Is chocolate good for the heart? Do vaccines cause autism? Does ivermectin cure COVID-19? The answers to these and many other questions can make the difference between good or poor health, as well as between life and death. In an era where information can be manipulated by various actors with different intentions, it is crucial to learn how to use our critical thinking and develop methods to distinguish false information from real.

 

With this in mind, Epistemonikos Foundation wanted to collaborate on a Spanish version of the website That’s a Claim!, a web platform created by the global project Informed Health Choices (IHC), which promotes techniques to enhance the abilities of children and adults to identify fake news and make better decisions about their health and the health of their communities.

IHC is a global multidisciplinary network aimed at promoting evidence-informed decision-making. As members of the IHC network, the Epistemonikos Foundation collaborates with other network partners such as the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIHP) and the Cochrane Iberoamerica Center, among others, to bring this tool to the Spanish-speaking population.

The website aims to help individuals think critically by presenting 44 key concepts and their explanations, assisting them in evaluating claims, comparisons (evidence), and options related to their health and the health of their communities. That's a Claim! strives to provide an easy and accessible tool for making better decisions and identifying false news and claims more effectively, which can have serious consequences for people's health and well-being.

Dr. Gabriel Rada, Founder and Executive Director of Epistemonikos, expressed that "we are very excited to launch this Spanish-speaking version of That's a Claim! and to reach Ibero-American audiences with this valuable tool. Our goal is to help them evaluate options for their health and lifestyle more securely and accurately. This initiative is particularly urgent for us in these times of pandemic, where false news and misinformation have grown exponentially."

Dr. Rada also clarified that "the large amount of evidence production due to the pandemic poses a challenge in how we can process and use it, which is why it is especially important for us to make these types of tools available to those who need them to make decisions as safely as possible".

 

How does That's a Claim! work?

The main content of this tool consists of 44 key concepts, based on basic definitions of what a claim and a comparison are in this context. It also explains the process used to inform clinical decisions with evidence and how it can be applied to our daily lives.

Thus, this set of guidelines covers multiple scenarios where a person might encounter such situations, providing a useful and simple guide to deciphering between false and true claims or comparisons. All content on the website is freely accessible, and more information about the key concepts and guidelines can be found here.