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Paste a message you saw online. We will tell you if it matches a claim we have reviewed.

Check a health claim

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Try a reviewed claim:

TRUE

Our reviewed evidence supports this claim.

Your claim

Colds are caused by viruses.

What we found

Colds are caused by viruses, not by cold weather or by bacteria. That is why antibiotics do not help.

Why we gave this result

The NHS says colds are caused by viruses and MedlinePlus says more than 200 different viruses can cause a cold.

Reliable sources (2)

Last verified:

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Tips for better results

  • Check one claim at a time.
  • Use simple, short words, like the message you saw.
  • Include the main thing and what it is said to do. For example: “Garlic cures flu.”
  • If you get UNVERIFIED, try writing it a different way.

What do the results mean?

  • TRUE Reviewed evidence supports the claim.
  • FALSE Reviewed evidence does not support it.
  • UNVERIFIED We could not confirm it either way.

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