Claim: Arabs “Don’t Win” the Nobel Prize, Fields Prize or Wolf Prize

Verdict: False and misleading

“There's 500 million Arabs in the world, and yet they don't produce science. They don't win the Nobel Prize, they don't win the Fields Prize, they don't win the Wolf prize. They don't produce literature”

– RFK Jr.

Robert F Kennedy Jr. says Arabs don’t produce science or literature

RFK Jr. took to the stage at a republican campaign event this week and used his time in the spotlight to claim that Arabs – that is, the huge number of people falling into this ethnic and linguistic group – make no substantial contribution to science.

Most of the response to these comments has focused on the inherent prejudice many people see in his comments. But putting that aside for a moment: is it even true?  

The Most Recent Counter-Example

To evaluate his claim, all that’s needed is a brief look at past Nobel Prize winners. While AP’s “Fact Check” [2] covered many examples, a lot of these are Peace Prize winners, which doesn’t really address the meat of Kennedy’s claim. He is talking about science. So how far do we have to go back to find a solid counter-example?

Only to the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Palestinian-Jordanian chemist Omar Yaghi won the prize along with two other researchers for his work on metal-organic frameworks. These are molecular structures, designed so there are multiple cavities inside a crystalline framework, which can be used to store specific substances. Moreover, Yaghi won the Wolf Prize in 2018 for the same work.

Older Examples

And Yaghi isn’t the only one. Ardem Patapoutian, a Lebanese-Armenian raised in Beirut, won the Medicine Prize in 2021 for discovering the receptors for temperature and touch. And Ahmed Zewail, an Egyptian-American (raised in Egypt) won the 1999 Chemistry Prize for his work with femtosecond spectroscopy.

The Grain of Truth – and the Nature of the Falsehood

There is a grain of truth in RFK Jr.’s statement, but a small one: nobody seems to have won the Fields Medal with citizenship in an Arab-majority country.

But searching for counter-examples almost misses the point. Think about this: did RFK Jr. look at the facts before making this statement? Clearly not. And he went even further with his claims. Why suggest Arabs don’t “produce science” or “produce literature”? There are not many reasons someone would make much an absurd statement. I’ll leave it to the reader to choose the most appropriate.  

Claim: Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Originally Came from a Lab Leak

Verdict: False and very misleading

“Clearly, [the] COVID-19 pandemic and many other global pandemics that we have, have come from gain of function research. The RSV epidemic that we have – that's the biggest killer of kids in this country today – came from these kinds of [gain of function] experiments.”

– RFK Jr

RFK Jr: Lyme Disease, RSV, Covid-19 "Almost Certainly" Created By Gain-of-Function Research - And U.S.…

RFK Jr. has had some strange ideas about RSV since at least 2021, and in August he mentioned it on both CNN and Fox News. In both cases, he pointed the finger at “gain-of-function” research for creating the virus, suggesting that it was created in a lab leak.

The RSV Lab Leak Hypothesis

As usual, RFK Jr.’s public comments don’t offer much detail. But as Tom Bartlett notes in an Atlantic article, RFK explains his theory in his book The Real Anthony Fauci, and cites an article written for Children’s Health Defense.

This article covers many aspects of the true history of the disease, but leaves out crucial details and – in the process – lurches towards a misleading conclusion.

The True Story of RSV

The true story of RSV is basically how the article describes it. In 1955, chimpanzees at the Walter Reed Army Institute for Medical Research came down with a mysterious respiratory illness, which the researchers called chimpanzee coryza agent (CCA). They also infected other chimps to prove it was transmissible. However, one worker who spent a lot of time with the chimpanzees also got sick, and it also infected his barrack-mates.  

More research came quickly, as an identical virus was isolated from children with respiratory illnesses, and the virus itself was characterised and tested in tissue cultures. Scientists eventually combined CCA with the identical viruses found in humans, under the name RSV.

This is all basically in line with the blog post RFK Jr. cites. However, RFK Jr. and the post he’s citing mistake this as the origin of the virus itself, when in fact it was simply when we first discovered it.

The Evidence They Ignore

Firstly, the initial wave of research found that 80% of healthy children in the state already had an antibody to it by age 4. However, later studies make it unavoidably clear. Working with historical samples, researchers confirmed a case of what we now call RSV dating back to 1931. This is 25 years before the supposed “lab leak.”

Claim: AI is “Much Better Informed Than Any Doctor in the Country”

Verdict: False and misleading

“You may have a medical record that is a thousand pages long. You have six minutes with a doctor today. He is not gonna be able to review it, but the AI can and it can distill it. It can give you a second opinion that is much better informed than any doctor in the country.”

– RFK Jr.

VP Vance speaks at MAHA Summit with HHS Sec. Kennedy

Speaking at the MAHA Summit in Washington, last week RFK Jr. claimed that AI is “much better informed than any doctor in the country.” While RFK Jr. did mention some undeniable advantages – quickly reading long medical histories, for instance – how does the overall claim stack up?

What Do Doctors Think?

Major medical organisations, including the American Medical Association, pushed back RFK Jr.’s statement, stressing the value of physicians’ years of training and experience. The statement emphasises the benefit of using the technology responsibly, as a tool to help doctors, guided by the “humanity of clinical practice.”

What Does the Evidence Say?

There are some studies showing a benefit of AI systems over human doctors, including one oft-cited meta-analysis result on empathy. This study typifies an issue with much of the research in the area. Of 15 studies included in the study, 13 showed higher empathy ratings for AI, compared to human doctors. However, the interactions studied were only through text. This severely limits applicability to real-world situations, where most medical evaluations are face-to-face.

Another meta-analysis compared diagnostic capabilities of AI with human doctors, based on 83 studies. The results showed that AI performed roughly as well as physicians overall, or non-expert physicians. However, it was worse than expert physicians.

A controlled study touched on the “second opinion” aspect of RFK Jr.’s claim, looking at whether LLMs can help members of the public choose accurate diagnoses and treatments. Generally, this study found that the LLM did better alone than it did assisting a human. When assisting non-experts – who may not communicate clearly – it does no better than participants findings their own online sources. 

The Final Verdict

LLMs may play many valid roles in healthcare both now and in the future, but they certainly are not better informed than any doctor in the US. Nor is it a particularly useful option for non-experts seeking medical advice.

Claim: DARPA is Spraying Chemtrails Out of Planes via Jet Fuel

Verdict: False and highly misleading

“That is not happening in my agency. We don’t do that. It’s done, we think, by DARPA [Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency]. And a lot of it now is coming out of the jet fuel. You know, those materials are put in jet fuel. I’m going to do everything in my power to stop it.”

– RFK Jr.

Inside RFK Jr.’s Health Agenda 100 Days In | Dr. Phil Primetime

Last week, after his discussion of electromagnetic fields, RFK Jr. made an off-hand reference to “chemtrails.” Although he didn’t say much about it in that speech, he’s been more open about it in the past. So is RFK Jr. right about chemtrails?

Chemtrails vs. Contrails

As a 26-year old Environmental Protection Agency fact sheet explains, the commonly-seen trails emitted from aircraft are contrails. These are simply line-shaped “clouds” formed by condensed water that has frozen into tiny particles of ice.

Air can only hold so much water, and this amount increases as the air temperature increases. So there is condensation – and contrails – if there is too much moisture, or if the temperature decreases.

Hot water vapour is a by-product of the combustion of jet fuel. However, as it is released into the surrounding air, it cools and often condenses into liquid droplets. This is the true cause of most things called “chemtrails.”

What Do Experts Think About Chemtrails?

An interesting paper presented supposed “evidence” of chemtrails to 77 experts in either contrails or atmospheric deposition. Most of this was either in the form of photos of contrails or chemical analyses of water, snow or soil samples.

All but one expert said they had not encountered evidence of a large-scale atmospheric program. For all the photographs, no expert said that such a program was the simplest explanation, and offered explanations generally relating to humidity. For the chemical analyses, over 82% said chemtrail-like programs weren’t the simplest explanation. Here, there was more uncertainty, with up to 14% saying they weren’t sure of the cause, and one even backing a secret atmospheric program as an explanation.

The Final Verdict

RFK Jr.’s claims were made without evidence. There appears to be no DARPA program doing such activity, several agencies regulate aircraft emissions, and jet fuel does not release the chemicals proponents claim it does [3]. This could be all done in secret – theoretically – but there is no evidence of it. 

Claim: The “Living Carnivore” Diet is Good for Weight Loss

Verdict: Broadly true, but misleading

“Within 30 days I lost 20 pounds. JD Vance is also on the diet and you can see how different he looks.”

“The way that you're supposed to eat it is bite for bite. You take a bite of the meat, you take a bite of the sauerkraut”

RFK Jr.

After Vice President JD Vance credited his weight loss to RFK Jr’s recommended “meat and sauerkraut” diet, the “Living Carnivore” diet has been under the spotlight. But does it really work?

The Good News: Weight Loss is Reasonable

For the goal of weight loss – without considering other issues – and despite no direct evidence on the Living Carnivore diet specifically, it doesn't seem too bad. This largely comes down to the benefits of eating fermented foods. Generally speaking, there are multiple benefits to consuming fermented foods, as shown by a study using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2001 to 2018.

The study found that each 100 g of microbe-containing foods was associated with reduced BMI, waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, C-reactive protein, plasma glucose and triglyceride, and increased high density lipoprotein cholesterols. The mechanisms of action get a little complicated, but generally include influencing gene expression, slowing gastric emptying and modulation of the gut microbiome.

The carnivore side of the diet is where the problems come in. Purely for weight loss, there is some evidence that they can lead to weight loss and increased satiety.

The Bad News: Nutrient Deficiencies and Cholesterol

A 2026 scoping review focused on the carnivore diet noted these benefits for weight loss, but stressed the “substantial risks” of nutrient deficiencies. Overall, the carnivore diet can lead to deficiencies in thiamine, vitamin C, vitamin D, magnesium, iodine, potassium, calcium and fibre. The deficiency in fibre is also pretty extreme, at less than 1/25th of the adequate intake. It's debatable whether you could rectify these issues by adding fermented foods.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and total cholesterol generally increase, carrying risks of heart disease, and some versions have high sodium, potentially leading to high blood pressure and more.

And it should go without saying that eating “bite for bite” is probably useless, it takes a long time to digest food, relative to actual eating process. It all hits your stomach basically simultaneously anyway.

Overall, the diet – especially fermented foods – could help weight loss, but it’s terrible as an overall diet.

Claim: Radio-Frequency Electromagnetic Fields Pose a Risk to Human Health

Verdict: False and misleading

“We are also examining electromagnetic fields [...] I've litigated on this issue, there's a lot of science out there, there's over 10,000 studies that we submitted to the court of appeals in a case that we won, that ordered FCC to redo its regulations, but there are still gaps in knowledge and we're filling those. [...] these questions deserve rigorous science, transparency and answers.”

– RFK Jr.

RFK Jr. Says HHS Is Examining The Impacts Of Chemtrails And Electromagnetic Fields

Before making a widely-reported comment on “chemtrails,” RFK Jr. spoke on the supposed risks of radio-frequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) this week. He references a lawsuit he submitted with Children’s Health Defense, which focused on the risks of wireless technology generally and 5G in particular.

But are RF electromagnetic fields really a risk to human health?

RF-EMF and Cancer

Much of the concern around RF-EMF is about possible links to cancers.

The first of two systematic reviews from the same team covers the “most researched” cancer outcomes for RF field exposure. Based on 63 studies conducted between 1994 and 2022, the review finds no risk for these cancers. These include glioma, meningioma, acoustic neuroma, pituitary tumours, salivary gland tumours or paediatric brain tumours. Factors like the amount of time participants had been using mobile phones or cumulative call time made no apparent difference.

RF-EMF and Cognition

A systematic review and meta-analysis on RF-EMF exposure and cognition indicators – such as memory, executive function and complex attention – only found five eligible studies. Therefore, the evidence was low to very low certainty. Regardless, the studies found little to no link.

RF-EMF and Self-Reported Symptoms

Many people report symptoms such as headaches and sleep issues, which they link to RF-EMF exposure. A systematic review on this topic included 41 studies, and all either found no effect or small, non-significant effects. Notably, it also found that people were no better than chance at determining whether they were exposed to RF-EMF.

RF-EMF and Oxidative Stress

Many claims in the lawsuit referenced by RFK Jr. relate to oxidative stress and RF-EMF. A systematic review on this topic included 45 in vivo and 11 in vitro studies, and generally found inconsistent results and studies with a high risk of bias. Rodent studies suggest a possible increase in oxidative stress in the testes, serum and thymus, but more evidence is needed.

Overall, none of these claims are backed by strong evidence.

Claim: Two Recent “Measles-Associated” Deaths May Have Been “Fabricated”

Verdict: Broadly false, but some questions remain open

“The announcement appears to have been premature, and the deaths may even have been altogether fabricated by one of the Governor's hopeful staffers. The Lancaster County Coroner says that it has no record of any measles deaths. State law requires that all measles deaths be reported to the coroner.” – RFK Jr

Governor Shapiro's unseemly rush to Lancaster County to convene a national press conference and his…

Two deaths that the Pennsylvania Department of Health called “measles-associated” have been at the centre of a political firestorm this week. RFK Jr. said these deaths may have been “fabricated,” but more broadly, disputes that measles was the cause of death.

The Two Deaths: What We Know

A great FactCheck.org post runs through the details of the deaths. In short, while few details have been released, we do know that two individuals died, that they had not been vaccinated and that they had confirmed measles infections. While we know next-to-nothing about one case, the other case has since been confirmed to have been an infant whose primary cause of death was a “traumatic laceration of the spleen.”

This child contracted measles before birth and died shortly afterwards. It’s worth noting that this child would not ordinarily have been vaccinated by this point.

One thing to note: It has been clearly confirmed by the coroner and other state health officials that the deaths were not fabricated, as RFK Jr. claimed.

The “Cause of Death” in Measles Cases

RFK Jr. said the coroner had no record of any “measles deaths,” but this is misleading on its own. In fact, most deaths from measles do not list measles as a primary cause of death. Instead, the primary cause of death is usually the specific complication leading to death. One study from the 1970s looked at this and found that only 9.9% of 454 cases actually listed “measles” as the primary cause of death.

Measles and the Spleen

Since details are only available in one case, the focus has been on that child. The coroner claimed that measles didn’t contribute to the death, because the spleen was not enlarged [3]. However, vaccine expert Dr. Paul Offit noted that this is hard to determine after a rupture, and such a rupture should have a clear explanation. This has not been settled yet.

It’s worth noting that an enlarged spleen is a known complication of measles, present in one third of all cases in a recent Polish study and 15.4% of all infant cases.

Overall, these cases were not fabricated. That said, health officials could have avoided a lot of confusion by being clearer in the way the cases were reported.

Autism rates probably not rising

Thought this study (a systematic review) deserved its own post. The review concluded:

About one in every 100 children worldwide is diagnosed with autism, and this number has gone up over time, mostly because people are more aware of autism and better at identifying it.

The review covered:

71 studies from 34 countries ... covering 99 different estimates of autism prevalence.

(Quotes from the Credo summary or the study.)

The point is, we aren't actually facing spike in autism -- whether due to vaccines or otherwise.

Claim: There is No Study Showing that Children Were Protected by the COVID Vaccine

Verdict: False and misleading

“Do you think that the COVID vaccine protected children? [...] Can you show me one study ... that shows that children were protected by the COVID vaccine? [...] that it did more good than harm to children. Can you show me one study that shows that?”

RFK talks vaccines, measles in interview with CNN's Dana Bash – RFK Jr. (from 7:25)

In his recent interview with CNN, RFK Jr. implicitly claimed – via a series of pointed, “gotcha” questions – that there were no studies showing that the COVID-19 vaccine protected children. Explicitly asking about proof “it did more good than harm,” he argued that there is no overall benefit to vaccinating children.

Is he right?

There is Plenty of Evidence that the COVID Vaccine Protects Children

RFK Jr. is absolutely incorrect to imply that no such evidence exists. While most people cannot pull a citation out of their heads on command, that isn’t the same as showing no evidence exists.

A systematic review of such studies was published in JAMA Pediatrics in 2023. It includes data from 15 observational studies and 2 randomized controlled trials focusing on children aged 5 to 11. The total number of participants was almost 11 million vaccinated and over 2.6 million unvaccinated children.

Among other things, this study found a lower risk of any COVID infection (53% reduction), symptomatic COVID infection (47% reduction), hospitalisations due to COVID-related illnesses (68% reduction) and multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (95% reduction). It also found a 92% increase in the risk of adverse events, but only a non-significant increase in the risk of adverse events that prevent normal daily activities. 

What He Might Have Meant: The Risk of Myocarditis

This study did find the well-known risk of myocarditis following vaccination in younger people. However, this amounted to 1.3 cases per million after a first dose and 1.8 per million after a second dose.

Of course, this is not something to discount because of low incidence: it’s a legitimate concern.

However, this risk has to be compared to the risks following COVID infection, which is less likely in vaccinated children. A study from the UK found that there was an increased risk of myocarditis or pericarditis in the first 6 months after vaccination (in young people aged between 5 and 18), but noted that the risk is even higher after COVID infection.

Even without considering other risks (see images), it’s clear that the COVID vaccine is safer than COVID itself, even for myocarditis in young people.

Claim: Autism Prevalence Has Exploded, and We’re Not Just “Noticing It More”

Verdict: Largely false and misleading

“In 1970, the biggest epidemiological study at that time in history was performed [...] they were looking for autism, and they knew what autism looked like. And they came back with an incident rate of 0.8 per 10,000. So less than in 1 in 10,000. The rate, according to CDC today in this country, is one in every 31 children. [...] One of the talking points [...] is, oh, we're just noticing it more. But this is an absurdity.”

Trump signs executive order on childhood vaccines(from 7:10)

– RFK Jr

During the signing of an executive order on vaccines, one point made by both RFK Jr. and Trump about autism prevalence is very common: is there something weird going on with the increasing rate of autism?

What the Study RFK Jr. is Referencing Actually Says

RFK Jr. mentions this study specifically. As he said, it was released in 1970 and involved around 900,000 children in Wisconsin.

The study looked at the DSM-II entry for “childhood schizophrenia,” and notes three groups of cases:

• A) What they call “classic” infant autism. This included an early onset, a desire for “sameness,” withdrawal and speech problems.

• B) These children had some of the classic autism symptoms but the onset was later.

• C) Likely psychosis with some complicating factors making diagnosis difficult.

RFK Jr. slightly misquotes the results for group A. Their prevalence was 0.7 cases per 10,000 children. Including group B would raise this to around 2.4 per 10,000. He also incorrectly implies the authors screened all 8-year olds in the state, but this is incorrect. They found cases from existing records from healthcare facilities for kids aged 3 to 12.

 It is true that a recent CDC estimate puts the figure at 1 in 31, based on modern diagnostic criteria (ICD-9 or 10). The modern DSM edition is V.

What’s Really Happening

You may have noticed that group B above would likely be just considered on the autism spectrum today. The differences between the 1970 diagnostic criteria and modern ones are hard to overstate, now encompassing Asperger’s syndrome, Rett’s disorder and others, and clearly differentiated from schizophrenia.

Despite RFK’s assertion, studies suggest that these changes, increased awareness and more effective screening are responsible for (at least) most of the apparent rise in diagnoses. For instance, previously under-represented groups like women and non-white people have a sharper rise in diagnoses.