Claim: Veteran journalist Jessica Soho reported about a cure for hypertension allegedly developed by Manila Doctors Hospital internist-cardiologist Dr. Anthony Leachon and cardiologists from Harvard University.
Rating: FALSE
Why we fact-checked this: The Facebook ad containing the claim has now accumulated 176,000 views and 665 reactions as of writing.
The video shows Soho supposedly reporting about a new technique developed by Leachon and Harvard University cardiologists to create a cure for hypertension.
AI-generated voice, face manipulation: Web-based deepfake analysis tool TrueMedia.org found “substantial evidence” that the video with the claim used artificial intelligence (AI)-generated audio and face manipulation. The United States-based company said its analysis has a 98% confidence level for its detection of AI-generated audio and a 90% confidence level for its analysis that the video used face manipulation technology.
Fake ad: Leachon told Rappler via SMS that the video is a “fake ad” generated with AI. “This is the new modus operandi now of these people to dupe unsuspecting patients,” Leachon said.
Factual errors: There are also factual errors that make it obvious that the news report is fake. Soho’s fake report has a chyron with the logo of GMA’s 24 Oras news program. However, Soho is not currently part of the program’s roster of news anchors.
The video also misspelled Leachon’s surname as “Lachon.” Despite Soho’s AI-generated voiceover saying that the doctor supposedly teamed up with Harvard cardiologists for the hypertension cure, the caption mentions the University of Utah instead.
False report: Leachon’s name and image have been frequently used in ads promoting dubious health products or claims that he had developed or invented a cure for an illness. Rappler has debunked these posts:
- FACT CHECK: ‘Insomnia cure’ ad used fake quote and post of ex-COVID-19 task force adviser
- FACT CHECK: Former adviser of task force vs COVID-19 did not develop hypertension cure
- FACT CHECK: NIH, Leachon do not endorse Glufarelin as diabetes cure
- FACT CHECK: Leachon didn’t endorse osteoarthritis product unregistered with FDA
– Lorenz Pasion/Rappler.com
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