Amish” and “no autism,” according to a social media analytics tool used by NewsGuard.
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/bogus-vacc...
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/bogus-vacc...
Bogus Vaccine-Autism Claims Go Viral After Trump Press Conference
False claims, including that the Amish don’t have autism because they are not vaccinated, surged following the Trump administration’s Sept. 22 press conference
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com
September 23, 2025 at 8:37 PM
In less than 24 hours, there were 38,000 posts on X mentioning both “Amish” and “no autism,” according to a social media analytics tool used by NewsGuard.
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/bogus-vacc...
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/bogus-vacc...
The head of a new federal task force charged with reviewing the safety of COVID-19 vaccines has spread multiple false claims about the vaccines, including saying that the vaccines are responsible for an “unprecedented level of harm.”
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/cdcs-new-v...
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/cdcs-new-v...
CDC’s New Vaccine Panel Head is a COVID Myth Superspreader
The leader of a new federal working group on COVID-19 vaccines has a long record of spreading false claims about vaccines.
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com
August 27, 2025 at 8:34 PM
The head of a new federal task force charged with reviewing the safety of COVID-19 vaccines has spread multiple false claims about the vaccines, including saying that the vaccines are responsible for an “unprecedented level of harm.”
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/cdcs-new-v...
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/cdcs-new-v...
"According to misinformation tracker NewsGuard, the campaign...takes advantage of high-profile events to pump out fabricated content from various publications, including ABC News, BBC and most recently POLITICO."
www.politico.com/news/2025/08...
www.politico.com/news/2025/08...
Russia is quietly churning out fake content posing as US news
A pro-Russian propaganda group is taking advantage of high-profile news events to spread disinformation — and they’re spoofing reputable news outlets to do it.
www.politico.com
August 17, 2025 at 5:45 PM
"According to misinformation tracker NewsGuard, the campaign...takes advantage of high-profile events to pump out fabricated content from various publications, including ABC News, BBC and most recently POLITICO."
www.politico.com/news/2025/08...
www.politico.com/news/2025/08...
RFK Jr. justified canceling mRNA vaccine funding by saying COVID vaccines:
-"encourage new mutations"
-"don't perform well" against respiratory viruses
-"pose more risk benefits"
All of those claims are false. More in NewsGuard's latest Reality Check: www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/rfk-jr-cit...
-"encourage new mutations"
-"don't perform well" against respiratory viruses
-"pose more risk benefits"
All of those claims are false. More in NewsGuard's latest Reality Check: www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/rfk-jr-cit...
RFK Jr. Cites Three False COVID Vaccine Claims to Justify Canceling mRNA Vaccine Funding
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. advanced three false claims about COVID-19 vaccines to explain his cancellation of $500 million in government-funded mRNA vaccine projects.
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com
August 8, 2025 at 3:29 PM
RFK Jr. justified canceling mRNA vaccine funding by saying COVID vaccines:
-"encourage new mutations"
-"don't perform well" against respiratory viruses
-"pose more risk benefits"
All of those claims are false. More in NewsGuard's latest Reality Check: www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/rfk-jr-cit...
-"encourage new mutations"
-"don't perform well" against respiratory viruses
-"pose more risk benefits"
All of those claims are false. More in NewsGuard's latest Reality Check: www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/rfk-jr-cit...
Reposted by John Gregory
NewGuard has become the target of a Kremlin-backed propaganda operation. We’ll take the impersonation and baseless accusations of bribes to be confirmation we’re doing something right.
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/russias-la...
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/russias-la...
August 6, 2025 at 6:09 PM
NewGuard has become the target of a Kremlin-backed propaganda operation. We’ll take the impersonation and baseless accusations of bribes to be confirmation we’re doing something right.
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/russias-la...
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/russias-la...
New from NewsGuard: Natural health influencers are recycling the long-debunked myth that staring at the sun will miraculously improve your eyesight.
Recent TikToks promoting the dangerous practice have garnered 100,000+ views.
Read more here: www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/hoax-cure-...
Recent TikToks promoting the dangerous practice have garnered 100,000+ views.
Read more here: www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/hoax-cure-...
August 1, 2025 at 4:03 PM
New from NewsGuard: Natural health influencers are recycling the long-debunked myth that staring at the sun will miraculously improve your eyesight.
Recent TikToks promoting the dangerous practice have garnered 100,000+ views.
Read more here: www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/hoax-cure-...
Recent TikToks promoting the dangerous practice have garnered 100,000+ views.
Read more here: www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/hoax-cure-...
"The research, conducted through NewsGuard's newly launched Reality Gap Index in partnership with YouGov, surveyed 1,000 Americans and found that only 7 percent of those surveyed could correctly identify all three false claims as untrue."
newsweek.com/newsguard-st...
newsweek.com/newsguard-st...
Nearly half of Americans believe false claims, study shows
A NewsGuard study finds 49 percent of Americans believe false online claims, with only 7 percent correctly identifying all as untrue.
newsweek.com
July 1, 2025 at 2:45 PM
"The research, conducted through NewsGuard's newly launched Reality Gap Index in partnership with YouGov, surveyed 1,000 Americans and found that only 7 percent of those surveyed could correctly identify all three false claims as untrue."
newsweek.com/newsguard-st...
newsweek.com/newsguard-st...
Since his first confirmation hearing, RFK Jr. has spread 12 provably false health claims in government hearings, media appearances, and on social media that have collectively amassed 25 million views on X alone, according to a NewsGuard analysis.
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/rfk-jr-get...
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/rfk-jr-get...
RFK Jr. Gets a Bigger Megaphone
Since January, the Nation’s Top Health Official Has Advanced 12 False Health Claims Gaining 25 Million Views on X Alone
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com
June 27, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Since his first confirmation hearing, RFK Jr. has spread 12 provably false health claims in government hearings, media appearances, and on social media that have collectively amassed 25 million views on X alone, according to a NewsGuard analysis.
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/rfk-jr-get...
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/rfk-jr-get...
ICYMI: Researchers said RFK Jr.'s HHS twisted their work to justify shift on COVID vaccines during pregnancy.
HHS' response was to suggest NewsGuard was dismissing "significance of the underlying data," even when the study authors said HHS was wrong.
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/researcher...
HHS' response was to suggest NewsGuard was dismissing "significance of the underlying data," even when the study authors said HHS was wrong.
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/researcher...
Researchers Say HHS Memo to Congress Twisted Their Work to Back RFK Jr.'s Anti- Vaccine Agenda
By John Gregory
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com
June 25, 2025 at 5:56 PM
ICYMI: Researchers said RFK Jr.'s HHS twisted their work to justify shift on COVID vaccines during pregnancy.
HHS' response was to suggest NewsGuard was dismissing "significance of the underlying data," even when the study authors said HHS was wrong.
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/researcher...
HHS' response was to suggest NewsGuard was dismissing "significance of the underlying data," even when the study authors said HHS was wrong.
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/researcher...
A HHS and RFK Jr. memo to Congress cited multiple studies to justify the agency’s new recommendation that pregnant women should not get a COVID vaccine.
But the actual study authors who spoke to NewsGuard said HHS misrepresented their work.
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/researcher...
But the actual study authors who spoke to NewsGuard said HHS misrepresented their work.
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/researcher...
Researchers Say HHS Memo to Congress Twisted Their Work to Back RFK Jr.'s Anti- Vaccine Agenda
By John Gregory
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com
June 19, 2025 at 3:37 PM
A HHS and RFK Jr. memo to Congress cited multiple studies to justify the agency’s new recommendation that pregnant women should not get a COVID vaccine.
But the actual study authors who spoke to NewsGuard said HHS misrepresented their work.
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/researcher...
But the actual study authors who spoke to NewsGuard said HHS misrepresented their work.
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/researcher...
One of the U.S. government’s new advisors on vaccine recommendations, Dr. Robert Malone, is a frequent source of vaccine misinformation, including the false claims that COVID-19 vaccines can cause cancer and increase the risk of stillbirths.
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/the-myths-...
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/the-myths-...
The Myths Promoted by a New CDC Vaccine Advisor
Dr. Robert Malone has promoted 13 provably false claims from NewsGuard’s database
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com
June 12, 2025 at 5:47 PM
One of the U.S. government’s new advisors on vaccine recommendations, Dr. Robert Malone, is a frequent source of vaccine misinformation, including the false claims that COVID-19 vaccines can cause cancer and increase the risk of stillbirths.
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/the-myths-...
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/the-myths-...
Anti-Vaxxers Resurface Myth that COVID-19 Vaccines Cause Miscarriages www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/anti-vaxxe...
Anti-Vaxxers Resurface Myth that COVID-19 Vaccines Cause Miscarriages
By Anicka Slachta
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com
May 29, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Anti-Vaxxers Resurface Myth that COVID-19 Vaccines Cause Miscarriages www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/anti-vaxxe...
Joe Biden is not suffering from COVID vaccine-induced "turbo cancer" -- because that's not a real thing.
After Biden's cancer announcement on Sunday, it took only nine minutes for the first posts falsely blaming COVID vaccines to surface on X.
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/biden-not-...
After Biden's cancer announcement on Sunday, it took only nine minutes for the first posts falsely blaming COVID vaccines to surface on X.
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/biden-not-...
Biden Not Suffering from ‘Turbo Cancer’
PLUS: Bogus Election Fraud Claims in Romania; Blogger John Dougan Flagged at Borders for Sharing Name with Kremlin Propagandist John Mark Dougan
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com
May 20, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Joe Biden is not suffering from COVID vaccine-induced "turbo cancer" -- because that's not a real thing.
After Biden's cancer announcement on Sunday, it took only nine minutes for the first posts falsely blaming COVID vaccines to surface on X.
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/biden-not-...
After Biden's cancer announcement on Sunday, it took only nine minutes for the first posts falsely blaming COVID vaccines to surface on X.
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/biden-not-...
Contrary to claims pushed by RFK Jr.'s anti-vaccine group, none of the primary additives used to fluoridate water in the U.S. are included in a public, searchable database of substances that the EPA classifies as hazardous waste on its website.
newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/no-the-epa...
newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/no-the-epa...
newsguardrealitycheck.com
May 13, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Contrary to claims pushed by RFK Jr.'s anti-vaccine group, none of the primary additives used to fluoridate water in the U.S. are included in a public, searchable database of substances that the EPA classifies as hazardous waste on its website.
newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/no-the-epa...
newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/no-the-epa...
NewsGuard’s depository of false health-related claims advanced by RFK Jr. and the anti-vaccine nonprofit he founded has now hit 103.
Check out the whole list and subscribe to NewsGuard’s Reality Check while you’re at it:
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/provably-f...
Check out the whole list and subscribe to NewsGuard’s Reality Check while you’re at it:
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/provably-f...
Provably False Claims
NewsGuard has identified 103 different false claims promoted by Kennedy.
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com
May 1, 2025 at 5:58 PM
NewsGuard’s depository of false health-related claims advanced by RFK Jr. and the anti-vaccine nonprofit he founded has now hit 103.
Check out the whole list and subscribe to NewsGuard’s Reality Check while you’re at it:
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/provably-f...
Check out the whole list and subscribe to NewsGuard’s Reality Check while you’re at it:
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/provably-f...
NewsGuard's health team often talks to experts when looking at complicated claims.
This week, one expert didn't want his name used out of fear of being targeted by "a hit-list for grant cuts."
Read more (and subscribe!) from NewsGuard's Reality Check: newsguardrealitycheck.com/i/162124066/...
This week, one expert didn't want his name used out of fear of being targeted by "a hit-list for grant cuts."
Read more (and subscribe!) from NewsGuard's Reality Check: newsguardrealitycheck.com/i/162124066/...
newsguardrealitycheck.com
April 25, 2025 at 4:38 PM
NewsGuard's health team often talks to experts when looking at complicated claims.
This week, one expert didn't want his name used out of fear of being targeted by "a hit-list for grant cuts."
Read more (and subscribe!) from NewsGuard's Reality Check: newsguardrealitycheck.com/i/162124066/...
This week, one expert didn't want his name used out of fear of being targeted by "a hit-list for grant cuts."
Read more (and subscribe!) from NewsGuard's Reality Check: newsguardrealitycheck.com/i/162124066/...
Reposted by John Gregory
A new analysis by Stanford epidemiologists predicts that measles could become endemic again in the US in the next 20 years.
This would be a catastrophic failure and a result of anti-vax propaganda. Measles is a vaccine-preventable disease that was declared eliminated in the US in 2000.
This would be a catastrophic failure and a result of anti-vax propaganda. Measles is a vaccine-preventable disease that was declared eliminated in the US in 2000.
April 25, 2025 at 4:28 PM
A new analysis by Stanford epidemiologists predicts that measles could become endemic again in the US in the next 20 years.
This would be a catastrophic failure and a result of anti-vax propaganda. Measles is a vaccine-preventable disease that was declared eliminated in the US in 2000.
This would be a catastrophic failure and a result of anti-vax propaganda. Measles is a vaccine-preventable disease that was declared eliminated in the US in 2000.
Some X and Telegram users, citing comments from RFK Jr., are falsely claiming that studies debunking vaccine-autism claims have not compared vaccinated and unvaccinated children.
In reality, multiple studies have done so, dating back to the 90s.
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/rfk-jr-spa...
In reality, multiple studies have done so, dating back to the 90s.
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/rfk-jr-spa...
RFK Jr. Sparks False Claim Generating Millions of Views that Vaccine/Autism Studies Never Compared Vaccinated to Unvaccinated Children
By John Gregory
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com
April 21, 2025 at 7:48 PM
Some X and Telegram users, citing comments from RFK Jr., are falsely claiming that studies debunking vaccine-autism claims have not compared vaccinated and unvaccinated children.
In reality, multiple studies have done so, dating back to the 90s.
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/rfk-jr-spa...
In reality, multiple studies have done so, dating back to the 90s.
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/rfk-jr-spa...
No, Dr. Fauci does not want to kill your cats to fight bird flu.
All Fauci did was accurately note that H5N1 has infected cats -- which a frequent misinfo source stretched into a cat-killing conspiracy.
More from NewsGuard: www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/anthony-fa...
All Fauci did was accurately note that H5N1 has infected cats -- which a frequent misinfo source stretched into a cat-killing conspiracy.
More from NewsGuard: www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/anthony-fa...
Anthony Fauci Does Not Want to Kill Your Pet Cats to Fight Bird Flu
By John Gregory
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com
April 21, 2025 at 7:44 PM
No, Dr. Fauci does not want to kill your cats to fight bird flu.
All Fauci did was accurately note that H5N1 has infected cats -- which a frequent misinfo source stretched into a cat-killing conspiracy.
More from NewsGuard: www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/anthony-fa...
All Fauci did was accurately note that H5N1 has infected cats -- which a frequent misinfo source stretched into a cat-killing conspiracy.
More from NewsGuard: www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/anthony-fa...
Anti-vaxxers are mixing up correlation and causation (again) with the Texas measles outbreak, falsely claiming that an uptick in MMR vaccinations after the outbreak started means the vaccine itself is to blame.
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/higher-mea...
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/higher-mea...
Higher Measles Vaccination Rate Is Not Contributing to Texas Measles Outbreak, Despite Claims on Popular Websites
By John Gregory
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com
April 2, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Anti-vaxxers are mixing up correlation and causation (again) with the Texas measles outbreak, falsely claiming that an uptick in MMR vaccinations after the outbreak started means the vaccine itself is to blame.
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/higher-mea...
www.newsguardrealitycheck.com/p/higher-mea...
Breaking: RFK Jr. has forced out PETER MARKS, the nation’s top vaccine regulator.
In his resignation letter, obtained by the Post, Marks said he was willing to work with RFK Jr on his vaccine concerns — but said Kennedy wishes “subservient confirmation of his misinformation and lies.”
In his resignation letter, obtained by the Post, Marks said he was willing to work with RFK Jr on his vaccine concerns — but said Kennedy wishes “subservient confirmation of his misinformation and lies.”
RFK Jr. forces out Peter Marks, FDA’s top vaccine scientist
Marks, an architect of Operation Warp Speed, warned that a recent measles outbreak shows how confidence in science and public health is being “undermined.”
www.washingtonpost.com
March 29, 2025 at 3:53 AM