| Here, In no particular order, are the 12 worst | | | | Cancer-Causing Dioxin. |
| a-mall health hoaxes of the last decade. Al1 have | | | | This widely circulated 2004 hoax purportedly |
| been thoroughly debunked by health ant medical | | | | relayed information from a Johns Hopkins |
| experts1. Antiperspirants cause breast cancer. | | | | newsletter claiming that freezing water in plastic |
| This hoax began circulating In 1999 and claims | | | | bottles can release toxic dioxin and cause cancer. |
| that the use of antiperspirant (deodorants are | | | | Johns Hopkins university denied they issued such |
| safety) is the leading cause of breast cancer. | | | | information in a special news release. Professor |
| Citing a ''health seminar'' as the source of | | | | Rolf Haiden of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of |
| information, the writer alleges that antiperspirants | | | | Public Health said "This is an urban legend Freezing |
| prevent the body from eliminating toxins through | | | | actually works against the release of chemicals. |
| sweat, resulting in the accumulation of toxins in | | | | Chemicals do not diffuse as readily in cold |
| lymph nodes, which eventually leads to cancer. | | | | temperatures, which would limit chemical release if |
| Men are less likely to develop breast cancer | | | | there were dioxins in plastic, and we don't think |
| through the use of antiperspirants "because most | | | | there are ''7. Woman Catches Leptospirosis From |
| of the antiperspirant product is caught in their | | | | Unwashed Coke Can. |
| (armpit) hair and is not directly applied to the skin. | | | | In 2002, several variants of this hoax claimed |
| '' .The writer then urges readers to pass on the | | | | that a woman in North Texas (or Belgium, |
| message ''to anyone you care about ''.2. | | | | Botswana, etc was infected with the deadly |
| Aspartame causes serious disease. | | | | leptospirosis disease after drinking Coke straight |
| Also making its first appearance in 1999, this | | | | from an unwashed can contaminated with dried |
| hoax claims that the artificial sweetener | | | | rat urine. Leptospirosis is a real disease |
| aspartame causes more than a dozen serious | | | | transmitted via rat urine or feces. Urbanlegends |
| medical conditions, including brain tumors, multiple | | | | says soda cans are usually stored and shipped in |
| sclerosis, and lupus, ant confusion, memory loss, | | | | shrink-wrap or cardboard cases and are, |
| and severe vision loss among diabetics There are | | | | therefore, unlikely vehicles for dried rat urine, |
| two versions the first and more popular was | | | | contaminated or otherwise. Of course, washing |
| supposedly written by a Betty Martini, an alleged | | | | off the top of a soda can-or any bottle, for that |
| lecturer at the World Environmental Conference. | | | | matter-before drinking. It is always a good idea.8. |
| In the second version, a Nancy Markle is the | | | | Lead In Lipstick. |
| author. The Multiple sclerosis Foundation denies | | | | This 2003 hoax claimed that several brand-name |
| any knowledge of association between aspartame | | | | lipsticks (Christian Dior, lancome Clinique, YSL, etc |
| and multiple sclerosis, whale the American | | | | ) contain "cancer-causing lead '' and Its presence |
| diabetes association debunks the allegations | | | | can be tested by scratching products with a |
| regarding aspartame and diabetes. The US FDA | | | | 24-karat gold ring Urbanlegends about com found |
| attests to the safety of aspartame.3. Bananas | | | | neither reliable Information to support the claims |
| spread flesh- eating disease. | | | | nor warnings or references of any kind in |
| This hoax first appeared In January 2000 and | | | | International medical Journals and the FDA'S online |
| claimed that several shipments of bananas from | | | | database on the presence of lead in lipstick.9. |
| Costa Rica were infected with a flesh-eating | | | | Tampons Contain Asbestos. |
| bacterium that causes necrotizing fasciistis. The | | | | This e-mall scare story began circulating In 1998 |
| e-mall cites a Manheim Research Institute as the | | | | It alleges that tampons pose a serious health |
| source of the warning. Necrotizing fasciitis is a real | | | | threat to women because they contain asbestos |
| but rare infection caused by Group A | | | | As usual, the message was unsigned, urged |
| streptococcus, the same bacterium that causes | | | | recipients to send It to every Woman they |
| strep throat. It attacks soft tissues under the | | | | knew, and positively unsettling. Experts dismissed |
| skin, resulting In gangrene, amputation and even | | | | the allegations as absurd ''Tampons do not contain |
| death. Group A streptococci are spread by direct | | | | asbestos and never have. No research has been |
| contact with secretions from the nose and throat | | | | published anywhere to even suggest lid's according |
| of infected persons or by contact with infected | | | | to urbanlegends about com10. Shampoo Causes |
| wounds or sores. The germ lives in the human | | | | Cancer. |
| body and cannot survive long enough on the | | | | Circulating since 1998, this hoax claims that |
| surface of a banana.4. Cough CPR can save your | | | | sodium laureate sulfate, a synthetic chemical |
| life. | | | | found in brand-name shampoos and other |
| In 1999, e-mall purportedly endorsed by the | | | | personal-care products, causes cancer Again, the |
| Rochester General Hospital and Mended Hearts (a | | | | message Is unsigned and cites no references to |
| support group for heart attack victims) claimed | | | | support its claims It Is true that sodium Iaureth |
| that repeated, vigorous coughing could save the | | | | sulfate (SLES) is found frequently In shampoos |
| life of a person who suffers a head attack while | | | | ant occasionally In toothpastes However, the |
| alone. According to urbanlegendsaabout.com, | | | | chemical does not appear on any official list of |
| through CPR'' (or "self-CPR'') is a real procedure | | | | known or suspected carcinogens, says |
| occasionally used in emergency situations under | | | | urbanlegends about comSMART SKEPTIC |
| professional supervision. It is not, however, taught | | | | Why do people create and sent hoax messages? |
| in standard CPR courses, nor is it advised by | | | | Hoaxbusters com says only the original writer |
| most medical professionals as a ''lifesaving'' | | | | knows, but cites some possibilities to see how far |
| measure for people who experience heart | | | | a message would go, to damage a person's or |
| attacks while alone.5. Fish Contaminated With | | | | organization's reputation, or simply for the |
| Deadly 'Zulican Virus '' After Tsunami. | | | | perverse pleasure of spreading misinformation |
| Immediately after the Asian tsunami disaster In | | | | Whatever the motivation may be behind hoax |
| December 2004, a wave of text messages | | | | messages, maintain a healthy dose of skepticism |
| (SMS) and forwarded e-mails warned Asian | | | | when checking your inbox When you receive an |
| consumers to avoid eating seafood ''because fish | | | | e-mall that looks like a hoax, the most prudent |
| killed bathe Indian Ocean tsunami are infected with | | | | course of action Is to verify the Information with |
| the deadly 'Zulican virus ''. This hoax caused not | | | | a medical professional before acting on or sharing |
| only fear among consumers but also a drastic | | | | It Or just hit the delete button As hoaxbusters |
| drop. In sales of fish and fish products. In several | | | | com aptly puts it, ''When in doubt, don't send it |
| Asian countries HeaIth authorities have since | | | | out ''Manolito Montala is a webmaster and one of |
| declared that the ''Zulican virus'' is bogus, and | | | | his interests is collecting local medicinal herb plants |
| there is no evidence suggesting toadfish caught | | | | information which can be found in Filipino Herbs |
| after the tsunami are unfit for consumption.6. | | | | Healing Wonders. |
| Freezing Water In Plastic Battles Releases | | | | |