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Joseph Michael Mercola (/mərˈkoʊlə/;[1] born July 8, 1954) is an American alternative medicine proponent, osteopathic physician, and Internet business person. He markets dietary supplements and medical devices,[2] some of which are controversial. Until 2013,[3] Mercola operated the "Dr. Mercola Natural Health Center" (formerly the "Optimal Wellness Center") in Schaumburg, Illinois.[4] He wrote the books The No-Grain Diet [5] (with Alison Rose Levy) and The Great Bird Flu Hoax. On his website, Mercola and colleagues advocate a number of unproven alternative health notions including homeopathy and opposition to vaccination. These positions have faced persistent criticism.[6] Mercola is a member of the political advocacy group Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, which promotes scientifically discredited views about medicine and disease, and several other alternative medicine organizations.[7]
Mercola's medical claims have been criticized by the medical, scientific, regulatory, and business communities. A 2006 BusinessWeek editorial stated his marketing practices relied on "slick promotion, clever use of information, and scare tactics."[4] In 2005, 2006, and 2011, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned Mercola and his company that they were making illegal claims for their products' ability to detect, prevent, and treat disease.[8] The medical watchdog site Quackwatch has criticized Mercola for making "unsubstantiated claims [that] clash with those of leading medical and public health organizations and many unsubstantiated recommendations for dietary supplements."[9] Of Mercola's marketing techniques, surgical oncologist David Gorski says it "mixes the boring, sensible health advice with pseudoscientific advice in such a way that it’s hard for someone without a medical background to figure out which is which."[6]
Vaccinations
Mercola has been highly critical of vaccines and vaccination policy, claiming that too many vaccines are given too soon during infancy. He hosts anti-vaccination activists on his website, advocates other measures rather than vaccination in many cases such as using vitamin D rather than a flu shot despite the data not being conclusive[6][23] and strongly criticizes influenza vaccines. Mercola is viewed by many as an anti-vaccine propagandist.[24] As of 2019, he has donated at least $4 million to anti-vaccine groups though his Natural Health Research Foundation, including more than $2.9 million to the anti-vaccination group the National Vaccine Information Center, amounting to about 40 percent of that organization's funding.[6] He co-funded an anti-vaccination ad in Times Square in 2011.[24]
Mercola has asserted that thimerosal, a vaccine preservative, is harmful due to its mercury content.[25] Thimerosal has been removed from most vaccines given to young children in the U.S., with no effect on rates of autism diagnosis.[26][27] Extensive evidence has accumulated since 1999 showing that this preservative is safe,[28] with the World Health Organization stating in 2006 that "there is no evidence of toxicity in infants, children or adults exposed to thimerosal in vaccines."[28][29]
In March 2021, an analysis of Twitter and Facebook anti-vaccine content found Mercola's to be one of 12 individual and organization accounts producing up to 65% of all anti-vaccine content on the platforms.[30] As of June 2021, his various social media channels accounted for a total audience exceeding 4.1 million followers.[31]
COVID-19
See also: Misinformation related to the COVID-19 pandemic
In 2020, Mercola was one of the partners in a website called "Stop Covid Cold" offering advice to the public on preventing and treating Covid-19 with alternative remedies. The website includes links to Mercola's online store and puts a strong emphasis on vitamin D supplements, despite a lack of scientific evidence pointing to the effectiveness of such a treatment.[32][33] The website was taken down in April 2021 after the Food and Drugs Administration sent a warning letter. In May 2021, Mercola announced he would remove mentions of COVID-19 from his websites, blaming Bill Gates and "big pharma".[31][34]
Mercola claimed that inhaling 0.5–3% hydrogen peroxide solution using a nebulizer could prevent or cure COVID-19.[35][36] A tweet from Mercola advertising this method was removed from Twitter on April 15, 2020, for violating the platform rules,[36] but he continued to make these claims on other platforms, including during a speech at a major conference of anti-vaccination activists in October.[32]
He was warned by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in February 2021 for selling fake COVID-19 cures.[37][38]
hope that clears things up?