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Gallery of Chiropractic Ads and Other Promotional Materials
This gallery illustrates how chiropractors promoted themselves before the development of the Internet. I collected most of the newspaper ads from local papers, but some were mailed to me from other areas. Where many ads were placed by an individual chiropractor, I have grouped them into individual files. Before 1980, nearly all of the marketers promoted subluxation-based philosophy and suggested that chiropractic’s scope was unlimited. After that time, these ideas persisted but gradually became less prominent. A 13-city study published in a chiropractic journal found that of 5,456 chiropractors listed in the yellow pages during 1985 and 1986, 14.7% bought additional space in the regular listing section, 11.6% purchased large display advertisements, and 73.7% listed only their name and phone number. Of those who bought …
This gallery illustrates how chiropractors promoted themselves before the development of the Internet. I collected most of the newspaper ads from local papers, but some were mailed to me from other areas. Where many ads were placed by an individual chiropractor, I have grouped them into individual files. Before 1980, nearly all of the marketers promoted subluxation-based philosophy and suggested that chiropractic’s scope was unlimited. After that time, these ideas persisted but gradually became less prominent.
A 13-city study published in a chiropractic journal found that of 5,456 chiropractors listed in the yellow pages during 1985 and 1986, 14.7% bought additional space in the regular listing section, 11.6% purchased large display advertisements, and 73.7% listed only their name and phone number. Of those who bought additional space, 10.8% advertised techniques, 11.6% mentioned symptoms, 14.7% mentioned injuries, 3% mentioned professional affiliations, and 4% offered free services. Since the late 1970s, I have collected more than 1,100 yellow-page display ads but have not done a statistical analysis.
In 1987, the American Chiropractic Association noted that advertising claims had been “getting worse and worse” and urged chiropractors to “stop the garbage yellow page ads” that contained coupons, offered free spinal x-rays, promised that there would no out-of pocket expense, or made exaggerated and unprofessional claims.
Inclusion in this gallery should not be interpreted as an assertion that all of the items were misleading. Most were, but some were not. My intention in posting them is simply to illustrate what I happened to collect. To place the items in perspective, please see the commentary articles listed below and other Chirobase pages that discuss the types of promotional claims that were used.
Early Promotional Materials
- Early newspaper ads (1900-1920
- Palmer School Chiropractic ad (1910-1914?)
- Palmer School of Chiropractic catalog (1922)
- Chiropractic for Health (1922): Extraordinary testimonial booklet
- Ads from Chiropractic Advertising, by Harry E. Vedder, DC (1924)
- Ads from the 1940s
- National Chiropractic Association (1954-1955)
- Spears Hospital (1950s through 1970s)
Pennsylvania Ads and Fliers from the Late 1960s and Early 1970s
- Charles E. Smith, DC
- Roy E. LeMond, DC
- A. A. Altman, DC
- Lehigh Valley Chiropractic Society
- Cericola Clinic: Leo Cericola, DC
- Easton Chiropractic Clinic: Raymond Roscioli, DC
- Farina Chiropractic Clinic: S.S. Farina, DC
- LaBarre Chiropractic Life Center: Richard T. LaBarre, DC (107 ads)
- McKim Chiropractic Center: Howard McKim, DC (114 ads)
- Sterling Pruit, DC and Mary Ann Pruit, DC
- George Blum, DC (1967-1968)
- Pennsylvania chiropractors, 1968 (70 ads)
- Ads offering free spinal x-rays, 1971
- Pennsylvania chiropractors, 1971 (109 ads)
- Pennsylvania chiropractors, 1972 (350+ ads)
- Very large ads
- Others (74 ads)
Pamphlets and other Handouts
- The Baby Adjusters (1990s)
- Barge Chiropractic Clinic (1991)
- Baxter Healthcare Corporation (1990-1991)
- Biological Arts Company (1969-1971)
- Chirocare / Doctors Marketing Systems (1984-1988)
- Chiropassion (1994-1995)
- Chiropractic Communications of America (1986)
- Cindy Publications (1977)
- Complete Health Communications / Dr. Allan A. Unruh (1980-1990)
- Dynamic Communications / Systems DC (applied kinesiology, 1976-1978)
- Foundation for the Advancement of Chiropractic Education (late 1990s)
- Golden Touch (G.T. Press) (1965-1987)
- Hardt Publishing Company (1983)
- Health Briefs Publications (early 1970s)
- International Chiropractors Association (1968-1972)
- JoCo Publications (1972-1974)
- Krames Communications (1993-1996)
- Lewman Design Laboratories (1977-1978)
- National Chiropractic Association (1950s)
- National Health Education Society (1954-1984)
- Palmer College of Chiropractic (1970s)
- Parlay International (1989)
- RFS Publishing Company (1970-1978)
- Sherman College of Straight Chiropractic (1976)
- “What Will Chiropractic Do for It?” Series (1940s)
- Wilbro Publications (1952-1962)
- Miscellaneous Chiropractic Pamphlets (1950s to 1980s)
Booklets
- The Present Day Doctor of Chiropractic (1956)
- Mrs. Smith Meets Chiropractic (1960s)
- Radiant Health (1960s)
- Answers to Your Questions about Chiropracrtic (1970s)
- Chiropractic: A View from Within (1975)
- Journey into Better Health (1980)
- An Introduction to Chiropractic Spinal Bio-Mechanics/Bio-Physics (1990)
- Facts and Secrets Medicine Doesn’t Want Known (1990s)
Newspaper Ads and Mailers from the Mid-1970s through the Mid-1990s
- Pennsylvania chiropractors, 1974 (136 ads)
- Pennsylvania chiropractors, 1975 (55 ads)
- Pennsylvania chiropractors, 1977 (400+ ads)
- Allentown Chiropractic Center: Steve Kulik, DC, Bill Kulik, DC
- Altoona Chiropractic Life Center Mailers (1973-1974)
- Basile Chiropractic Center: Paul Basile, DC
- Crane Chiropractic Wellness Clinic: Daniel Crane, DC
- Gillespie Chiropractic Clinic: Gary Gillespie, DC
- Kirshner Chiropractic Life Center: Corey W. Kirshner, DC
- Barry Merchant, D.C
- Rhine Chiropractic Center: Larry K. Rhine, DC
- Daniel J. Roskos, DC
- Others (75 ads)
Yellow Page Ads
Product Catalogs
- Chiro-Zyme (1995) (“enzyne products targeted to organs stressed by subluxations”))
Other Promotional Materials
American Chiropractic Association Public Relations Materials
- “Don’t Be a Pill Popper” Campaign (1972)
- ACA Billboards (1970s)
- Ads: Critical Areas of Influence (1983)
- The ACA’s Improper Attack on Prescription Drug Use (1985)
- ACA National Ads (1985-1986)
- Operation Evidence Kit (1987)
- A Critique of the ACA’s 1998 Reader’s Digest Campaign
Internet Claims
- Web sites from A to G
- Web Sites from H to P
- Web sites from Q to Z
- Facebook Messages, Steven R. Wiseth, DC, 2012-2016) (174 graphics)
- Subluxation claims on Canadian websites (2019)
- Improper COVID-19 Claims. (130 Web sites)
Other Noteworthy Ads
- Antivaccination Ad Criticized (1981)
- Be Wary of Chiropractic Advertising Gimmicks
- The Chiro-Tel Telephone Tape Library
- Contour Analysis Is a Marketing Gimmick
- Dangerous Chiropractic Advertising (Earache Treatment)
- Rowe Reflex-O-Sage
- Share International’s Fraudulent Ad System
- How Some Chiropractors Denigrate Prescription Drug Use
- A Skeptical Look at the “Confidential Car Accident Victim Report”
- Dissection of False Chiropractic Ads by a Neurosurgeon
Advertising Regulation
- George Blum’s License Revoked for False Advertising (1970)
- Pennsylvania Attorney General Targets Chiropractic Ad Claims (1973)
- Suggested Guidelines for Chiropractic Ads (1973)
- Transcript of Magisterial Hearing on Legality of Chiropractic Ad Claims (1975)
- Rodney Holland, DC ordered to stop “fewer visits” claim (1994)
- FTC Drops Koren Investigation
- Jesus Castaneda D.C., Ordered to Stiop Making Subluxation-Based Claims (1998)
- Farris Odeh, D.C. Disciplined for False Advertising (2006)
- David Stender, D.C. Reprimanded by the Arizona Chiropractic Board (2008)
- Philip Straw, D.C. Cited for Improper Advertising (2012)
- Why Doesn’t the FTC Attack False Chiropractic Claims?
- Chiropractors Sparring over Immune-Boosting Claims
Consumer Health Digest Archive (2024)
Consumer Health Digest is a free weekly e-mail newsletter edited by William M. London, Ed.D., M.P.H., with help from Stephen Barrett, M.D., It summarizes scientific reports; legislative developments; enforcement actions; other news items; Web site evaluations; recommended and nonrecommended books; research tips; and other information relevant to consumer protection and consumer decision-making. The Digest’s primary focus is on health, but occasionally it includes non-health scams and practical tips. Items posted to this archive may be updated when relevant information becomes available. To subscribe, click here. Issue #24-15, April 14, 2024 Lyme disease: Fact vs fiction NHS releases comprehensive review of gender identity care for youth Issue #24-14, April 7, 2024 Complaint filed against physician promoting “holistic” cancer treatments Tainted red yeast rice supplements linked to …
Consumer Health Digest is a free weekly e-mail newsletter edited by William M. London, Ed.D., M.P.H., with help from Stephen Barrett, M.D., It summarizes scientific reports; legislative developments; enforcement actions; other news items; Web site evaluations; recommended and nonrecommended books; research tips; and other information relevant to consumer protection and consumer decision-making. The Digest’s primary focus is on health, but occasionally it includes non-health scams and practical tips. Items posted to this archive may be updated when relevant information becomes available. To subscribe, click here.
- Lyme disease: Fact vs fiction
- NHS releases comprehensive review of gender identity care for youth
- Complaint filed against physician promoting “holistic” cancer treatments
-
Tainted red yeast rice supplements linked to serious complications
- Medical debt linked to worse population health in the U.S.
- Food myths debunked
- FDA warns about pain-relief products containing excessive drug doses
- Researchers raise doubts about CBD products promoted for pain relief
- FDA criticized for settling lawsuit by ivermectin-misinformation promoters
- Lawsuit alleges Women’s Cancer Fund is sham charity
- Sham health insurance seller Benefytt Technologies must refund $100 million
- Investigation spotlights misleading videos discouraging hormonal contraception
- Doctor in Australia banned from offering naturopathic treatments
- Shocking report highlights deficiencies of U.S. state medical boards
- Marketer of Nature’s Bounty and Sundown supplements ordered to pay back consumers
- Patanjali Ayurved advertising temporarily banned in India
- Ice bathing offers evidence of harm but not benefit
- JAMA offers concise patient guide to injectable weight-loss medications
- Doctor who performed fatal Brazilian butt lift sued for misrepresenting his qualifications
- Researchers highlight deaths of U.S. citizens undergoing cosmetic surgery in the Dominican Republic
- AMA spotlights differences in training between physicians and naturopaths
- Multilevel marketing companies commonly misrepresent distributor earnings
- Dubious canine cancer-drug marketer receives 97-month prison sentence
- Polish Health Ministry responds to advocates of dubious Lyme disease care
- “Leaky gut syndrome” not medically recognized
Issue #24-08, February 25, 2024
- Galantamine supplements found to be inaccurately labeled
- NewsGuard identifies over 300 false vaccine-related internet narratives
- Promoting COVID-19 misinformation found to be lucrative for four nonprofits
Issue #24-07, February 18, 2024
- Sham insurance sellers face $195 million judgment and permanent marketing ban
- Physician assistant convicted of amniotic-fluid fraud
- COVID Resist marketers ordered to stop deceptive advertising
- TINA.org questions Talkiatry’s advertised patient cost
Issue #24-06, February 11, 2024
- Publisher retracts abortion pill studies
- Naprapathy scrutinized
-
Obesity researcher discourages dietary supplementation for weight loss
- Neptune’s Fix recalling tianeptine products
Issue #23-05, February 4, 2024
- Leader of America’s Frontline Doctors reprimanded for Jan. 6 participation
- Ontario Tribunal revokes misinformation-promoting physician’s registration
- NZ radiologist will be penalized for peddling COVID-19 misinformation
- GAO criticizes prenatal supplements
- AP spotlights Medbed nonsense promoted to conspiracy believers
Issue #24-04, January 29, 2024
- Early estimates of in-hospital deaths related to hydroxychloroquine treatment for COVID-19 now available.
- Most direct-to-consumer medical tests advertised online found not useful
- Funeral homes warned for failing to provide accurate pricing information
- Mindfulness meditation appears to show little benefit
- Online undergraduate health course promotes rational skepticism
Issue #24-03, January 22, 2024
- Midwife faces unprecedented fine for substituting homeopathic pellets for children’s vaccines.
- Retraction Watch highlights new tactics being used to publish fake scientific papers.
- FDA authorizes Florida to initiate process for importing certain drugs from Canada.
Issue #24-02, January 14, 2024
- Restrictions placed on medical license of egregious promoter of COVID-19 disinformation
- Researchers warn of hazards of inadequately regulated dietary supplements
- FDA warns about complications of unapproved fat-dissolving injections
- Experts refute Florida Surgeon General’s COVID-19 mRNA vaccine alarmism
- ‘Skeptical Inquirer scrutinizes evidence for brain-training interventions
- FDA identifies toxic, misbranded tejocote-root supplements
- FDA warns about tainted arthritis and pain products
- Physiologist comments on health fads promoted during the holidays
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Consumer Health Digest, Issue #24-15
Lyme disease: Fact vs fiction. NHS releases comprehensive review of gender identity care for youth. Lyme disease: Fact vs fiction. Andrea Love, Ph.D. (immunology and biology), Executive Director of the American Lyme Disease Foundation, has launched an online “Inside Immunology” column at Skeptical Inquirer. Her first column, which provides an overview of Lyme disease issues for consumers, discusses: the risk of infection with the bacteria that cause the disease factors influencing whether a tick bite will lead to infection symptoms of localized disease the small risk of disease spreading beyond the skin effective treatments diagnostic issues fraudulent tests and unproven, dangerous, and expensive long-term treatments ordered by self-proclaimed Lyme specialists including those who call themselves “Lyme literate” overdiagnosis promoted by celebrities aligned with prominent activist organizations that purport to …
- Lyme disease: Fact vs fiction.
- NHS releases comprehensive review of gender identity care for youth.
Lyme disease: Fact vs fiction. Andrea Love, Ph.D. (immunology and biology), Executive Director of the American Lyme Disease Foundation, has launched an online “Inside Immunology” column at Skeptical Inquirer. Her first column, which provides an overview of Lyme disease issues for consumers, discusses:
- the risk of infection with the bacteria that cause the disease
- factors influencing whether a tick bite will lead to infection
- symptoms of localized disease
- the small risk of disease spreading beyond the skin
- effective treatments
- diagnostic issues
- fraudulent tests and unproven, dangerous, and expensive long-term treatments ordered by self-proclaimed Lyme specialists including those who call themselves “Lyme literate”
- overdiagnosis promoted by celebrities aligned with prominent activist organizations that purport to be patient advocates
She concludes:
Lyme pseudoscience causes immense harm to individuals who [undergo] harmful and unproven treatments based on false information. It also erodes public health and trust in science, and it can lead people to delay care for medical conditions that are falsely attributed to Lyme. We have a duty to combat this type of predatory pseudoscience, even if it has a loud voice.
[Love A. Why Is Lyme disease, an acute bacterial infection, plagued with misinformation? A convergence of misunderstanding, bad actors, media attention, and fear-based messaging. Skeptical Inquirer, April 11, 2024]
NHS releases comprehensive review of gender identity care for youth. England’s National Health Service (NHS) has released the final report of The Cass Review: Independent Review of Gender Identity Services for Children and Young People. The report’s purpose is to improve services for children and young people experiencing gender-identity-related distress. The report concludes:
- There is no simple explanation for the increase in the numbers of predominantly young people and young adults who have a trans- or gender-diverse identity, but there is broad agreement it is a result of a complex interplay between biological, psychological, and social factors.
- There are conflicting views about the clinical approach, with expectations of care at times being far from usual clinical practice.
- While much research has been published in this field, systematic evidence reviews demonstrate the poor quality of the published studies, meaning there is not a reliable evidence base upon which to make clinical decisions, or for children and their families to make informed choices.
- The strengths and weaknesses of the evidence base on the care of children and young people are often misrepresented and overstated, both in scientific publications and social debate.
- The controversy surrounding the use of medical treatments has taken focus away from what the individualized care and treatment is intended to achieve for individuals seeking support from NHS gender services.
- The rationale for early puberty suppression remains unclear, with weak evidence regarding the impact on gender dysphoria, mental, or psychosocial health. The effect on cognitive and psychosexual development remains unknown.
- The use of masculinizing/feminizing hormones in those under the age of 18 also presents many unknowns, despite their longstanding use in the adult transgender population. The lack of long-term follow-up data on those commencing treatment at an earlier age means we have inadequate information about the range of outcomes for this group.
- Clinicians are unable to determine with any certainty which children and young people will go on to have an enduring trans identity.
- For most young people, a medical pathway will not be the best way to manage their gender-related distress. For those for whom a medical pathway is clinically indicated, it is not enough to provide this without also addressing wider mental health and/or psychosocially challenging problems.
- Innovation is important if medicine is to move forward, but there must be a proportionate level of monitoring, oversight and regulation that does not stifle progress while preventing creep of unproven approaches into clinical practice. Innovation must draw from and contribute to the evidence base.
The report’s recommendations include:
- Children/young people referred to NHS gender services must receive a holistic assessment of their needs to inform an individualized care plan. This should include screening for neurodevelopmental conditions, including autism spectrum disorder, and a mental health assessment.
- Standard evidence-based psychological and psychopharmacological treatment approaches should be used to support the management of the associated distress from gender incongruence and co-occurring conditions, including support for parents/caregivers and siblings, as appropriate.
- Services should establish a separate pathway for pre-pubertal children and their families, ensuring they are prioritized for early discussion about how parents can best support their child in a balanced and non-judgmental way. When decisions are made about social transition of pre-pubertal children, services should ensure they can be seen as early as possible by a clinical professional with relevant experience.
- There needs to be provision for people who wish to stop or reverse their transition.
- A full program of research should be established to look at the characteristics, interventions and outcomes of every young person presenting to the NHS gender services.
- The option to provide masculinizing/feminizing hormones from age 16 is available, but the Review recommends extreme caution. There should be a clear clinical rationale for providing hormones at this stage rather than waiting until an individual reaches 18.
- The puberty-blocker trial previously announced by NHS England should be part of a program of research that also evaluates outcomes of psychosocial interventions and masculinizing/feminizing hormones.
[The Cass Review. Independent review of gender identity services for children and young people: Final report, April 2024]
Hide Full ContentDisciplinary Action against Dr. Meryl J. Nass
Meryl Jae Nass, M.D., who practiced internal medicine in Ellsworth, Maine, has been disciplined by the Maine Board of Licensure in Medicine. In January 2022, the board issued two orders, one directing her to undergo a neuropsychological examination [1] and the other suspending her license to practice for 30 days pending a full hearing [2]. Both orders indicate that the board had received complaints that she was spreading misinformation about COVID-19 and had inappropriately prescribed invermectin and/or hydroxychloroquine to patients she diagnosed with COVID-19. A hearing notice dated September 30, 2022 indicates that the board was concerned with the quality of her care, the adequacy of her patient records, and her honesty as evidenced by her care of three patients. The notice also indicates that Nass did not cooperate with some of the …
Meryl Jae Nass, M.D., who practiced internal medicine in Ellsworth, Maine, has been disciplined by the Maine Board of Licensure in Medicine. In January 2022, the board issued two orders, one directing her to undergo a neuropsychological examination [1] and the other suspending her license to practice for 30 days pending a full hearing [2]. Both orders indicate that the board had received complaints that she was spreading misinformation about COVID-19 and had inappropriately prescribed invermectin and/or hydroxychloroquine to patients she diagnosed with COVID-19.
A hearing notice dated September 30, 2022 indicates that the board was concerned with the quality of her care, the adequacy of her patient records, and her honesty as evidenced by her care of three patients. The notice also indicates that Nass did not cooperate with some of the board’s investigative requests [3].
In December 2023, after several hearings, the board extended the suspension and placed Nass on probation for two years Bit it but said the suspension could be lifted if she fully complies with the probationary terms, which included the use of a practice monitor. The board also ordered her to pay $10,000—approximately half the cost of the board proceedings [4].
The December 2023 order provides detailed descriptions of her management of the three patients.The charges related to public misinformation have been dropped.
In October 2023, Nass filed suit in federal court against the Main Board of Licensure and its members. The suit alleged that the board was infringing on her freedom of speech and had unfairly conducted its case against her [5]. The board replied that it has followed proper procedures and that state and federal laws protected its individual board members from liability [6]. The court has not yet ruled on these motions.
References
- Order directing evaluation. In Re: Meryl J. Nass, M.D. Maine Board oif Licensure in Medicine, Jan 11, 2022.
- Order of immediate suspension. In Re: Meryl J. Nass, M.D. Maine Board oif Licensure in Medicine, Jan 12, 2022.
- Third amended notice of hearing. In Re: Meryl J. Nass, M.D. Maine Board of Licensure in Medicine, Sept 30, 2022.
- Decision and order. In Re: Meryl J. Nass, M.D. Maine Board of Licensure in Medicine. Dec 12, 2023.
- Complaint. Meryl J. Nass, M.D. v. Maine Board of Licensure in Medicine, U.S. District Court for the District of Maine.Case 1:23-cv-0032, filed Aug 16, 2023.
- Defendants’ motion to dismiss. Meryl J. Nass, M.D. v. Maine Board of Licensure in Medicine. U.S. District Court for the District of Maine.Case 1:23-cv-0032, filed Oct 18, 2023.
- Plaintiffs’ opposition to motion to dismiss. Meryl J. Nass, M.D. v. Maine Board of Licensure in Medicine. U.S. District Court for the District of Maine.Case 1:23-cv-0032, filed Nov 8, 2023.
Consumer Health Digest, Issue #24-14
Complaint filed against physician promoting “holistic” cancer treatments. Tainted red yeast rice supplements linked to serious complications. Medical debt linked to worse population health in the U.S. Food myths debunked. Complaint filed against physician promoting “holistic” cancer treatments. On May 11, 2023, the Indiana Attorney General’s office submitted a complaint to the Indiana Medical Licensing Board accusing Clifford W. Fetters, M.D., of false and misleading advertising, failing to inform patients of side effects of tests and treatments, and not providing a patient with a truthful account of her condition. The state reportedly started receiving complaints from patients’ families starting in 2017. [Kenney K. “I’d like to see him lose his license”: Widowed man hopeful as state files complaint against Carmel doctor. WRTV Indianapolis, March 7, …
- Complaint filed against physician promoting “holistic” cancer treatments.
-
Tainted red yeast rice supplements linked to serious complications.
- Medical debt linked to worse population health in the U.S.
- Food myths debunked.
Complaint filed against physician promoting “holistic” cancer treatments. On May 11, 2023, the Indiana Attorney General’s office submitted a complaint to the Indiana Medical Licensing Board accusing Clifford W. Fetters, M.D., of false and misleading advertising, failing to inform patients of side effects of tests and treatments, and not providing a patient with a truthful account of her condition. The state reportedly started receiving complaints from patients’ families starting in 2017. [Kenney K. “I’d like to see him lose his license”: Widowed man hopeful as state files complaint against Carmel doctor. WRTV Indianapolis, March 7, 2024] The complaint stated:
- Fetters started Health and Wellness of Carmel (“H&W”) in 2006, owns it, and practices medicine there.
- H&W provides holistic medical care for children and adults, offering “Alternative Cancer Treatments,” IV Nutritional Therapy, Integrative Medical Services, Health and Wellness Management, and Aesthetic Services.
- “Alternative cancer treatments” at H&W include holistic cancer treatments, personalized cancer testing, tests for circulating tumor cells, RGCC cancer sensitivity tests, far infrared heat sauna, immune support therapy, supportive oligonucleotide technique (“SOT”), PrimeSPOT, sono- and photo-dynamic therapy, and Vaxo-Q-Re.
- In May 2022, H&W began advertising:
- “through the use of holistic cancer treatment, [H&W] can effectively boost the immune system of [their] patients, as well as eliminate toxins in their body”
- several options for IV therapy for cancer treatment that include vitamin C, vitamin K3, IV ozone therapy, and hyperthermia
- ozone has “many therapeutic properties” and “[c]an be used as part of a therapeutic plan for almost every disease,” including cancer
- vitamin C “may work in killing cancer (chemotherapeutic action)” by “increased production of hydrogen peroxide production (prooxidant), anti-angiogenesis (stop the blood supply that feeds cancer), immune system support (interferon, interleukin, etc.), and anti-inflammatory.”
- According to the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21: (a) “Ozone is a toxic gas with no known useful medical application in specific, adjunctive, or preventive therapy,” and (b) “A number of devices currently on the market generate ozone by design or as a byproduct. Since exposure to ozone above a certain concentration can be injurious to health, any such device will be considered adulterated and/or misbranded.”
- Fetters authored a blog on the H&W website claiming IV therapy helps treat cancer.
- Fetters engaged in misconduct in the treatment of four patients with a variety of treatments. Two of the patients died.
- Fetters advertised tests and treatments not supported by current professional theory or practice and not indicated for specific patients.
- Fetters failed to inform a patient of side effects of treatment offered.
- Fetters failed to give a patient a truthful and candid account of her condition.
- On July 23, 2021, the Indiana Medical Review Panel determined that the evidence supported the conclusion that Fetters failed to meet the applicable standard of care.
Tainted red yeast rice supplements linked to serious complications. Kobayashi Pharmaceutical’s beni kōji red yeast rice supplements have been linked to at least five deaths, 188 hospitalizations, and 1,058 doctor visits. The sicknesses have included kidney failure. Eleven people in Taiwan have reported feeling ill after consuming the supplements. The company has received around 40,000 inquiries from consumers. The cause of the illnesses has not been confirmed, but it is likely a potentially harmful substance derived from blue mold that entered the supplements during the manufacturing process in a batch of products made at the company’s Osaka factory. [Inoue Y. Kobayashi Pharma’s wide supply chain complicates search for tainted products. The Japan Times, April 4, 2024] The first report of illness linked to the supplement came in mid-January but the company didn’t issue a voluntary recall until March 22. [Kageyama Y. Japanese officials inspect 2 factories making health supplements linked to 5 deaths. Associated Press, March 30, 2024] The supplements were promoted for lowering blood cholesterol levels. According to the Mayo Clinic, while red yeast rice can lower cholesterol as statin drug products do, there’s less assurance regarding quality and how much active ingredient is actually in the product.
Medical debt linked to worse population health in the U.S. American Cancer Society researchers have found “consistent associations between medical debt and worse population health across multiple measures, including self-reported unhealthy days, years of life lost due to premature death, and. . . mortality rates.” Their analysis was based on nationwide medical-debt data for U.S. counties from the Urban Institute Debt in America project and health surveillance data from the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps compiled by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. Data for a total of 2,943 counties—93% of all U.S. counties—were included in their analysis. The primary measure of medical debt for each county was the percentage of people with a credit bureau record who have any medical debt in collections. The secondary county measure was the median amount of medical debt among people with any medical debt in collections. [Han X, and others. Associations of medical debt with health status, premature death, and mortality in the US. JAMA Network Open 7(3):e2354766, March 4, 2024]
In a commentary about the study, physicians with the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and the University of Washington, Seattle, concluded:
Surely, everyone can agree that a consequence of accessing health care should not be worse health. For those who incur medical debt, this unfortunately appears to be their reality. The authors’ findings suggest that investing resources into debt prevention and mitigation may ultimately conserve downstream medical costs by improving population-level health. This is a key implication of the study. Our collective action today to address unsustainable debt may pay off substantial dividends in the future with dollars and lives saved. [Su CT, Ramsey SD. Medical debt—An iatrogenic epidemic with mortal consequences. JAMA Network Open 7(3):e2354707, March 4, 2024]
Another recent article describes the struggles of people in the southwestern Denver neighborhood of Westwood. This area has some of the highest levels of medical debt in Colorado where more than 20% of adults have historically had unpaid medical bills on their credit reports. [Bichell RE, Toomer L. Medical debt affects much of America, but Colorado immigrants are hit especially hard. KFF Health News, April 3, 2024]
Food myths debunked. In Does Coffee Cause Cancer? And 8 More Myths about the Food We Eat (ECW Press, 2023), Dr. Christopher Labos, a health columnist, podcaster, Montreal resident, and cardiologist with a master’s degree in epidemiology, discusses how sloppy science perpetuates popular misconceptions about food. In his book, the author discusses, among other things, whether vitamin C prevents the common cold, whether hot dogs are as bad as cigarettes, and whether red wine is good for your heart. A recording of Dr. Labos’s Skeptical Inquirer Presents talk on April 4, 2024 is also available.
Consumer Health Digest is a free weekly e-mail newsletter edited by William M. London, Ed.D., M.P.H., with help from Stephen Barrett, M.D., It summarizes scientific reports; legislative developments; enforcement actions; other news items; Web site evaluations; recommended and nonrecommended books; research tips; and other information relevant to consumer protection and consumer decision-making. The Digest’s primary focus is on health, but occasionally it includes non-health scams and practical tips. Items posted to this archive may be updated when relevant information becomes available. To subscribe, click here.
Hide Full ContentConsumer Health Digest, Issue #24-13
FDA warns about pain-relief products containing excessive drug doses. Researchers raise doubts about CBD products promoted for pain relief. FDA criticized for settling lawsuit by ivermectin-misinformation promoters. Lawsuit alleges Women’s Cancer Fund is sham charity. FDA warns about pain-relief products containing excessive drug doses. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers not to use certain over-the-counter analgesic (pain relief) products marketed for use on the skin to relieve pain before, during, or after cosmetic procedures such as microdermabrasion, laser hair removal, tattooing and piercing. [FDA warns consumers to avoid certain topical pain relief products due to potential for dangerous health effects. FDA news release, March 26, 2024] Some of these products are labeled to contain ingredients such as lidocaine at concentrations higher …
- FDA warns about pain-relief products containing excessive drug doses.
- Researchers raise doubts about CBD products promoted for pain relief.
- FDA criticized for settling lawsuit by ivermectin-misinformation promoters.
- Lawsuit alleges Women’s Cancer Fund is sham charity.
FDA warns about pain-relief products containing excessive drug doses. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers not to use certain over-the-counter analgesic (pain relief) products marketed for use on the skin to relieve pain before, during, or after cosmetic procedures such as microdermabrasion, laser hair removal, tattooing and piercing. [FDA warns consumers to avoid certain topical pain relief products due to potential for dangerous health effects. FDA news release, March 26, 2024] Some of these products are labeled to contain ingredients such as lidocaine at concentrations higher than what is permitted for over-the-counter, topical pain-relief products. The FDA is aware of reports of adverse events related to these products. When these products are applied in ways that could lead to increased absorption through the skin, they can result in serious injury such as irregular heartbeat, seizures, and breathing difficulties. These products may also interact with medications or dietary supplements a consumer is taking. The FDA has issued warning letters for marketing these products in violation of federal law to six companies:
- TKTX Company: TKTX Numb Maximum Strength Pain Reliever, Mithra+ 10% Lidocaine, TKTX During Procedure Numbing Gel 40%, and J-CAIN cream [LIDOCAINE] 29.9%
- SeeNext Venture, Ltd.: NumbSkin 5% Lidocaine Numbing Cream (15 grams), NumbSkin 5% Lidocaine Numbing Cream (30 grams), and NumbSkin 10.56% Lidocaine Numbing Cream
- Tattoo Numbing Cream Co.: Signature Tattoo Numbing Cream and Miracle Numb Spray
- Sky Bank Media, LLC, doing business as Painless Tattoo Co.: Painless Tattoo Numbing Cream and Painless Tattoo Numbing Spray
- Dermal Source, Inc.: New & Improved Blue Gel, Superior Super Juice, Premium Pro Plus, Five-Star Vasocaine, and Maximum Zone 1
- Indelicare, doing business as INKEEZE: INKEEZE Original B Numb Numbing Gel, INKEEZE B Numb Numbing Spray Black Label, and INKEEZE B Numb Numbing Foam Soap
The FDA has warned consumers about similar products over the past decade. It recommends against:
- using over-the-counter (OTC) pain-relief products with more than 4% lidocaine on the skin
- applying OTC pain-relief products heavily over large areas of skin or to irritated or broken skin
- wrapping skin treated with OTC pain-relief products with plastic wrap or other dressings, which can increase the chance of serious side effects
Researchers raise doubts about CBD products promoted for pain relief. Based on their literature review of cannabidiol (CBD) products’ purity, harmful effects, and effectiveness, researchers from the U.K. and the University of Alberta have concluded: “For people living with pain, the evidence for CBD or hemp extract shows it is expensive, does not work, and is possibly harmful.” [Moore A, and others. Cannabidiol (CBD) products for pain: Ineffective, expensive, and with potential harms. The Journal of Pain, 25(4):833-842, 2024] Their key findings were:
- CBD products have varying amounts of CBD, from none to much more than advertised.
- CBD products may contain other chemicals that may be harmful.
- Out of 16 randomized clinical trials for pain using pharmaceutical CBD in oral, buccal/sublingual, and topical forms, 15 found no greater pain-relieving effect for CBD than for placebo.
- Meta-analyses link CBD to increased rates of serious adverse events and liver toxicity.
FDA criticized for settling lawsuit by ivermectin-misinformation promoters. Business columnist Michael Hiltzik has criticized the FDA for settling a lawsuit brought by three physicians in 2022 claiming the FDA’s advisories improperly discouraged the use of the anti-parasite drug ivermectin for treating or preventing COVID-19. [Hiltzik M. FDA shoots itself in the foot by settling a groundless lawsuit over its ivermectin warnings. Los Angeles Times, March 26, 2024] The agency settled the case by agreeing to delete three social media posts and a consumer advisory titled “Why You Should Not Use Ivermectin to Treat or Prevent COVID-19.” A federal judge in Texas had thrown out their case, but the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated it last year, returning it to the original judge for reconsideration. Hiltzik reported the FDA said it chose to resolve this lawsuit rather than continuing to litigate over statements that are between two and nearly four years old. Hiltzik called the settlement a blunder, however, because:
- “It leaves on the books the 5th Circuit’s adverse ruling, in which a panel of three judges found that the FDA’s advisory crossed the line from informing consumers, which they said is all right, to recommending that consumers take some action, which they said is not all right.”
- The 5th Circuit’s ruling was a misinterpretation of the law, which might be used to litigate against the FDA for:
- current consumer advisories such as “Don’t believe the hype. . . Some unscrupulous providers offer stem cell products that are both unapproved and unproven. So, beware of potentially dangerous procedures.”
- future advisories that discourage product misuse.
- Unwary consumers may be misled by announcements from the plaintiffs’ camp, such as:
- “‘The FDA loses its war on ivermectin”
- the case was about “FDA overreach into the doctor–patient relationship.”
- a tweet posted by Bowden endorsed by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., a leading source of healthcare disinformation.
Lawsuit alleges Women’s Cancer Fund is sham charity. The Federal Trade Commission and 10 states are suing Cancer Recovery Foundation International (also known as Women’s Cancer Fund) and its operator, Gregory B. Anderson, for deceiving donors. The 10 states are California, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin. [FTC, 10 states take action against operator of sham cancer charity for deceiving donors. FTC press release, March 11, 2024] The government’s complaint, filed in federal court, alleges:
- Between 2017 and 2022, Women’s Cancer Fund collected more than $18.25 million from donors, promising donors their gift would go to directly help cancer patients and their families who were in need and assist them with basic living expenses such as rent, utilities, and food for their children. Instead, however, the overwhelming majority of the donations benefited Anderson and the for-profit fundraisers he hired.
- Only $194,809—roughly 1%— was spent directly on helping women with cancer, while Anderson paid himself over $775,139 and paid the for-profit fundraisers he worked with over $15.55 million (85% of the total raised). The remaining amount went to paying for defendants’ overhead expenses.
Consumer Health Digest is a free weekly e-mail newsletter edited by William M. London, Ed.D., M.P.H., with help from Stephen Barrett, M.D., It summarizes scientific reports; legislative developments; enforcement actions; other news items; Web site evaluations; recommended and nonrecommended books; research tips; and other information relevant to consumer protection and consumer decision-making. The Digest’s primary focus is on health, but occasionally it includes non-health scams and practical tips. Items posted to this archive may be updated when relevant information becomes available. To subscribe, click here.
Hide Full ContentConsumer Health Digest, Issue #24-12
Sham health insurance seller Benefytt Technologies must refund $100 million. Investigation spotlights misleading videos discouraging hormonal contraception. Doctor in Australia banned from offering naturopathic cancer treatments. Sham health insurance seller Benefytt Technologies must refund $100 million. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has announced that Benefytt Technologies has agreed to a settlement that: (a) requires the company to pay $100 million that will provide refunds to 463,629 consumers; and (b) prohibits the company from lying about its products or charging illegal junk fees. Separate orders permanently banned Benefytt’s former CEO (Gavin D. Southwell) and a former vice president of sales (Amy E. Brady) from selling or marketing any healthcare-related product. The former vice president was also banned from telemarketing. [FTC sends nearly $100 million in refunds …
- Sham health insurance seller Benefytt Technologies must refund $100 million.
- Investigation spotlights misleading videos discouraging hormonal contraception.
- Doctor in Australia banned from offering naturopathic cancer treatments.
Sham health insurance seller Benefytt Technologies must refund $100 million. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has announced that Benefytt Technologies has agreed to a settlement that: (a) requires the company to pay $100 million that will provide refunds to 463,629 consumers; and (b) prohibits the company from lying about its products or charging illegal junk fees. Separate orders permanently banned Benefytt’s former CEO (Gavin D. Southwell) and a former vice president of sales (Amy E. Brady) from selling or marketing any healthcare-related product. The former vice president was also banned from telemarketing. [FTC sends nearly $100 million in refunds to consumers harmed by Benefytt Technologies’ sham health plans. FTC press release, March 18, 2024]
According to the FTC’s August 2022 complaint:
- Benefytt and its third-party partners operated a series of deceptive websites that targeted consumers who were searching for comprehensive health insurance plans that qualified under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
- Sales agents pitched Benefytt’s sham plans even though they were not ACA-qualified health plans and lacked key elements.
- Consumers were led to believe they were buying comprehensive health insurance and were then charged hundreds of dollars per month for Benefytt products and services that often left them unprotected.
Investigation spotlights misleading videos discouraging hormonal contraception. According to a report by The Washington Post, popular videos on TikTok, Instagram, and other social media platforms targeting teens and young adults are vilifying hormonal contraception, including birth control pills and intrauterine devices, and often spreading misinformation. [Weber L, Malhi S. Women are getting off birth control amid misinformation explosion. The Washington Post, March 21, 2024] Examples include:
- A video by Nicole Bendayan, 29, about how she got off birth control and became a “cycle-syncing nutritionist” who teaches women how to live “in tune” with their menstrual cycles, has been viewed 10.5 million times. Bendayan, while not a licensed medical specialist, has more than one million combined followers on Instagram and TikTok for her holistic-health coaching business. She claims birth control depletes various vitamin and mineral levels. According to the report, she charges hundreds of dollars for a three-month virtual program that includes analyses of blood panels for what she calls hormonal imbalances. Like some other social media influencers, she promotes unproven hormone balancing regimes. Following an inquiry by The Washington Post, TikTok removed at least five videos linking birth control to mental health issues and other problems, including one in which Bendayan falsely claimed certain forms of birth control could make users more susceptible to sexually transmitted infections.
- A video in which Brett Cooper, a media commentator for the conservative Daily Wire, argued falsely that birth control can impact fertility, cause women to gain weight, and even alter their perception of who they find attractive. The video received more than 200,000 likes but TikTok removed it following The Washington Post’s inquiry.
The Washington Post report notes that few data are available about the extent of the birth control misinformation problem. It also discusses a journal article published last year by Duke University Medical Center researchers who identified the top 100 videos on TikTok tagged #IUD. Fifty-three of the videos presented scientific claims in English. Of those, 51% were rated highly accurate, 19% were moderately accurate, 19% moderately inaccurate, and 6% highly inaccurate. [Wu J, and others. TikTok, #IUD, and user experience with intrauterine devices reported on social media. Obstetrics & Gynecology 141:215-217, 2023]
Another Post article discusses: (a) the more than 99% effectiveness of long-acting reversible contraceptives (Nexplanon implant and IUDs); (b) side effects of birth control pills and IUDs; (c) the effectiveness of fertility awareness-based methods (natural family planning); (d) the lack of evidence of a definitive link between birth control pills and weight gain; (e) the rarity of negative mood changes for women taking oral contraceptives; and (f) the lack of evidence birth control causes personality changes or has an impact on your perception of who you find attractive. [Malhi S, Weber L. Debunking common birth-control misconceptions. The Washington Post, March 21, 2024]
Doctor in Australia banned from offering naturopathic cancer treatments. South Australia’s Health and Community Services Complaints Commissioner has imposed an interim prohibition order (IPO) prohibiting Dr. Karl “Horst” Poehlmann of Barossa Naturopaths at Angaston from:
- “providing health services, namely naturopathy” to treat cancer and cancer-related symptoms
- “offering, advertising, or otherwise promoting” naturopathy as a cancer treatment option
The IPO will last up to 12 weeks but could be renewed if investigations continue. The commissioner said the action was in response to “allegations about the provision of an inappropriate diet plan and ozone therapy.” Dr. Poehlmann is not among the listed health practitioners on the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency website.
The Barossa Naturopaths website stated that Poehlmann:
- “graduated as a medical doctor from the University of Erlangen” in Germany
- had a PhD in “radiation treatments in cancer”
- was proficient in “numerous healing modalities like acupuncture, chiropractics [sic], neural therapy, homoeopathy, resonance treatment . . . and so many others that it makes no sense to try and list them all”
- was over 80 and still working
Poehlmann told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation he had retired and the claims against him related to information he had provided to a friend. [Naturopath banned from promoting service as cancer treatment after health complaint. ABC News (Australia), March 20, 2024]
Consumer Health Digest is a free weekly e-mail newsletter edited by William M. London, Ed.D., M.P.H., with help from Stephen Barrett, M.D., It summarizes scientific reports; legislative developments; enforcement actions; other news items; Web site evaluations; recommended and nonrecommended books; research tips; and other information relevant to consumer protection and consumer decision-making. The Digest’s primary focus is on health, but occasionally it includes non-health scams and practical tips. Items posted to this archive may be updated when relevant information becomes available. To subscribe, click here.
Hide Full ContentConsumer Health Digest: Index of COVID-19 News Briefs
Consumer Health Digest is a free weekly e-mail newsletter edited by William M. London, Ed.D., M.P.H., with help from Stephen Barrett, M.D. It summarizes scientific reports; legislative developments; enforcement actions; news reports; Web site evaluations; recommended and nonrecommended books; and other information relevant to consumer protection and consumer decision-making. The Digest’s primary focus is on health, but occasionally it includes non-health scams and practical tips. This page indexes our information about COVID-19. They are arranged by topics with the most recent briefs first. To subscribe to Consumer Health Digest, click here. Chiropractors Anti-COVID-vaccine chiropractors in Kansas spotlighted (10/17/21) Vaccination alarmism by chiropractors spotlighted (10/10/21) School district stops accepting mask opt-out forms signed by chiropractors (9/5/21) Georgia chiropractors discouraging COVID-19 vaccination (5/23/21) Misinformation by chiropractors about COVID-19 scrutinized (11/22/20) …
Consumer Health Digest is a free weekly e-mail newsletter edited by William M. London, Ed.D., M.P.H., with help from Stephen Barrett, M.D. It summarizes scientific reports; legislative developments; enforcement actions; news reports; Web site evaluations; recommended and nonrecommended books; and other information relevant to consumer protection and consumer decision-making. The Digest’s primary focus is on health, but occasionally it includes non-health scams and practical tips. This page indexes our information about COVID-19. They are arranged by topics with the most recent briefs first. To subscribe to Consumer Health Digest, click here.
Chiropractors
- Anti-COVID-vaccine chiropractors in Kansas spotlighted (10/17/21)
- Vaccination alarmism by chiropractors spotlighted (10/10/21)
- School district stops accepting mask opt-out forms signed by chiropractors (9/5/21)
- Georgia chiropractors discouraging COVID-19 vaccination (5/23/21)
- Misinformation by chiropractors about COVID-19 scrutinized (11/22/20)
- Chiropractor tailoring practice-building pitch to pandemic (6/28/20)
- Chiropractic claims about COVID-19 immunity challenged (5/24/20)
- Chiropractor ordered to stop marketing homeopathic COVID-19 treatment (4/19/20)
- British Columbia regulators warn chiropractors and naturopaths about COVID-19 claims (3/22/20)
Civil and Criminal Actions
- Promoter of silver products to cure COVID-19 arrested (8/22/23)
- Co-founder of America’s Frontline Doctors sued (4/23/23)
- Alleged fake COVID-19 vaccine card sellers indicted (3/26/23)
- “Healing magnet” device promoters indicted (2/19/23)
- Fake COVID-19 vaccination schemer sentenced (12/4/22)
- Founder of fringe doctor group sentenced for January 6 activities (7/3/22)
- Stem-cell marketers agree to stop deceptive advertising (7/3/22)
- COVID-19 immunization and vaccination-card fraudster pleads guilty (3/10/22)
- Delicensed Port Angeles, Washington, naturopath sentenced to prison (4/3/22)
- US Stemology sued for deceptive stem-cell treatment marketing (3/20/22)
- Arkansas inmates sue jail over improper COVID-19 treatment (1/23/22)
- Former naturopath (Richard Marschall) convicted of felony for trafficking COVID-19 nostrum (10/31/21)
- Anti-vaccine cardiologist sued, risks loss of board certification (10/10/21
- COVID-19 “miracle cure” promoter pleads guilty (7/25/21)
- Fake COVID-19 immunization and vaccination card peddler arrested (7/18/21)
- Televangelist Jim Bakker to pay for claiming “Silver Solution” cures coronavirus (6/27/21)
- Marketers of bleach “miracle cure” indict ed (4/25/21)
- Promoter of vitamin D and zinc for COVID-19 charged with deceptive marketing (4/18/21)
- Three men charged in scheme to sell purported COVID-19 vaccines (2/13/21)
- Missouri state representative indicted in stem cell scheme (2/6/21)
- Seller of pesticide-coated device for virus protection pleads guilty (1/31/21)
- COVID-19 “miracle cure” promoter indicted (12/20/20)
- Civil complaint filed against silver product promoters (11/15/20)
- Promoters of stem cell and ozone treatments for COVID-19 sued (10/4/20)
- Promoter of silver products to cure COVID-19 indicted (8/9/20)
- Marketer of pricey COVID-19 treatments sued (8/2/20)
- Promoter of herbal treatment for COVID-19 indicted (7/19/20)
- Baseless COVID-19 and cancer claims for Thrive supplement barred (7/12/20)
- Criminal charges against promoters of bleach as COVID-19 cure (7/12/20)
- Former naturopath charged for trafficking bogus COVID-19 preventive (5/3/20)
Consumer Behavior
- Susceptibility to COVID-19-related misinformation investigated (11/8/20)
- Research supports increased mask-wearing (10/25/20)
- Spike found in Google searches for unproven COVID-19 drugs (5/3/20)
Consumer Protection
- Naturopath fined for illegally practicing medicine—again (12/17/23)
- ‘Invisible Mask’ marketers banned from making COVID-19 treatment and prevention claims (10/29/24)
- Marketers agree to stop advertising supplements as COVID-19 treatments (8/6/23)
- CDC and FDA correct Florida surgeon general about COVID-19 vaccines (3/19/23)
- doTerra distributors banned from making deceptive COVID-19 claims (2/5/23) and (3/5/23)
- FTC says chiropractor is defying consent order about supplements and COVID (3/14/22)
- FTC sues marketers of COVID-19 herbal tea product (3/6/22)
- Inconsistency of FTC response to COVID-19 quackery spotlighted (2/27/22)
- Promoters of nasal spray to treat and prevent COVID-19 sued (11/7/21)
- Human rights group calls for disciplining doctors who spread COVID-19 misinformation (10/17/21)
- Domain names of phony websites hawking unapproved COVID-19 drugs seized (8/1/21)
- CFI advocating for mature minors seeking COVID-19 vaccination (3/23/21)
- CFI calls for COVID-19 vaccination for teenagers (5/9/21)
- Federal agencies respond to pandemic-era consumer frauds (4/11/14)
- Domain names of three more fake biotech sites seized (4/11/21)
- Another fraud-related COVID-19 domain name seized (3//21/21)
- Mask-wearing against COVID-19 supported by evidence review (1/31/21)
- Social media urged to block antivax “superspreaders (1/17/21)
- COVID-19 vaccine and treatment anti-fraud initiative launched (12/20/20)
- Indian Medical Association slams promotion of AYUSH to prevent COVID-19 (11/1/20)
- Great Barrington Declaration on COVID-19 policies blasted (10/25/20)
- Legal and historical analysis of COVID-19 quackery provided (10/11/20)
- Former FDA Commissioners lambaste Trump administration (10/4/20)
- Recommendations issued to thwart COVID-19 misinformation (9/20/20)
- FDA Commissioner blasted for political cowardice (8/30/20)
- Reporting of “regenerative medicine” harms encouraged (6/21/20)
- Regulatory terminology for potential COVID-19 therapies clarified (6/7/20)
Consumer Resources
- COVID-19 testing-locator website launched (1/29/23)
- COVID-19 quackery database established (9/6/20)
- NewsGuard expands efforts to fight misinformation (8/16/20)
- COVID-19 quackery summaries published (5/31/20)
- Guidance provided for countering conspiracy claims (5/17/20)
- Where to report fraudulent COVID-19 products (4/5/20)
- Skeptical COVID-19 resource page launched (3/29/20)
- Another COVID-19 fact-checking site available (3/22/20)
- COVID-19 consumer resources available (3/15/20)
Court Decisions and Orders
- Patanjali Ayurved advertising temporarily banned in India (3/17/24)
- Defamation suit by COVID-misinformation-spreading doctor dismissed (2/5/23)
- Science prevails in parental COVID-19 vaccine dispute (5/8/22)
- Injunction issued against promoters of silver products to treat COVID-19 (1/2/22)
- Judge orders hospital to treat COVID-19 patient with unapproved drug (9//5/21)
- FTC settles charges against bogus COVID-19 treatment promoter (6/20/21)
- Sellers ordered to stop promoting vitamin D products as COVID-19 treatments (1/17/21)
- Colloidal silver marketers banned from selling unapproved drugs (11/8/20)
- Genesis II operators arrested and ordered to stop selling MMS (8/16/20)
- Web sites hawking COVID-19 vaccine preorders shut down (7/19/20)
- Promoter of bleach nostrum wrote to Trump before his bleach blunder (4/26/20)
- Bogus coronavirus vaccine kit offer stopped (3/22/20)
Dietary Supplements
- Evidence remains lacking for vitamins and zinc as COVID-19 treatment (3/13/22)
- Predatory direct sellers received millions in COVID-related financial relief (8/8/21)
- Herbal drugs used in China against COVID-19 panned (9/6/20)
- Dietary supplements against COVID-19 scrutinized (8/30/20)
- Oleandrin baselessly promoted as COVID-19 therapy (8/23/20)
- Promoter of herbal treatment for COVID-19 indicted (7/19/20)
- Herbalife distributors accused of making false COVID-19 claims (7/5/20)
Drugs (Questionable)
- Ivermectin fails as COVID-19 treatment in major clinical trial (10/30/22)
- Marketers targeting people with lingering COVID-19 symptoms (6/5/22)
- Ryan Cole, M.D. accused of additional wrongdoing (5/22/22)
- Ivermectin treatment of COVID-19 fails major clinical trial (4/3/22)
- Spending on ivermectin prescribed for COVID-19 estimated (1/16/22)
- Doctor loses hospital privileges for treating COVID-19 patients with ivermectin (12/26/21)
- Article recommending dubious COVID-19 treatment retracted (12/26/21)
- House Coronavirus Subcommittee investigating COVID-19 nostrum promoters (11/7/21)
- Consumers warned against using nebulized hydrogen peroxide to fight COVID-19 (9/26/21)
- More reason for doubt about ivermectin against COVID-19 (8/29/21)
- Ivermectin poisonings proliferate (8/29/21)
- Medical renegades, telemedicine services hawking bogus COVID-19 drugs (8/29/21)
- Paper promoting ivermectin as COVID-19 therapy retracted (8/1/21)
- Ivermectin panned for COVID-19 treatment and prevention (3/14/21)
- “America’s Frontline Doctors” found to be on the COVID-19 fringe (8/2/20)
- Spike found in Google searches for unproven COVID-19 drugs (5/3/20)
- Lupus, arthritis patients face shortages of drugs hyped for COVID-19 (3/22/20)
Homeopathy
- Liver injury due to improperly manufactured homeopathic product reported (7/17/22)
- Ben Carson’s homeopathic COVID treatment endorsement lambasted (12/6/20)
- Chiropractor ordered to stop marketing homeopathic COVID-19 treatment (4/19/20)
Hucksters
- UCI researchers scrutinize marketing of stem cell treatments for COVID-19 (12/31/23)
- Disinformation disseminator, Rashid Buttar, dead at 57 (6/4/23)
- doTerra distributors caught promoting COVID-19 nostrums (2/6/22)
- Another anti-vax doctor profiled (1/23/22)
- Rise and fall of multilevel-marketed mud product spotlighted (12/5/21)
- Mercola complains about being criticized (8/8/21)
- Ben Carson’s homeopathic COVID treatment endorsement lambasted (12/6/20)
- Civil complaint filed against silver product promoters (11/15/20)
- Colloidal silver marketers banned from selling unapproved drugs (11/8/20)
- Promoters of stem cell and ozone treatments for COVID-19 sued (10/4/20)
- Television commercial for ZShield face shields criticized (9/20/20)
- Oleandrin baselessly promoted as COVID-19 therapy (8/23/20)
- Ads for intravenous nutrients against COVID-19 blasted (8/23/20)
- Genesis II operators arrested and ordered to stop selling MMS (8/16/20)
- Promoter of silver products to cure COVID-19 indicted (8/9/20)
- Excessive billing for COVID-19 testing exposed (8/9/20)
- Marketer of pricey COVID-19 treatments sued (8/2/20)
- Marketing of “stem cell treatments” for COVID-19 blasted (7/26/20)
- Groups call for enforcement against Mercola (7/26/20)
- Web sites hawking COVID-19 vaccine preorders shut down (7/19/20)
- Promoter of herbal treatment for COVID-19 indicted (7/19/20)
- Mask-exemption fakery exposed (7/19/20)
- Baseless COVID-19 and cancer claims for Thrive supplement barred (7/12/20)
- Criminal charges against promoters of bleach as COVID-19 cure (7/12/20)
- Former naturopath charged for trafficking bogus COVID-19 preventive (5/3/20)
- Rick Perry hawking unproven stem cell prevention of COVID-19 (7/12/20)
- Herbalife distributors accused of making false COVID-19 claims (7/5/20)
- COVID-19 quackery summaries published (5/31/20)
- FTC warns about coronavirus scams (3/22/20)
- Bogus COVID-19 prevention and treatment exposed (3/15/20)
- Sellers of legitimate COVID-19 protection supplies ordered to stop price gouging (3/15/20)
Licensing Board Actions
- Restrictions placed on medical license of egregious promoter of COVID-19 disinformation (1/14/24)
- Doctor who claimed vaccines magnetize people has her medical license suspended (8/13/23)
- License restrictions placed on prescriber of ivermectin to treat COVID-19 (7/30/23)
- Vaccine-waiver seller surrenders medical license (6/18/23)
- Thomas E. Levy, M.D. admonished for bad COVID-19 advice (3/12/23)
- Prescriber of ivermectin to treat COVID-19 placed on probation (2/5/23)
- Ryan N. Cole, M.D., charged for COVID-related misconduct (1/22/23)
- Telemedicine doctor who prescribed ivermectin to treat COVID-19 no longer licensed (10/30/22)
- Misconduct by anti-vaccine doctor alleged (10/9/22)
- Anti-vax nurse suspended.(10/2/22)
- Naturopath accused of writing vaccine-exemption letters has license suspended (7/31/22)
- Family doctor who promoted COVID-19 misinformation suspended (5/15/22)
- COVID-19 misinformation-spreading physician suspended (4/3/22)
- COVID-19-misinformation-promoting doctor to face disciplinary panel (2/27/22)
- More details on Stoller discipline available (2/27/22)
- Improper COVID-19-related conduct of Canadian physicians spotlighted (1/23/22)
- License of another vaccination-misinformation promoter suspended (1/16/22)
- Report calls for delicensing doctors who spread disinformation (12/19/21)
- Another doctor disciplined for spreading COVID-19 misinformation (12/12/21)
- State medical boards see increase in COVID-19 disinformation complaints (12/12/21)
- Corrective action taken against prescriber of dubious COVID-19 treatment (11/7/21)
- Another “vaccine exemption” provider is disciplined (9/24/21)
- Anti-mask doctor’s medical license revoked (9/19/21)
- “Integrated medicine” doctor’s license suspended (8/15/21)
- COVID-19 misinformation promoter surrenders medical license (2/6/21)
- Medical license of anti-mask doctor suspended (12/13/20)
“Miracle Mineral Solution”
- Genesis II operators arrested and ordered to stop selling MMS (8/16/20)
- Criminal charges against promoters of bleach as COVID-19 cure (7/12/20)
- Promoter of bleach nostrum wrote to Trump before his bleach blunder (4/26/20)
Misinformation
- Promoting COVID-19 misinformation found to be lucrative for four nonprofits (2/25/24)
- NewsGuard identifies over 300 false vaccine-related internet narratives (2/25/24)
- Lifestyle brand for conservatives, The Wellness Company, painted as “grifty.” (12/167/23)
- Vaccine hesitancy and COVID-19 misinformation belief increasing in the U.S. (11/12/23)
- Report spotlights RFK Jr.’s harmful anti-vaccine propaganda (10/22/23)
- Charitable funds funnel money to anti-vaccine organizations (10/22/23)
- Mercola loses lawsuit to access videos from his banned YouTube channel (9/17/23)
- RFK, Jr., fact-checked on vaccines, autism, and COVID-19 (9/3/23)
- Expert spotlights Novak Djokovic’s health nonsense (9/3/23)
- U.S. public’s exposure to health misinformation is widespread, poll says (8/27/23)
- COVID-19 misinformation-promoting physicians are rarely punished (8/22/23)
- Science advocate pans COVID-19 conspiracy movie (6/11/23)
- Misinformation peddlers exploiting Twitter Blue verification (4/9/23)
- Study finds prevention counters conspiracy beliefs (4/9/23)
- Overconfidence linked to opposing scientific consensus (1/8/23)
- Low science literacy and lack of critical-thinking education linked to conspiracy beliefs (1/8/23)
- Anti-vaccine “documentary” debunked (11/27/22)
- California law bans physicians from lying to their patients about COVID-19 (10/30/22)
- Experts slam Florida Surgeon General’s COVID-19 vaccine recommendation (12/16/22)
- Children’s Health Defense suspended from Facebook, Instagram (8/21/22)
- Alberta politician’s false claims lambasted (7/31/22)
- AMA releases strategy to combat public-health disinformation (6/26/22)
- COVID-19 misinformation in neurosurgery journal blasted (5/29/22)
- COVID-19 misinformation super-spreader Steve Kirsch spotlighted 5/29/22)
- Christiane Northrup’s COVID-19 disinformation efforts spotlighted (5/22/22)
- U.S. Senator Ron Johnson’s COVID-19 disinformation scrutinized (5/22/22)
- Center for Inquiry helps federal analysis of COVID misinformation (5/8/22)
- Medical board advocacy agency adopts misinformation/disinformation policy (5/8/22)
- Video blaming COVID-19 on snake venom debunked (5/1/22)
- U.S. Senate candidate has promoted dubious health products (5/1/22)
- Videos to combat vaccine misinformation released (3/6/22)
- Misinformation from Physicians for Informed Consent spotlighted (2/20/22)
- Del Bigtree’s ICAN misinformation business thriving during the pandemic (2/6/22)
- Joe Rogan’s COVID-19 misinformation statements spotlighted (2/6/22)
- Substack profiting from anti-vaccination misinformation (1/29/22)
- Spotify responds to anti-misinformation backlash with COVID-19 content advisory (1/29/22)
- Health experts call on Spotify to moderate misinformation on its platform (1/16/22)
- Anti-vaccine podcast episode removed from YouTube (1/9/22)
- Another disinformation-spreader spotlighted (1/9/22)
- Twitter restricts Marjorie Taylor Greene (1/2/22)
- COVID-misinformation-promoting pathologist under investigation (1/2/22)
- U.S. adults’ COVID-19 misbeliefs persist (12/19/21)
- Far-right extremists using COVID-19 to spread misinformation on Telegram (12/19/21)
- Anti-vaccination activities of RFK Jr. spotlighted (12/19/21)
- COVID-19 misinformation promoter resigns hospital privileges (11/28/21)
- Nurses warned against spreading COVID-19 misinformation (11/21/21)
- Guide to avoid being misled by COVID-19 conspiracy theories issued (11/21/21)
- Physician accused of spreading dangerous COVID-19 misinformation loses hospital privileges (11/14/21)
- Report finds beliefs in COVID-19 vaccine misconceptions are common (11/14/21)
- Opponents of disinformation from healthcare providers speak out (11/7/21)
- More COVID-19 vaccine-misinformation-promoting physicians spotlighted (10/24/21)
- Cell-based COVID-19 treatment hyperbole denounced (10/24/21)
- Fox News criticized for promoting false information about COVID-19 vaccination (10/10/21
- YouTube expands vaccine misinformation policy (10/3/21)
- YouTube terminates channels of leading anti-vaccine activists (10/3/21)
- Anti-mask doctor’s medical license revoked (9/19/21)
- More physician organizations warn against spreading COVID-19 misinformation (9/19/21)
- Dr. Sherri Tenpenny’s COVID-19 misinformation gospel spotlighted (9/19/21)
- COVID-19 misinformation found on 7% of popular news and information websites (9/12/21)
- Board-certified emergency physicians must not promote misinformation (9/5/21)
- Medical boards fail to thwart COVID-19 misinformation spreaders
- New York Times calls Mercola the most influential COVID-19 misinformation spreader (7/25/21)
- Surgeon General calls for actions against health misinformation (7/18/21)
- COVID-19 vaccine denialists sounding false alarms based on VAERS data (7/11/21)
- Rudy Giuliani wins 2021 Full of Bull Award (6/28/21)
- Complaints filed against Canadian health professionals who spread COVID-19 misinformation
- Mercola’s COVID-19 book blasted (6/6/21)
- YouTube takes down vaccine disinformation channel (5/23/21)
- “Health freedom” antivax entrepreneurs attract criticism.(5/16/21)
- Credentialed promoters of COVID-19 falsehoods spotlighted (5/2/21)
- COVID-19 vaccine doomsaying denounced (4/4/21)
- Online anti-vaccine course investigated (3/29/21)
- More guidance for combating COVID-19 misinformation offered (3/28/21)
- Vaccine misinformation field guide available. (2/6/21)
- “Intuition-based medicine” promoter Christiane Northrup profiled [1/21/17)
- COVID-19 vaccine misinformation report released (12/6/20)
- Anti-mask psychiatrist scrutinized (10/18/20)
- “Miracle cures” found to be most common pandemic misinformation topic (10/4/20)
- Science and health authorities attack pandemic misinformation (9/27/20)
- Belief in COVID-19 misinformation found to be widespread (9/27/20)
- Authenticity of many coronavirus-related domain names doubted (9/13/20)
- YouTube removes anti-mask video (8/9/20)
- “America’s Frontline Doctors” found to be on the COVID-19 fringe (8/2/20)
- COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs associated with social media use (6/21/20)
- Ty Bollinger’s mask advice debunked (6/7/20)
- “Super-spreaders” of COVID-19 misinformation identified (5/24/20)
- Guidance provided for countering conspiracy claims (5/17/20)
Naturopaths
- Role for naturopaths against COVID-19 refuted (4/25/20)
- British Columbia regulators warn chiropractors and naturopaths about COVID-19 claims (3/22/20)
Silver Products
- Civil complaint filed against silver product promoters (11/15/20)
- Colloidal silver marketers banned from selling unapproved drugs (11/8/20)
- Promoter of silver products to cure COVID-19 indicted (8/9/20)
Warnings to Marketers
- Mercola gets fourth warning letter (5/16/21)
- FDA warning letters to COVID-19 quackery sellers analyzed (10/11/20)
- Ads for intravenous nutrients against COVID-19 blasted (8/23/20)
- Marketers warned about coronavirus claims (3/15/20)