Deepak Chopra – Karma can be a real bitch!

• “The Law of Karma: What you sow is what you reap. If you plant carrots, don’t expect to harvest watermelons.”
• “If you want to see change in the world, become the change you want to see.”
• “If you want to reach a state of Bliss — make a decision to relinquish the need to control, the need to be approved and the need to judge.”
• “Negative people deplete your energy. Surround yourself with love and nourishment and do not allow the creation of negativity in your environment.”
• “If you want to do really important things in life and big things in life, you can’t do anything by yourself. And your best teams are your friends and your siblings.”
• “Everyone is acting from his own level of consciousness. This is all we can ask of ourselves or anyone else.”

You probably guessed: these gems of wisdom originate from, Deepak Chopra, the guru of platitude-loving Americans. If you don’t want to spend your money on buying one of his books, you can go on the Internet, find one of several available ‘bullshit generators’ and create similarly profound wisdoms all by yourself.

As Deepak is seen to be virtually overflowing with wisdom, spirituality, consciousness, and holistic health, it is perhaps surprising to find his inclusion in the Epstein Files. The link stems primarily from email correspondence and other communications between him and Epstein that have been made public as part of the ongoing disclosures. The records show repeated exchanges dating from at least 2016 through 2019 — well after Epstein’s 2008 conviction as a sex offender — in which the two men discuss a range of topics. These include scheduling meetings or meetings plans, mentions of other public figures, discussions tied to Chopra’s book projects, and exchanges that veer into casual and at times explicit language about “girls” or women. One of the widely circulated emails has Chopra writing to Epstein,“God is a construct. Cute girls are real,” in an apparently informal exploration of consciousness and personal views.

Another released thread shows discussions about meeting logistics, references to public figures such as Marla Maples (the former wife of Donald Trump), and social anecdotes that reveal the personal tenor of some exchanges. These materials were part of the dataset provided to Congress under subpoena as part of its oversight of the Epstein files.

Inclusion in the Epstein Files does not establish that Chopra was involved in any criminal activity or exploitative conduct. U.S. authorities and journalists emphasise that the raw disclosures document communications and connections — not necessarily illegal behavior — and require careful interpretation.

Nonetheless, many of the public reactions to Chopra’s appearance in these disclosures have been sharp. Social media posts and news coverage have highlighted the tone of certain messages, leading to debate and scrutiny from both followers and critics. In response to the heightened attention and criticism, Deepak Chopra issued a public statement acknowledging the gravity of what has been revealed and offering regret for the way some past communications may read in light of what the world now widely knows about Epstein’s crimes. He wrote on social media that he was “deeply saddened by the suffering of the victims in this case” and that he “unequivocally condemn[s] abuse and exploitation in all forms.” Chopra also stated that any contact he had with Epstein was “limited and unrelated to abusive activity,” and he described some of his past messages as reflecting “poor judgment in tone.”

One such ‘sharp reaction’ appeared on Facebook. As it is quite funny as well as very poignant, allow me to show it to you:

Annie McCubbin 6 February at 10:20

WOW DEEPAK THIS SEEMS TO BE A QUANTUM OF A MESS YOU’VE GOT YOURSELF INTO.

Well looky looky here. In the quantum field of possibilities, Deepak has manifested himself one thousand three hundred mentions in the Epstein files.

With the cavalier camaraderie of two average dudes leaning on the bonnet of a pick-up truck, Chopra and Epstein, amid nauseating pseudo intellectual discourse, discuss the noises cute girls make, and whether or not Deepak had found Epstein a cute Israeli.

This, it should be noted, is ten years after Epstein was registered as sex offender of children.

Chopra has made an admission, of sorts. It has the tone of someone who has spent his life beguiling his followers from behind a screen of opaque confounding verbiage, so I guess it’s true to form when he writes the sentence: –

‘Some past emails have surfaced that reflect poor judgement in tone. I regret that and understand how they read today given what was publicly known at the time.’

No Deepak, you purveyor of impenetrable piffle, it’s not how they read ‘today’, it’s just how they read. So how about you take out the obfuscating ‘today’, turn comments back on, come out from behind the infinite consciousness of the karmic trance of the egoic super self, and face the music.

These emails are not anachronistic innocent exchanges between two older gentlemen musing in a reflective way about the opposite sex. No, these men presented a clear and present danger to women. These exchanges are between a seventy-one-year grifter who has promised his millions of followers hope and healing, and a sixty-four-year-old registered sex offender who had been charged with procuring a minor for prostitution.

So, this great spiritual leader. This purveyor of divine transcendence. This guru who imbues his incomprehensible gobbledy gook with the historical spiritual relevance of the subcontinent, has shown a complete paucity of decency, care and morality

Not only are his discussions with Epstein disturbing but they’re peppered with moments where he cynically mocks his own spiritual repartee.

Perhaps his millions of followers who may have felt spiritually dull witted, may be relieved to discover that his entire shtick is a simple reordering of the following eighteen words:-Consciousness, meditation, infinite, universe, god, vibration, stillness, mirror, manifest, luminous. elemental, connection, awareness, love, gratitude, eternal, karma, and divine.

His collection of books, videos, podcasts, products like ‘The ritual care kit.’ supplements and ‘wellness retreats.’ are not the result of Deepak’s deep wisdom but merely pseudoscientific quasi spiritual guff, concocted with all the care of a four-year-old making a cake with dirt, a hair clip, their mothers Estée Lauder anti-aging cream and the stuffing from the dog’s toy rabbit.

Why do so many of us collapse so willingly into the arms of these grifter gurus?

Well, we are told the answer to our emptiness is to look within. We are just an inspirational quote away from happiness. We are seduced by bite sized morsels of the transcendent to sooth our souls.

We can ask what is missing from my life, and the answer will be delivered in three hours via Amazon. $35 plus shipping. How easy is it to sit on our couches and have the soothing tone of Deepak deliver an immersive learning experience into our noise cancelling head phones? Maybe we may muse, it would be truly beneficial to attend one of his wellness retreats. What’s money when we’re on the path to enlightenment? Perhaps we’ll discover the divine goddess within? Seems easier than fighting for the actual rights of women.

Connecting to the self is given a big rap in wellness circles but it seems to be at the cost of reconnecting with others.

The self-care, self-love movement, implying poverty or illness is a misalignment with the abundance on offer from the universe, absolves its’ followers of any responsibility to help others. You sick or poor? Manifest better.

It has been a fabulous distraction from the rapacity of the neocons, dismantling our social structures and denuding our public services, confident in the knowledge we’re too busy healing from within to look outward.

But the empty void within will not be filled by listening to the lilting tones of Deepak. By all means work out your maladaptive patterns and beliefs by talking to a psychologist but maybe swear off the gurus for a bit. It seems they all, at some point, fall from grace.

Chopra while preaching love compassion and peace, was showing off to his convicted sex offender friend, that he can play the misogynistic game as good as the big boys. Meanwhile women all over the world are dying at the hands of their partners. Men schooled and supported in the ideology that women are lesser beings to be controlled, used, punished and discarded.

To so lightly squander the loyalty of your trusting audience seems careless of you Deepak, but maybe the grifting isn’t over. Maybe you can obfuscate out of this, and have an online well published dark night of the soul replete with a brand-new great awakening. There has to be a couple of apps and a book in it.

I hope not. I hope this tearing in the space time continuum has revealed the black hole of grifting where the snake oil salesman sit waiting with their three easy payment options.

Anyway, let us end on one of Deepak’s quotes. ‘Karma memory and desire are just the software of the soul.’

Well Deepak, better strap in, I hear karma can be a real bitch.

The destruction of public health in the United States

The US stands on the precipice of the destruction of public health. This might be best exemplified by the loss of its measles-free status. In 2000, the U.S. had been classified as having “eliminated” measles, meaning the virus was no longer constantly circulating within its borders. Following a year of record-breaking outbreaks, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is now reviewing whether to officially revoke this status.

The technical definition of losing elimination status is the continuous transmission of the same strain of a virus for more than 12 months. In 2025, the US experienced over 2,400 confirmed cases—the highest count since 1991—driven by major outbreaks in Texas, South Carolina, Arizona, and Utah. While health officials once relied on high vaccination rates to “wall off” imported cases, that protection has now crumbled. National MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccination rates for kindergartners have fallen below the 95% threshold required for achieving herd immunity. This leaves communities vulnerable to the kind of rapid spread seen over the past year.

The resurgence of measles is inextricably linked to the shift in federal health policy under Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the current Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). His influence has transformed vaccine hesitancy in the US from a fringe movement into a pillar of federal discourse. Kennedy has frequently misused his position to question the safety and necessity of the MMR vaccine, at one point suggesting that “natural infection” might be preferable to vaccination—a claim experts call dangerously misleading given that measles can cause encephalitis, permanent hearing loss, and death.Under Kennedy’s leadership, the CDC has been staffed with notorious anti-vaxers and reduced the number of recommended childhood vaccines and emphasized “personal choice” over community mandates.This shift has emboldened several states to loosen school entry requirements, leading to a record number of non-medical vaccine exemptions.By replacing members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) with anti-vaxers, Kennedy has signaled a move away from the decades of scientific consensus that underpinned the 2000 elimination achievement. 

Kennedy – who has no medical background and does clearly not understand science – argues that the primary threat to US health is not infectious disease but chronic illness (e.g., diabetes, obesity, and autism), which he feels are linked to environmental factors and food quality. His alternatives include advocating for “real food,” reducing ultra-processed foods, and discouraging the use of seed oils and certain pesticides. He has promoted the consumption of unpasteurized dairy, despite warnings from health officials regarding bacterial risks. He advocates for ending water fluoridation, claiming it contributes to chronic health issues in children. Kennedy also believes that “natural infection” – contracting the disease itself – can be a preferable alternative to vaccination for certain illnesses. He has expressed his support for un- or disproven treatments such as hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin for viral infections, as well as the use of psychedelics and stem cells in broader health contexts. His MAHA plan promotes a “holistic” approach that combines conventional medicine withhis  complementary therapies like supplements and acupuncture.

To make matters even worse, the US officially completed its withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) on January 22, 2026. This finalized a process that began on January 20, 2025, when Trump signed Executive Order 14155 on his first day in office. His previous attempt during his 1st term to leave the WHO was reversed by the Biden administration in 2021.

Losing measles-free status is more than a symbolic blow; it has practical and dire consequences. It signals to the world that the US public health infrastructure is failing to contain one of the most contagious diseases known to man. It means that “rare” outbreaks will become a permanent fixture of American life, requiring constant vigilance for infants too young to be vaccinated and the immunocompromised. And it bodes badly, of course, for the time when the next pandemic will emerge.

As the CDC completes its genomic sequencing to determine if the 2025 outbreaks constitute a single, unbroken chain of transmission, the US faces a choice. We are witnessing a “natural experiment” in real-time—one where the cost of  Kennedy’s sick ideology is being paid in the form of preventable hospitalizations and lives lost. To put it bluntly: either the US gets rid of Kennedy and swiftly reverses his detrimental initiatives, or many US citizens will suffer ill health and even die because of his actions.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: all his dangerous pseudo-medical ideas in a nutshell

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has, for many years, promoted claims that contradict established scientific consensus and common sense. Although he often frames his arguments as skepticism towards ‘the establishment’, his positions consistently conflict with the findings of sound science. This has led to widespread criticism from skeptics, scientists, physicians, and public health officials who argue that his rhetoric is steeped in misinformation.

The most prominent example is his long-standing insistence that vaccines cause autism, a claim that has been exhaustively studied and repeatedly disproven. Extensive epidemiological research involving millions of children across multiple countries has found no causal link between vaccination and autism, a conclusion affirmed by organizations such as the CDC and the WHO.

Kennedy has also continued to emphasize theories about mercury-based vaccine preservatives long after those substances were removed from most childhood vaccines, despite autism diagnosis rates continuing to rise—an outcome that directly contradicts his hypothesis and is not supported by sound evidence.

Recently his rejection of scientific consensus also expanded into the COVID-19 era. He characterized COVID vaccines as uniquely dangerous, suggested they could alter human DNA, and implied that public health agencies were concealing mass harm. These claims stand in overt contrast to real-world data from billions of administered doses, which show that serious adverse effects are rare and that vaccination dramatically reduces severe illness and death.

Similar patterns of misinformation appear in his claims about wireless technologies like 5G, which he has linked to immune suppression or cancer despite the well-established fact that such signals are non-ionizing and incapable of damaging DNA.

Underlying many of Kennedy’s positions is a recurring narrative that modern disease is primarily driven by hidden toxins and that public health institutions knowingly suppress cures or evidence of harm. While environmental exposures are a legitimate area of scientific study, Kennedy’s sweeping conclusions – often paired with sympathy for “detox” or so-called alternative medicine (SCAM) – go far beyond what evidence supports.

In conclusion, Kennedy erodes trust in medicine and science, replacing science with insinuations and conspiracy theories. The outcome of his ‘war on science’ has been a normalization of falsehoods that have been tested, rejected, and shown to be harmful. In a nutshell: Kennedy is a danger to all our health and well-being. The sooner he is replaced, the better for science, progress and global health.

Dana Ullman and his life-time achievement in medical sciences

In his recent comment, Dana Ullman asked AI to analyse my critique of a yoga study. I thought this was good fun and therefore decided to do a similar exercise. I asked AI:

Dana Ullman, please summarize his his life-time achievement in medical sciences.

Here is the reply I got:

Dana Ullman — Lifetime Achievements in Relation to the Medical Sciences

Dana Ullman is not a medical scientist and has not contributed original research, clinical trials, or theoretical advances to the medical sciences. His lifetime achievements instead lie in public advocacy, education, and popularization of homeopathy, a system of alternative medicine that remains outside the scientific consensus.

1. Popularization of Homeopathy

• Ullman has been one of the most prominent American communicators of homeopathy to lay audiences.

• Through books, lectures, and media appearances, he helped sustain public awareness of homeopathy during a period when evidence-based medicine increasingly dominated medical science.

2. Educational Infrastructure (Non-Scientific)

• He co-founded Homeopathic Educational Services, which provides training and informational materials about homeopathy.

• These programs focus on belief-based and historical frameworks, not on experimentally validated biomedical science.

3. Authorship and Public Discourse

• Ullman authored several widely circulated books, including:

  • Everybody’s Guide to Homeopathic Medicines

  • Discovering Homeopathy

• His writing emphasizes anecdotal evidence, traditional doctrine, and patient testimonials rather than reproducible scientific data.

4. Engagement With Scientific and Regulatory Institutions

• Ullman has actively participated in public debates involving organizations such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, primarily to argue against stricter regulation of homeopathic products.

• His role has been adversarial rather than contributory to medical science, often disputing mainstream scientific standards of evidence.

5. Standing Within Medical Science

• Homeopathy, the field Ullman represents, is widely regarded by the scientific community as biologically implausible and unsupported by high-quality clinical evidence.

• Consequently, Ullman’s work is considered outside the domain of medical science, even though it interacts with scientific institutions and public health policy.

Overall Assessment

Dana Ullman’s lifetime achievement is not in advancing medical science, but in:

• Sustaining a major alternative-medicine movement

• Influencing public perception and policy discussions

• Acting as a long-term ideological counterpoint to evidence-based medicine

His historical significance lies in science communication and cultural influence, not in scientific discovery or medical innovation.

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Yes, you are correct!

This is unfair!!!

We need a comparison to see how critical AI evaluates.

So, I asked AI another question:

Edzard Ernst, please summarize his his life-time achievement in medical sciences.

Here is the reply:

Edzard Ernst — Lifetime Achievements in Medical Sciences

Edzard Ernst is a physician-scientist whose career fundamentally reshaped how complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is evaluated within evidence-based medicine. His lifetime contribution lies in applying rigorous scientific methods to an area that had long lacked systematic scrutiny.

1. Pioneer of Evidence-Based Evaluation of CAM

• Ernst was the first professor worldwide dedicated to complementary medicine at a conventional medical school, holding a chair at the University of Exeter.

• He transformed CAM research by insisting on randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses, applying the same standards used in pharmacology and clinical medicine.

2. Foundational Research Output

• Authored or co-authored over 1,000 scientific papers in peer-reviewed medical journals.

• His work systematically evaluated treatments such as homeopathy, acupuncture, chiropractic, and herbal medicine, often demonstrating lack of efficacy or unacceptable risk.

• His research is widely cited and has influenced clinical guidelines, regulatory discussions, and public health policy.

3. Establishment of a Research Discipline

• Ernst helped establish CAM evaluation as a legitimate academic field, even while concluding that many CAM therapies fail scientific testing.

• He trained researchers and clinicians in critical appraisal, leaving a lasting methodological legacy beyond his own publications.

4. Influential Books and Science Communication

• Authored influential books bridging academia and the public, including:

  • Trick or Treatment?

  • Edzard Ernst’s Desk Guide to Complementary and Alternative Medicine

• These works are noted for translating complex medical evidence into accessible language without compromising scientific rigor.

5. Defense of Scientific Integrity in Medicine

• Ernst became a prominent defender of scientific standards, patient safety, and medical ethics, often in the face of political and institutional pressure.

• His willingness to publish unfavorable results about popular therapies strengthened norms against publication bias and conflict-driven research.

6. Global Impact and Recognition

• His conclusions have been cited by organizations such as the World Health Organization and national health bodies.

• Ernst is widely regarded as the most influential critic-scientist of alternative medicine in modern medical history.

Overall Assessment

Edzard Ernst’s lifetime achievement in medical sciences is defined by:

• Introducing scientific accountability to alternative medicine

• Protecting patients from ineffective or harmful treatments

• Strengthening the principles of evidence-based medicine across disciplines

His legacy is not tied to a single discovery, but to a systematic correction of how medicine evaluates claims, making his contribution both enduring and foundational.

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I hope you forgive me this little bit of childish fun.

Perhaps you even enjoyed it as much as I did?

Patient Satisfaction with Homeopathic vs. Conventional Medicine

Homeopathy is among the most popular kinds of so-called alternative medicine (SCAM). Patients have different opinions about homeopathy because there is still debate about its efficacy and scientific foundation, despite its popularity. The purpose ofthis cross-sectional study was to compare homeopathic therapies to conventional medicine in terms of patient satisfaction for a range of health issues.

Secifically, the Indian researchers aimed to compare levels of patient satisfaction with homeopathic vs conventional treatments in terms of:

• treatment results,
• side effects,
• cost,
• and overall experience.

A varied group of patients undergoing therapy for long-term diseases like anxiety, asthma, and arthritis provided the data. Patients’ levels of satisfaction with their therapy, its duration, their perceptions of safety, and the quality of their interactions with their providers were measured using a standardized survey that contained Likert-scale items.

Patients who had homeopathic treatment were more likely to be satisfied with their tailored care and the low frequency of adverse effects, according to the results. On the other hand, patients receiving conventional treatments were more satisfied with the rapid alleviation of their symptoms and the fact that their treatments were based on solid evidence. But many patients in both categories were worried about how much their treatments would cost and whether or not they would be beneficial in the long run. Perceivable treatment efficacy, safety, and the total healthcare experience are three of the many aspects that impact patients’ levels of satisfaction.

The authors concluded thatthe significance of patient-centered care and the necessity for additional research to comprehend the elements contributing to contentment in various treatment modalities highlight the value of both conventional and homeopathic treatments.

This amazingly incompetent paper was published in the ‘Indian Journal of Ayurvedic & Alternative Medicine’ by Dr. Anil Kumar Sharma.He is the dean of the Faculty of Homoeopathy, Govt. Ayush University, Kurukshetra ⁠Professor, JRK Homoeopathic Medical College, Rohtak Teacher Code Registered with National Homoeopathic Commission, Govt. of India. 

Amazingly incompetent?

I better justify this verdict!

But where to begin? I cannot possibly discuss all the fatal flaws of this paper. Let me just mention a few obvious ones:

• A “standardized survey” was used to measure the outcomes. But was it validated to ensure that it quantified what the researcher thought to measure? No!
• Were the two patient groups comparable? No!
• Were they objective? No, the homeopathy group has chosen to consult homeopaths. Thus the results are as meaningful as asking people who choose to buy a hamburger whether they like eating beef.
• The conclusions are pure fantasy and do not follow from the data.

You may feel that all this is irrelevant nonsense – and you would be entirely correct. Yet, I think that this paper might still be important for one reason: it was published by the dean of the Faculty of Homoeopathy, Govt. Ayush University, Kurukshetra ⁠Professor. Imagine the dean of the faculty of cosmology of a reputable university wrote a paper claiming without any eveidence that the earth was flat. That, in my view, would be the equivalent of the above article.

Anti-aging: the “tomorrowland of health”

In my frantic ambition to stay young for ever (just kidding!), I came across an interestingarticle about the “longevity doctor” Mohammed Enayats who claims to have cut his biological age from 41 to 24, while plugging treatments at his Chelsea-based “futuristic health lounge HUM2N” Dr Enayat is said to be a “rockstar visionary” creating the “tomorrowland of health”. Of course, he lacks any published research into longevity, but he cites a decade of experience as a GP and specialisation in “functional” medicine, the rebranded term for so-called alternative medicine (SCAM).

For longer living – aka “biohacking” – HUM2N offers intravenous ozone therapy. The US Food and Drug Administration has warned against such treatment, saying there isn’t enough evidence that it’s either useful or safe. The journal Archives of Academic Emergency Medicine reported the case of a 36-year-old woman who was admitted to hospital in Australia suffering severe neurological complications shortly after being given IV ozone to “boost immunity”. On this blog, we discussed this treatment several times, e.g.:

• CAM-CANCER: a most valuable source of information
• “Dr” Patrick Vickers and “the world’s premier clinic for the treatment of cancer and advanced disease”

And inmy book, I have an entire chapter on it which concludes: “Unless sound positive evidence emerges, the risk/benefit balance of ozone therapy for any condition fails to be positive.”

Furthermore, HUM2N also offers expensive hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which has real life-saving uses for rare situations, such as divers with decompression sickness, but is widely sold by alternative-health practitioners as a SCAM for anything from ADHD to hair loss, despite the risks of serious lung and ear injuries (see Eye 1647). On this blog, we have repeatedly discuused this treatment and its dangers, e.g.:

• Former chiropractor fined after death of MS patient receiving hyperbaric oxygen therapy
• A 5-year old boy has been ‘incinerated’ in an oxygen chamber undergoing alternative treatment for ADHD
• “Dr” Patrick Vickers and “the world’s premier clinic for the treatment of cancer and advanced disease”

When asked about the scientific basis for such treatments, Dr Enayat sent a long list of articles and papers, mostly relating to experimental uses to treat specific health conditions rather than providing evidence of improving longevity. “We are transparent where evidence is emerging rather than conclusive,” he insisted.

Another cornerstone of HUM2N’s offerings is NAD+, a bodily coenzyme it describes as the “miracle molecule”. For £1,995, the treatment is claimed by HUM2N to improve IVF success rates – when asked for evidence of this, Dr Enayat cited a study into mice that itself cautions “highly limited” effects on humans with “numerous questions unanswered” and no human trials. He said NAD+ treatments were “clearly positioned as exploratory, not a proven disease-modifying therapy”.

Controversial skincare treatment intravenous glutathione is sold for £195 a pop. The Chartered Trading Standards Institute warned consumers earlier this year that the treatments are “not licensed for cosmetic use here and pose significant health risks”, frequently causing nasty side effects especially when administered intravenously, including kidney or liver damage and anaphylaxis. When challenged, Dr Enayat agreed that “strong clinical data” for benefits of this treatment “exist only in specific niches”. Dr David Gems, professor of biogerontology at University College London’s Institute of Healthy Ageing, described it as “surprising that a registered GP would be so relaxed about offering some of these quack treatments”. And Dr Michael Sagner of King’s College London’s ARK ageing research unit described any advertised “biohacking” as a red flag, with most treatments being useless and some dangerous.

So, what should we think about Dr Enayat’s “tomorrowland of health”?

I don’t know about you, but I get the feeling that staying well away from it might be the best chance to reach an right old age.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wins this year’s Shkreli Award 

It has been reported that HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. took the top spot in this year’s Shkreli Awards from theLown Institute. The annual awards call out greed and fraud in the healthcare industry. Lown Institute president Vikas Saini, MD, explained that the purpose of the awards is to call out “systemic problems” in which healthcare organizations and clinicians “chase money and greed to the point where they cut corners … with devastating results to patient care.”

Kennedy garnered the lion’s share of judges’ votes for his baseless claims about causes of autism that have baffled the public and angered medical experts. “Citing studies that showed correlation but no causal evidence, and despite clinicians, toxicologists, and major medical organizations having looked at the research and rejected the claim, he asserted a link between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism,” the Lown judges said.

Kennedy then suggested infants undergoing circumcision have higher rates of autism because they likely received acetaminophen for pain, yet his evidence was an unreviewed and unpublished preprint, judges said. “While this spectacle of erratic scientific leadership around autism is supposedly tied to Making America Healthy Again, many are now asking not what Kennedy can do for his country, but how his country can undo what he has already done,” the judges wrote.

Saini stated that Kennedy may be asking reasonable questions, like what is causing autism. The problem is that he then “makes brash announcements … and trumpets them like the Second Coming, saying, ‘We’re going to just fix all this,’ which is playing fast and loose with the facts, and really undermines confidence in decision making and leadership.”

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Needless to say that I agree with this award. On this blog, I have repeatedly commented on Kennedy’s irrational and dangerous views, actions and initiatives. In my view, he does not belong into any position of responsibility, particularly in the area of healthcare. In a nutshell, he uses science like a drunken man uses a lamppost – not for illumination, but for support.

The shady love affair between Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the Chiropractic Profession

The connections between Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.), his “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) cult, and the US chiropractic profession are complex and worrying.

Chiropractors’ support for RFK Jr.

The shadylove affair had started long before RFK Jr. decided to join Trump. While Kennedy conducted his anti-vaccine campaign before running for president, chiropractors were hefty donors to his actions. In 2019, for instance, they donated nearly half a million dollars to the cause — abouta sixth of the organization’s revenue that year. When Kennedy created the MAHA Alliance super PAC for his presidential candidacy, more than half of its initial donors were chiropractors. And when Kennedy’s nomination to lead HHS was questioned, a raft of chiropractorssigned a letter of support for him.

RFK Jr.’s advocacy for so-called alternative medicine (SCAM)

After his appointment as Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), RFK Jr. has proven to be a vocal proponent of SCAM, particularly chiropractic. Hehas publicly supported chiropractic, for inctance, when speaking at chiropractic colleges and forums.His expressed his belief thatchiropractic is a “necessary part of modern healthcare” and that chiropractors treat the “root causes” of disease, while conventional medicine is just masking symptoms.Major professional chiro-organizations, such as the “International Chiropractors Association” (ICA) and the “Georgia Council of Chiropractic” (GCC), have therefore applauded Kennedy’s appointment to HHS, viewing it as a “pivotal moment” for the advancement of chiropractic care and its integration into federal health programs.They anticipate his leadership will lead toexpanded insurance reimbursement and greater acceptance by MAHA followers. “People that graduated with me in 2017, probably out of 100 people … around 70 or 80 of them were Kennedy freaks,”says Gabe Padilla, who once studied and worked as a chiropractor but has since left the field. “And I’m talking about, wow, they lived and breathed this man. They would drink his bath water if they could.”

The MAHA Initiative and Holistic Integration

The MAHA cult allegedly aims to tackle the chronic disease epidemic through a strategy that includes a focus on SCAM. It claims that factors like poor diet, environmental chemicals, over-medicalization and even vaccinations are major drivers of chronic illness. This over-emphasis on external and lifestyle factors, and a rejection of conventional medicine and science resonates with the “philosophy” espoused in the chiropractic, SCAM “wellness” spheres.The MAHA framework thus includes the goal of incorporating SCAM, opening the door forincreased governmental support for chiropractic. There even is achiropractic liaison for MAHA now, whose job is to keep chiropractic organizations connected to the larger movement.

Chiropractors are delighted, of course, advocating the expansion of Medicare and Medicaid coverage beyond spinal adjustments. In DD Palmer’s tradition, chiropractors advocate their quackery as a panacea.RFK Jr. and MAHA have developed strong ties to a dubious coalition ofwellness influencers, holistic and functional medicine advocates, and anti-vaxers.This alliance favours SCAM and questions the scientific and medical establishment—a sentiment that creates a fertile environment for chiropractic. Spending on wellness in general has hit more than $500 billion in the United States and is projected to continue growing. Meanwhile, the employment of chiropractors is forecasted to rise 10 percent over the next decade, at a higher rate than the average for all occupations.

Conclusion

The connection between RFK Jr./MAHA and chiropractic is a relationship of mutual support and ideological alignment. The chiropractic profession sees Kennedy’s leadership as a political opportunity to achieve greater recognition and financial integration, while Kennedy’s MAHA framework provides an official platform for promoting chiropractic quackery.

“Homeopathy addresses anemia’s complexities with finesse”

Anemia is a medical condition where the ability of the blood to carry oxygen to the body’s tissues and organs is reduced. This is usually due to one of three reasons:

• Low Number of Red Blood Cells: The body is not producing enough healthy red blood cells (RBCs) or loosing them in large amounts.
• Low Hemoglobin Concentration: The concentration of hemoglobin within the RBCs is lower than normal. 
• Abnormal Red Blood Cells: The cells themselves are defective like in in sickle cell anemia.

In cases of very severe anemia the lack of oxygen delivery can become critical and lead to:

• Stroke,
• Respiratory Failure,
• Kidney Failure,
• Loss of Consciousness,
• Hypovolemic Shock,
• Death.

So far so good (or bad). This is basic knowledge that all medical students learn. As many homeopaths have never studied medicine, it probably is quite new to most homeopaths. At least, this is the impression I got when reading an extraordinary article entitled “Anaemia: A Holistic Exploration Through the Lens of Homeopathy” by homeopaths from the “Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Sector 26, Chandigarh, India”. Let me show you a few passages from it:

The abstract

Anaemia, a deficiency in red blood cells or haemoglobin, silently erodes vitality, impacting millions worldwide. This abstract delves into its intricate facets, from physiological underpinnings to diverse manifestations. Recognized by the World Health Organization as a pressing concern, anaemia disproportionately affects young children, menstruating adolescents, and pregnant women. While modern medicine attributes this cause to nutritional deficits, genetic anomalies, and chronic illnesses, homeopathy offers a holistic perspective. Tailored to individual constitution and symptoms, homeopathy seeks equilibrium by harnessing the body’s inherent healing mechanisms. Remedies like China Officinalis for post-haemorrhagic debility and Ferrum Phos for iron deficiency epitomize this approach.

In the article, the authors explain further:

Anaemia embodies the subtle yet profound presence of the psoric miasm within the body, precipitating a cascade of functional disturbances. The selection of an appropriate antipsoric remedy based on causation, constitution, peculiar symptoms and the totality of their presentation, is of paramount importance. Here’s the essence of several key homeopathic remedies commonly recommended for anaemia.

• China officinalis- Anaemia occurs due to loss of vital fluids (6), with debility and nervous erethism. Indicated after excessive haemorrhages when circulation becomes feeble and the patient is sensitive to cold. There is headache with a sensation as if the skull would burst with ringing in ears, relieved from pressure and warm room. There is dizziness when walking. Patients have slow digestion and are bloated, where belching gives no relief. Ill effects of excess tea intake. Painless night diarrhoea, especially during hot weather, after fruits or milk.
• Ferrum metallicum- Anaemia of weak chlorotic women yet having a fiery red face on slightest emotion. Hammering headache and least noise cause irritability, vertigo on seeing flowing water. Nausea and vomiting immediately after eating, spits up food in mouthfuls. Diarrhoea on attempt to eat and intolerance of eggs. Anaemic murmur. Any active effort like speaking or walking produces weakness eventhough looking strong.

The authors’ conclusions

Anaemia stands as a formidable health challengeaffecting millions globally, silently sapping vitalityand resilience. While modern medicine strivesto uncover its multifaceted causes, homeopathyemerges as a beacon of hope, offering personalizedcare rooted in the individual’s constitution andsymptomatology. Through meticulous selectionof the indicated antipsoric remedy and gentlestimulation of the body’s innate healing capacities,homeopathy addresses anaemia’s complexities withfinesse.

Why do I discuss such a paper?

Would it not be better to ignore stuff like this?

I think, it is important to every now and then point out how dangerous homeopathy really is. There is no question that therapists who adhere to the pseudo-knowledge of homeopathy are a danger to their patients. In the case of anemia (which usually reponds extremely well to proper causal treatment), they would prolong mild to moderate symptoms – and, if anemia is severe, they might even kill the patient who follows their instructions.

I see 4 important lessons here:

1. Homeopaths live on a different planet where evidence counts little and dogma reigns.
2. This renders homeopaths potentially very dangerous.
3. Relying on homeopaths is likely to prolong suffering and, in serious illness, can be fatal.
4. Homeopathy addresses complexities not with “finesse” but with ignorance and an unethical disregard of patients’ needs.

CDC: The claim “vaccines do not cause autism” is not evidence-based!

Two days ago, the US Center for Disease Control (CDC) published anannouncement; here are its ‘key points’:

• The claim “vaccines do not cause autism” is not an evidence-based claim because studies have not ruled out the possibility that infant vaccines cause autism.
• Studies supporting a link have been ignored by health authorities.
• HHS has launched a comprehensive assessment of the causes of autism, including investigations on plausible biologic mechanisms and potential causal links.

In the announcement proper, they make the following argument:

The rise in autism prevalence since the 1980s correlates with the rise in the number of vaccines given to infants. Though the cause of autism is likely to be multi-factorial, the scientific foundation to rule out one potential contributor entirely has not been established. For example, one study found that aluminum adjuvants in vaccines had the highest statistical correlation with the rise in autism prevalence among numerous suspected environmental causes…

I am concerned with all the many other relationships that have not been adequately investigated, presumably because of powerful interests from influential organisations. Here are just three examples.:

• It is well known that the consumption of ice cream correlates with death from drowning. How many people have to die until the government finally stops the BIG ICE CREAM lobby?
• Similarly, it is a fact that the more margarine is consumed, the higher the divorce rate in Maine. How many marriages will have to break up, until BIG MARGERINE is finally stopped?
• Finally, it is well known that the rate of chocolate consumption correlates within a country with the number of Nobel Prizes that country is awarded. How long do we have to wait until chocolate consumption becomes mandatory to boost the cognitive function of our children?

I am convinced that these three examples – there are plenty more, if you only do your research as well as RFKJr clearly does – are at least as important and just as plausible as the one currently tackled by the CDC. Therefore I urge the CDC to speed up their research and go after all the red herrings they can possibly find.

PS

In my experience, there are some readers who are intellectually too limited to identify satire. Let me therefore make it clear thatTHIS POST IS SATIRE!

PPS

There has been wide-spread condemnation of the CDC announcement, e.g.:

• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP): The president of the AAP called the change “false information” and asserted that the updated page was promoting a harmful myth. The organization emphasized that over 40 high-quality studies involving more than 5.6 million people have clearly and unambiguously concluded that there is no link between vaccines and autism.
• Scientific Integrity and Public Trust: Public health experts and former CDC officials argued that the revision was “reckless and harmful,” had “no scientific rationale,” and was driven by “politics” rather than science. They warned that the move would sow doubt in routine childhood immunizations and undermine public trust in the CDC as a credible scientific voice.
• Lack of Scientific Review: Critics noted that the updated content did not cite any new research and appeared to have been implemented without the normal scientific clearance process involving career scientists at the CDC.