Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said ‘everybody can get’ the COVID-19 vaccine. Is that true? COVID-19 shots are authorized for older adults and people with health risks, but access for others depends on prescriptions and coverage September 8, 2025 Grace Abels
Can RFK Jr. ban COVID-19 vaccines? What to know about federal rules around the process Not unilaterally, but there are ways the administration can make COVID-19 vaccines harder for Americans to get August 29, 2025 Madison Czopek
Do pediatricians push vaccines for profit? Experts say there’s little money in it Most pediatric practices lose money or break even on vaccines, but doctors say preventing disease matters more than profit August 21, 2025 Madison Czopek
What is thimerosal, and why did RFK Jr.’s vaccine panel just vote against it? The preservative is in a small share of flu shots and has been studied for decades. Experts say it’s safe — despite Kennedy’s long opposition. July 1, 2025 Madison Czopek
RFK Jr.’s health report shows how AI slips fake studies into research The ‘Make America Healthy Again’ report is a case study in generative AI red flags, from bogus citations to distorted summaries June 2, 2025 Loreben Tuquero
RFK Jr. says DARPA is spraying chemtrails — with no evidence and no basis in fact The white streaks behind planes are condensation trails made of ice, not chemicals sprayed by the Defense Department May 7, 2025 Madison Czopek
RFK Jr. exaggerated the severity of autism in remarks about rising diagnoses Most people with autism don’t have the severe limitations Kennedy described, experts say April 23, 2025 Louis Jacobson
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says measles infection may have benefits, but there’s no conclusive evidence Experts say that getting infected with measles can pose serious health risks for people that they wouldn’t face if they were vaccinated March 20, 2025 Jeff Cercone
RFK Jr. questions antidepressants for kids. What do we actually know about SSRIs? A new federal review puts kids’ psychiatric meds under scrutiny, but experts say RFK Jr.’s claims about SSRIs are misleading and unsupported March 7, 2025 Natalie Eilbert
‘I never said it:’ RFK Jr. downplays past statements during Senate confirmation hearing Kennedy minimized and denied controversial things he had said in podcasts, conferences or TV interviews, even though the senators quoted him directly January 30, 2025 Madison Czopek
A history of PolitiFact’s Lies of the Year, from 2009 to 2024 Conspiracy theories, obfuscated truths, downplaying and denialism, smears and repeated misstatements. We've seen it all. December 18, 2024 Matthew Crowley
Does fluoride cause cancer, IQ loss and more? Fact-checking Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s claim Longtime research has shown that drinking fluoridated water at the recommended levels in the US is safe and beneficial for oral health November 12, 2024 Samantha Putterman
