Jess Hacker

London

Health Policy Journalist at Full Fact

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Articles

No, Donald Trump hasn’t called for Skittles to be banned

3 weeks ago | fullfact.org | Jess Hacker

What was claimed A video shared online shows US President Donald Trump calling for a ban on Skittles and Twizzlers because they contain the red food dye carmine. Our verdict This is false. The audio is deepfaked, there’s no evidence Mr Trump has called for any such ban and Skittles and Twizzlers do not contain carmine. A video shared on Facebook which appears to show US President Donald Trump warning people not to eat Skittles is a deepfake.
No, doctors are not going to jail for trying to cure cancer

3 weeks ago | fullfact.org | Jess Hacker

What was claimed The Cancer Act 1939 makes it illegal for doctors to advise patients on cancer cures. Our verdict This isn’t true. The Act in fact restricts advertising treatments and cures for cancer to the general public. What was claimed Medical practitioners have been jailed for attempting to cure cancer. Our verdict Full Fact has found no evidence of this having happened.
Keir Starmer has abolished NHS England, not the NHS itself

1 month ago | fullfact.org | Jess Hacker

What was claimed The government is abolishing the NHS. Our verdict This isn’t right. The government is abolishing NHS England—the name given to the public body that manages the day-to-day operations of the NHS. Responsibility for this will be transferred to the government. We’re seeing a lot of concern and confusion around the future of the NHS following the Prime Minister’s announcement that he will abolish NHS England.
A Covid vaccine made with HIV protein was trialled but never rolled out

2 months ago | fullfact.org | Jess Hacker

A viral Facebook post claims that a video shows how the BBC “accidentally admitted” HIV was added to the Covid vaccines, But this is missing some important context, as we said when similar posts were being shared in 2022. Firstly, the clip, which comes from a BBC documentary from June 2021, describes researchers at the University of Queensland, Australia, using a protein from the HIV virus to stabilise an experimental vaccine—not adding the whole HIV virus itself.
How severe is the pressure on the NHS this winter?

2 months ago | fullfact.org | Jess Hacker

In recent weeks we’ve seen lots of news reports about the pressure on the NHS this winter, especially in A&E—where there have been stories about “corridor care”—and in the ambulance service.
Guardian article suggesting white people should be treated last by the NHS is fake

Jan 9, 2025 | fullfact.org | Jess Hacker

What was claimed A Guardian columnist has argued white people should be at the back of the queue for NHS treatment. Our verdict This is false. The article doesn’t exist. A screenshot appears to show a Guardian column headlined “White people should be at the back of the queue for treatment by our NHS”. But this is false and the supposed article does not exist.
Margarine isn’t ‘one molecule away’ from plastic

Nov 29, 2024 | fullfact.org | Jess Hacker

29 November 2024 What was claimed Margarine is one molecule away from plastic. Our verdict This isn’t true. Plastics are polymers and unrelated to margarine. What was claimed Margarine shares 27 ingredients with paint. Our verdict There is no evidence for this and the ingredients for the two are very different. Margarine is not “one molecule away” from plastic and it doesn’t share 27 ingredients with paint.
No evidence Cristiano Ronaldo has ‘free Palestine’ tattoo on his back

Nov 24, 2024 | fullfact.org | Jess Hacker

25 November 2024 What was claimed Cristiano Ronaldo has a tattoo on his back that says “free Palestine”. Our verdict There’s no evidence he has these tattoos. There’s no evidence Cristiano Ronaldo has a tattoo of the Palestinian flag on his back, despite social media users sharing an image suggesting he does.
The NHS doesn’t ‘gobble up’ 40% of total public expenditure

Nov 5, 2024 | fullfact.org | Jess Hacker

Last month in Parliament Conservative peer Baroness Noakes claimed that the NHS “gobbles up” 40% of the UK’s public expenditure. That’s not right. Speaking during a on public sector productivity, Lady Noakes emphasised that “overall public sector productivity will be a problem if the NHS is not fixed” because “the NHS gobbles up about 40% of public expenditure”.
Weight loss drug trial isn't being funded with public money

Oct 22, 2024 | fullfact.org | Jess Hacker

The government will not be paying the pharmaceutical firm Lilly £280 million to run a widely reported five-year trial into the impact of weight loss injections, despite confusion online. Last week, health secretary Wes Streeting announced that pharmaceutical company Lilly would be making a £279 million investment in the UK to trial weight loss injections using the drug tirzepatide for people living with obesity.