bullshit
If there’s one thing Robert F. Kennedy Jr. knows how to do, it’s to turn public health into performance art. This year’s most expensive commercial—airing during Super Bowl LX—wasn’t about cars, beer, or even crypto. It was about butter. And beef tallow. The ad, titled “The Fight of My Life,” showed a misty‑eyed Mike Tyson reminiscing about his sister’s death, his own struggles with junk food, and his new “fight” for America’s health. Then came the punchline: “Processed Food Kills.” As the tear streaks dried, the nation was directed to Realfood.gov, the Kennedy‑backed campaign for dietary redemption.
It may have looked like a public‑service announcement but, in truth, it was a $10 million morality play written by the Make America Healthy Again Center, a nonprofit fundraising off the idea that kale and ketosis can save civilization. Tyson might have been in black‑and‑white, but Kennedy’s fingerprints—messianic, conspiratorial, and slightly greasy with butterfat—were everywhere.
The Realfood.gov guidelines mark Kennedy’s biggest policy move yet: an official endorsement of meat, lard, and “ancestral eating.” The new pyramid, or as Kennedy calls it “the Flipped Pyramid,” positions steak above grains—literally and figuratively. Sugar is treated like a biological weapon, while “seed oils” are branded the new nicotine. It’s a nutrition plan designed for the modern age—if the modern age were 1826. The rhetoric of “real food” has a populist ring, but the science behind it is as wobbly as a gelatin mold. Nowhere are there meaningful public‑health solutions for Americans who can’t afford grass‑fed ribeye or artisanal butter.
Then came the twist only 2026 could deliver: Kennedy’s nutrition crusade teamed up with Elon Musk’s AI, Grok, to help Americans “get real answers about real food.” What could possibly go wrong? Plenty, it turns out! Within days, Grok was trending for explaining which vegetables are safest for “alternative use,” prompting Musk to tweet that “vegetables are best enjoyed orally.” The government quietly deleted Grok’s name, a digital walk of shame across cyberspace. It was the perfect metaphor for Kennedy’s health vision: self‑righteous, tech‑obsessed, and totally incapable of predicting the obvious glitch.
When critics pointed out that 70% of the American food supply is ultra‑processed because people can’t afford fresh alternatives, Kennedy’s defenders shouted “Big Food propaganda.” When nutrition experts questioned the pseudoscientific obsession with “ancestral fats,” they were accused of suppressing the truth. The result is a movement that treats dietary policy like a crusade, replacing science with sanctimony and public health with personality cult. Kennedy isn’t reforming nutrition—he’s branding it.
In the end, the MAHA campaign isn’t really about saving Americans from junk food. It’s about saving Robert F. Kennedy Jr. from irrelevance. By mixing Super Bowl spectacle, Silicon Valley tech, and nostalgia for the “real food” of an imagined past, Kennedy has served up his own special dish: a reheated and stale serving of populist showmanship seasoned with pseudoscience and self‑importance.
- “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 WHO says it is sifting the wheat from the chaff in order to save lives – but critics fear it is pandering to India and China; this TELEGRAPH article is worth reading in full; here I will merely quote a few passages from it.
Mongolian shamans beat wicker drums to summon ancestral spirits. A Peruvian man in a headdress unleashes a piercing ululation. And a man from Kentucky tells me the body can rid itself of cancer if you eat the right shrubs. It is a line-up one might expect at the healing field at Glastonbury but this is a conference centre in New Delhi and the event has been organised by the World Health Organization; the WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine. It’s the second gathering of its kind, following an inaugural meeting in Gujarat in 2023, and the three-day event has drawn hundreds of delegates from around the world. Alongside yoga instructors, aromatherapists, Chinese herbal practitioners and a small army of homeopaths, sit senior WHO officials, leading scientists and health ministers from across Africa, Asia and Latin America. Only Gwyneth Paltrow and her wellness website Goop is missing. They are here to “harness the potential” of traditional medicine, a catch-all term for practices that pre-date, and sit outside, modern evidence-based healthcare; therapies that for the most part have long been dismissed as quackery by mainstream science. What counts as “traditional medicine” ranges from drinking herbal teas to Indian Ayurveda, a holistic “wellness system” combining oils, herbs, homeopathy, yoga and meditation to “balance” and “heal” the body. To critics – and there are many – the scene is absurd.
So why is the WHO – a global authority on evidence-based health – giving a platform to this stuff? Has it fallen victim to the seductive power of TikTok-based wellness like so many of the west’s middle classes? Or has it – as some critics allege – been bought off by the traditional medicine super powers of India and China? …
The WHO says its Summit on Traditional Medicine is essentially about repeating this sifting process for traditional remedies used in other parts of the world. It aims to apply rigorous scientific analysis to all them in order to properly assess their claimed benefits and potential harms. By 2034, it says, it will publish a definitive list of which traditional treatments work – and which don’t. “Working on traditional medicine doesn’t mean we will use shortcuts or endorse things that are unproven,” Dr Sylvie Briand, the WHO’s Chief Scientist, told The Telegraph at the conference in New Delhi. The aim was first to document what traditional treatments existed around the world “and then see what could be more useful to address the disease of this century”.
One idea is that some traditional practices like yoga and meditation, while perhaps not offering direct curative benefits, could play an important role in preventative medicine. After all, so-called non-communicable diseases, often caused by lifestyle factors such as poor diet, chronic stress and a lack of exercise are now by far the biggest killers across the globe. “Many traditional systems of medicine take a holistic view and focus on strengthening the person as a whole, not just treating isolated symptoms,” Dr Sung Chol Kim, Unit Head for Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine at the WHO told The Telegraph in Delhi. But others are sceptical. They fear the WHO, which is struggling for funding in the wake of the US leaving the organisation and widespread aid cuts, is simply pandering to India and China where traditional medicine is big business. Even if well intentioned, they worry that the discovery process the WHO has set in motion will end up promoting and legitimising quackery. “I think highly of the WHO. However, by giving a platform to traditional medicine practitioners who promote treatments that are unproven – or even disproven – such as homeopathy, the organisation risks legitimising quackery. That, in my view, is both unethical and irresponsible,” said Dr Edzard Ernst, a British-German academic who specialises in the study of complementary and alternative medicine…
Even within the WHO, there is tension over what is being platformed at the summit. One senior official, speaking on condition of anonymity, described homeopathy … as “complete nonsense”. “There is not one shred of evidence anywhere, absolutely anywhere, that suggests it works,” the official said, while acknowledging pressure to engage rather than alienate powerful member states. Dr Ernst, the British-German academic, said: “Many experts are puzzled by this attitude. The most likely explanation is that the WHO is bowing to political will instead of science.” ….
Globally, an estimated 4.6 billion people already use some form of traditional medicine. In sub-Saharan Africa, millions rely on traditional healers as their first – and sometimes only – point of care. Its use can delay access to appropriate treatment, and some practices have been linked to the spread of disease. This week, 41 people were reported to have died after undergoing rituals to initiate them into manhood in South Africa, a central part of which involves unsafe and brutal circumcisions. Another example, common in places like Uganda, Benin, and Burkina Faso, includes small skin incisions into which herbs are rubbed – sometimes referred to as “vaccinations” – increasing the risk of HIV transmission through the reuse of razors and knives. Efforts to regulate practitioners are underway, but progress remains slow. Malawi’s Minister for Health and Sanitation, Madalitso Baloyi, said her government wants clear guidance from the WHO. “As a Ministry, we want to ensure [traditional remedies] are tested and quality checked,” she told The Telegraph. She added that, at the moment, traditional medicine is being done “behind closed doors”, and that the WHO process would help bring it into the open where it can be better monitored.
Yet the WHO seems undeterred. “Some traditional remedies will probably be found to be really active and really useful. Others will just be a placebo – for example, you feel better when you drink tea,” said Dr Reeder. The WHO argues that investing in traditional medicine could also help tackle the leading killers of the 21st century: non-communicable diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and mental illness. Holistic approaches to wellness incorporating exercise, a more considered diet and stress reduction could complement conventional treatments, placing “an emphasis on prevention over cure,” said Dr Tedros…
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 shady love 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 — about a 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 chiropractors signed 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. He has publicly supported chiropractic, for inctance, when speaking at chiropractic colleges and forums. His expressed his belief that chiropractic 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 to expanded 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 for increased governmental support for chiropractic. There even is a chiropractic 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 of wellness 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.
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 challenge affecting millions globally, silently sapping vitality and resilience. While modern medicine strives to uncover its multifaceted causes, homeopathy emerges as a beacon of hope, offering personalized care rooted in the individual’s constitution and symptomatology. Through meticulous selection of the indicated antipsoric remedy and gentle stimulation of the body’s innate healing capacities, homeopathy addresses anaemia’s complexities with finesse.
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:
- Homeopaths live on a different planet where evidence counts little and dogma reigns.
- This renders homeopaths potentially very dangerous.
- Relying on homeopaths is likely to prolong suffering and, in serious illness, can be fatal.
- Homeopathy addresses complexities not with “finesse” but with ignorance and an unethical disregard of patients’ needs.
Two days ago, the US Center for Disease Control (CDC) published an announcement; 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 that THIS 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.
Every now and then, I come across a paper that stuns me – not because it is so brilliant (scientific articles are supposed to be brilliant) but because of other qualities. Here is a truly impressive example entitled “The Principle of Homeopathy” This is its abstract [I have not changed a word]:
Homeopathy is based on the principle that the body’s immune system maintains a dynamic equilibrium between health-supporting molecules [A] and disease supporting molecules [B] to prevent systemic collapse. According to the Law of Similars and in alignment with Le Chatelier’s principle, administering a remedy that induces symptoms similar to those of the disease in a healthy individual stimulates the production of health-supporting molecules, thereby accelerating the healing process. The effectiveness of homeopathic treatment is attributed to a process known as succussion – a combination of serial dilution and vigorous milling – which enhances the remedy’s therapeutic properties by transforming it from a suspension into a highly potent [B] simillimum solution.
The abstract is already remarkable, but it pales vis a vis some of the text in the paper itself. My favourite secition is entitled “Thermodynamic Perspective”:
From a thermodynamic standpoint, the body’s immune system establishes a dynamic equilibrium [A]↔[B] between action of health supporting molecules (A) and action of disease-supporting molecules (B) to prevent systemic collapse. Dynamic equilibrium is a fundamental concept in natural laws governing energy changes and the probability distribution of particles in biochemical reactions [8, 9]. Mathematically, this Dynamic equilibrium can be expressed using the Law of Mass Action [10].
K = [B] / [A]
Where, K is the equilibrium constant.
If the system is disturbed – for example, by introducing a homeopathic remedy (Simillimum) – the equilibrium shifts according to Le Châtelier’s principle [11]. This means the body may compensate for the disruption by adjusting concentrations of [A] and [B], leading to an increase in health-supporting molecules [A] at the expense of disease supporting molecules [B]. This concept aligns with homeopathy’s core principle: “like cures like.” In this theoretical framework, dynamic equilibrium provides a scientific basis for homeopathy, paralleling other biological regulatory mechanisms.
I know that many of my readers have doubts about homeopathy and its actions. I am confident that these doubts are now laid to rest by the author of this paper, Mihael Drofenik fron the Jožef Stefan Institute, Materials Synthesis, Ljubljana, Slovenia and the University of Maribor, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Maribor, Slovenia.
As I am not an avid reader of the UK honours lists, I totally missed the fact that Robin Daly has been awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2025 New Year Honours list. The honour was for his outstanding contributions to the field of integrative cancer care as the founder of the charity, “Yes to Life”. The “Yes to Life” website reported the event as follows:
We are thrilled to announce that our Chairman and Founder, Robin Daly, has been awarded an MBE in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field of integrative cancer care and his tireless work through Yes to Life. This prestigious honour celebrates Robin’s unwavering dedication to supporting those affected by cancer and promoting holistic approaches to well-being. Congratulations, Robin, on this well-deserved accolade! …
On this blog, we have encountered “Yes to Life” before, e.g.:
- The ‘Yes to Life Show’ is outright dangerous, if you ask me
- Uncharitable charities? The example of ‘YES TO LIFE’
I had again a good look at what “Yes to Life” is currently offering and am glad to report that they clearly cleaned up their act. The charity used to promote outright dangerous quackery to desperate cancer patients. Today they still do this but they do it less overtly, e.g.:
- “Whether you’re seeking improved mental clarity, glowing skin, weight loss, detoxification, or support in battling diseases like cancer, juicing offers a customisable approach to achieving your wellness goals. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore how to adapt your juicing routine to address specific health needs, from overall well-being to targeted concerns like skin health, mental well-being, weight loss, detoxification, menopause, heart health and cancer support.”
- “From the moment of diagnosis through treatment and beyond, cancer patients face plenty of challenges that extend far beyond the physical symptoms. Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), also known as tapping, have emerged as a promising support offering a gentle yet profound approach to addressing emotional and psychological well-being. At its core, EFT is a modality that combines elements of ancient Chinese acupressure with modern psychology. The technique involves gently tapping on specific acupressure points on the body while focusing on and verbalizing emotional issues, negative thoughts, or physical symptoms. By stimulating these energy meridian points and addressing emotional blockages, EFT aims to restore balance to the body’s energy system and promote healing on a holistic level.”
- “Turmeric, often referred to as the “golden spice,” contains curcumin, a compound with powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Curcumin has been linked to enhanced immune function and may help the body defend against infections. You can incorporate turmeric into your diet by adding it to curries, soups, or even warm turmeric milk for a comforting and immune-boosting treat.”
- “Stress, anxiety, and emotional distress as well as physical pain and discomfort may be present along the entire cancer care pathway. These factors may impact treatment outcomes and recovery time. Most importantly, they present a significant burden of suffering to those affected by cancer and their loved ones. EFT is an effective, efficient management tool that can meet these needs and can be self- administered as well as used in a therapeutic relationship. The physical and emotional need for support can vary timewise along the cancer pathway and sometimes surprisingly patients can have significant mental and emotional needs as they recover, so well beyond their treatment phase (see the accompanying graph). Meeting these needs can contribute to long term well-being.”
- “The slightly strange sounding ‘Essiac’ tea is, in fact, simply a reversal of the surname of the woman who made it famous. In 1922, a young Canadian nurse, Rene Caisse, was given certain herbs by an old woman who had cured herself of breast cancer and had been handed down the recipe by the Ojibawa Native Americans who had used it for generations.”
Are we sure that the promotion of a whole lot of caner quackery merits a gong?
No!
Oddly, as I was writing this, I came across this on social media:
Ken Loach refused one of Betty’s gongs, in 1977, saying: ‘I turned down the OBE because its not a club you want to join when you look at the villains who’ve got it. It’s all the things I think are despicable: patronage, deferring to the monarchy and the name of the British Empire, which is a monument of exploitation and conquest’.
Perhaps we should add QUACKERY to Ken Loach’s list?
It has been reported that Nigel Farage’s ‘Reform UK’ has received an award for being the organisation that engaged in the “most prolific promotion of pseudoscience” during 2025. Each year the UK’s The Skeptic magazine, names their pseudoscientist of the year, and awards them the ‘Rusty Razor’ prize. This year it went to Reform UK in recognition of the party’s “widespread embrace of climate change denialism and antivaccine misinformation.”
In this post, I will exclude the important issue about climate and focus on the misinformation related to health. At Reform UK’s party conference last month, controversial doctor Aseem Malhotra gave a speech claiming that “mRNA jabs have likely killed or seriously harmed millions of people”, that the World Health Organisation had been “captured” by Bill Gates, and that Covid vaccines were “highly likely” a significant factor in cancer diagnoses amongst members of the royal family. The year before, Richard Tice called for a full inquiry into the “serious problem” of thousands of people dying from Covid vaccine side-effects, a claim which is of course unfounded. In a September interview, Nigel Farage parrotted comments from Donald Trump linking autism to paracetamol use. Farage even compared it to the thalidomide scandal. In addition, he claimed that migrants were kidnapping and eating swans from London parks.
Michael Marshall, Editor of The Sceptic, said: “Whilst the political positions Reform UK put forward are outside of the scope and remit of The Skeptic and our awards, their positions on science are not. On current polling, Reform UK is the party with the most support in the country, yet they have shown that they have no problem with spreading pseudoscientific misinformation that aligns with the interests of their donors, no interest in vetting their members and candidates for holding dangerously misguided views about science and health, and no issue with fostering and indulging all manner of conspiracy theories if they think there’s a vote in it.” Marshall branded Reform “a threat to science and reason, and deserving of being singled out as winners of our 2025 Rusty Razor award.”
I ask myself, why do Farage and company do it?
Why do they make overtly false health claims?
Don’t they know that these endanger the health of their followers?
The way I see it, there are several possibilities:
- They are too stupid to realize that the claims are wrong.
- They blindly repeat every BS Trump proclaims.
- They think they can win votes by misleading the public.
- They don’t care a toss.
I find it hard to decide – what do you think?
Have you heard about the “Trivedi Effect”?
No?
Let me tell you all about it.
This study aimed to compare the growth, meat quality, nutrition, consumer preference, and shelf life of biofield-treated birds with those of the unblessed/untreated control (UBCONG).
Commercial genotypes (Cobb 430Y) of white broiler eggs/chicks were used. The eggs were split into two groups: an UBCONG and a biofield (blessings) energy-treated group. Body weight and feed intake were recorded weekly, and meat quality was assessed using nutritional and sensory parameters.
The mean feed conversion ratio was found to be significantly better in the groups of biofield-treated eggs (BTEG; p < 0.01), biofield-treated chicks (BTCG; p < 0.001), and BTEG and chicks [Double biofield (blessing) energy treatment on both eggs and chicks group (DBECG); p < 0.001] than in the UBCONG. Edible meat weight was significantly increased in both BTCG (p < 0.05; 62.69%) and DBECG (p < 0.001; 77.19%) compared with that in UBCONG. Carbohydrate was significantly (p < 0.001) increased by 189.47% and 363.16% in BTEG and DBECG, respectively, compared to UBCONG. Vitamin B3 was significantly (p < 0.001) increased by 26.45% in BTEG compared with UBCONG. Minerals such as iron and copper were significantly (p < 0.001) increased by 2614.92% and 316.67%, respectively, in DBECG compared to UBCONG. The levels of unsaturated fats, monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA), polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), C18:1-oleic acid, C18:2-linoleic acid, and C18:3-linolenic acid were significantly (p < 0.001) increased by 96.06%, 111.39%, 72.92%, 88.91%, 66%, and 145.35%, respectively, compared with those of UBCONG. The scoring of sensory parameters (color, flavor, taste, tenderness, juiciness, and overall quality/acceptability) was significantly improved (p < 0.001) in the biofield treatment groups compared with the UBCONG. The shelf-life examination of raw chicken meat indicated that it was safe for storage for up to 21 days.
The authors concluded that the biofield (blessing) energy treatment significantly improved growth-related parameters compared with the UBCONG. This treatment also improved the meat quality compared to the increased levels of carbohydrate, PUFA, MUFA, and few minerals such as Ca, Fe, Zn, and Cu than UBCONG.
The trouble here, it seems to me, is that biofield energy is an invention; IT DOES NOT EXIST!
Perhaps, we need to ask how this study came into being. Its authors (1st author Mahendra Kumar Trivedi) come from ‘TRIVEDI GLOBAL INC’. Mahendra Kumar Trivedi has a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and managed to publish around 50 Medline-listed studies on the ‘Trivedi Effect’, all showing that it is effective as a panacea.
Trivedi Global, Inc. is a US-based company founded by Mahendra Kumar Trivedi. The company is centered around The Trivedi Effect, which they describe as an evidence-based phenomenon in which an individual can harness an inherently intelligent energy from nature and transmit it to living organisms and non-living materials, anywhere in the world through thought intention, to significantly enhance potency and beneficially alter their characteristics. Mahendra Kumar Trivedi claims to have discovered his ability to induce this effect in 1995.
The apparently substantial revenue for Trivedi Global, Inc. is primarily generated from commercializing the “Trivedi Effect”:
- Collaborating with companies to “energize” or “treat” their products using the Trivedi Effect before they are sold to the public.
- Offering energy transmissions or “Consciousness Energy Healing Treatments” and hosting associated wellness events or programs for individuals.
- Training other individuals as “Biofield Energy Healers” to utilize the Trivedi Effect.
Key products and services of the company include:
- Mahendra Kumar Trivedi and other “Trivedi Healers” transmitting the Biofield Energy to individuals or materials remotely.
- Paid, structured training program to develop a person’s “innate healing abilities.”
- Applying the “Trivedi Effect” to ingredients, food, or consumer products.
Detailed and specific pricings for these services seem to be not publicly available.
So, what should we make of the above-mentioned, new study? Let me express it as politely as I can: I do not trust its findings until I see an independent replication.
