Is the HPV vaccine a scam? Does a CT scan increase your risk of cancer by 43%? Here comes the list of scientific rumors for March →

1. Cervical cancer was diagnosed three years after HPV vaccination. Does this mean that HPV vaccine is useless?

Rumor content: There was news online that "a woman was diagnosed with cervical cancer three years after receiving the HPV vaccine", which sparked heated discussions among netizens. Some people claimed that the HPV vaccine is a scam.

Truth interpretation: If you still develop cervical cancer after receiving the HPV vaccine, it does not mean that the vaccine is ineffective. The current vaccine mainly targets the most common high-risk HPV types, which are the cause of most cervical cancer cases.

However, the HPV vaccine does not cover all cancer-causing HPV types. Therefore, even if you have received the HPV vaccine, you may still develop cervical cancer if you are infected with an HPV type that is not covered by the vaccine. In addition, if an individual has been infected with HPV before receiving the vaccine, the vaccine will not provide a therapeutic effect on the existing infection.

In general, although the HPV vaccine cannot guarantee 100% prevention of cervical cancer, a large number of studies and statistics have shown that the vaccine can significantly reduce the risk of cervical cancer caused by HPV infection. Therefore, it is recommended that eligible individuals receive the HPV vaccine in combination with regular cervical cancer screening to minimize the risk of cervical cancer.

Source: Science Refutes Rumors

2. With every additional CT scan, the risk of cancer increases by 43%?

Rumor content: There are rumors online that a certain study claimed that since CT scans require the use of nuclear radiation, this will greatly increase the likelihood of people getting cancer.

Truth: The claim that CT increases the risk of cancer actually comes from a study of adolescents under the age of 22 who underwent CT examinations, with a special focus on the risk of hematological malignancies. The study found that CT examinations may increase the risk of hematological malignancies in this population, but the focus of the study is to guide pediatricians to consider the necessity of CT examinations more carefully and optimize the dose, rather than completely denying the use of CT examinations.

In fact, the radiation dose of routine CT or X-ray examinations is far below the upper limit of safe doses. Therefore, for adults, there is no need to worry too much about radiation risks if they occasionally undergo necessary CT examinations to assist in diagnosis and treatment under the advice of a doctor.

In addition, according to the "2024 National Cancer Report" released by the National Cancer Center, the incidence rate of hematological malignancies (leukemia, lymphoma) is less than one in ten thousand. Taking this data as a reference, an increase of 43% in risk is actually negligible for individuals.

Source: Science Refutes Rumors

3. Is the meat from freshly slaughtered animals the freshest?

Rumor content: Some netizens shared their experience, saying that the meat cut from livestock right after slaughter is the most tender and delicious, and it will not be as fresh if it is kept for a long time.

Truth: Not all freshly slaughtered meat is the freshest. In fact, livestock will enter a period of rigor mortis after being slaughtered, during which the meat has a high lactic acid content and a pH value between 5.4 and 6.7. Beef, lamb, pork and chicken begin to rigor mortis about 2.5 hours and 1 hour after slaughter, respectively. The meat at this stage is tough and tastes bad.

The meat then enters the post-ripening stage, when the proteases in the muscle begin to break down the muscle tissue, softening the meat and further reducing the pH value. This series of reactions makes the meat soft and juicy, with a rich flavor, which is the best stage for eating meat. Therefore, meat in the post-ripening stage is the most suitable for eating, rather than meat just after slaughter.

Source: Science Refutes Rumors

4. Chicken bone paste is poisonous and cannot be added to starch sausage for human consumption?

Rumor content: There are reports that "starch sausage collapsed" because chicken bone paste was added, which is poisonous and cannot be eaten by people.

Truth: In terms of ingredients, chicken bone paste does not contain any "toxic or harmful" ingredients. From the perspective of food safety, as long as the production of chicken bone paste complies with food production standards, it is not illegal to use "chicken bone paste" in starch sausage.

However, whether the commercial chicken bone paste can be used as food depends on whether its processing meets food standards. If the processing does not meet the "food grade specifications" but only implements the "feed standard", then the resulting product can only be used as feed. The e-commerce merchants interviewed by the reporter in the news sell feed-grade products, so they naturally dare not say "for human consumption" and emphasize "not recommended for human consumption".

Therefore, the "possible" problem with chicken bone paste is: Can the manufacturers produce it in compliance with regulations? Are the manufacturers who use bone paste to produce starch sausage (and other foods) purchasing products that meet food regulations?

Source: Tencent News

5. Can low-concentration atropine prevent myopia? Can everyone use it?

Rumor content: On March 11, atropine sulfate eye drops were approved for marketing by the State Food and Drug Administration. Some people call it a "magic drug" for treating myopia, a drug that can prevent and cure myopia and is available to everyone.

Truth interpretation: The indication of this approved drug is not to prevent myopia, but to delay the progression of myopia. It has specific conditions for the applicable population and cannot be used indiscriminately.

Liu Xinquan, director of the Department of Ophthalmology at Longhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, said: "Currently, more evidence-based medicine has proven that 0.01% atropine sulfate eye drops are valuable in delaying the progression of myopia, but its application is after wearing optical correction products. For example, after wearing optical glasses to correct myopia, if it is found that the myopia prevention and control effect is not good, 0.01% atropine can be used in combination to enhance the myopia prevention and control effect. Or if the effect is not good after wearing orthokeratology lenses, this drug can also be used in combination. It must be combined with drugs after optical correction to achieve the effect of myopia prevention and control. For patients with myopia, taking drugs alone not only cannot prevent and control myopia, but may also delay the timing of correction. This is very important."

In addition, long-term use of atropine eye drops also has side effects and should be judged by a professional doctor and not used on your own.

Source: People's Daily Health Client

6. Is eight hours of sleep a day considered quality sleep?

Rumor content: Quality sleep requires eight hours of sleep a day. Less than eight hours is insufficient sleep.

Truth interpretation: This statement is inaccurate. How many hours of sleep a day is appropriate depends on personal physical habits and cannot be imposed.

Because people of different ages have different needs for sleep; people of the same age group may also need different sleep durations. For example, some people are born "long sleepers" and need more than 9 hours of sleep, while some people are "short sleepers" and need less than 6 hours of sleep.

In addition, sleep quality is not only determined by sleep duration, but also by the time you fall asleep, how you maintain sleep, and your state after waking up. There are four key words for good sleep: falling asleep quickly (no more than 30 minutes), not waking up easily (no more than 2 times at night, and no more than 30 minutes), getting enough sleep, and being energetic.

Source: People's Daily Health Client

About the Science Rumors List

Released by the China Association for Science and Technology, the list is reviewed by experts every month. Based on criteria such as timeliness and harmfulness, hot rumors are selected for special interpretation and pushed across the entire network.

Jointly published: Scientific rumor-busting platform, China Internet Joint Rumor-busting Platform, "Study to Strengthen the Country" learning platform

Supported platforms: Weibo rumor refutation, Toutiao rumor refutation, Tencent Jiuzhen, NetEase Health, Toutiao Health, Baidu Knows, Douyin

Scientific rumor debunking: Sponsored by the China Association for Science and Technology, the National Health Commission, the Ministry of Emergency Management, the State Administration for Market Regulation and other ministries and commissions, guided by the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission, and jointly created by national societies, authoritative media, social organizations and scientific and technological workers, it aims to effectively improve the dissemination, guidance and influence of rumor debunking information, so that rumors can stop at the wise and let science outrun rumors.

List of review experts

(In order of the number of strokes of surname)

Liu Guiyang Chief Pharmacist, Fourth Medical Center, PLA General Hospital

Song Shuang, Associate Researcher, Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention

Zhang Yu, researcher at Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, supervisor of doctoral and master's degree candidates

Chen Peng, Associate Professor, Department of Communication, Nankai University

Jia Changkai, deputy chief physician, Xiamen Eye Center, Xiamen University