Mercola: Know the Risks

Dr. Joe Mercola is practically synonymous with the wellness movement. He sells dietary supplements, opposes vaccines, and claims to want to help you improve your health. But can he be trusted? Jonathan Jarry, science communicator with McGill University’s Office for Science and Society, takes you on a wild ride from Mercola’s daily newsletter, full of cherry-picked half-truths, to answering the question of exactly who writes all of his articles, to the supernatural entity that is now giving him business advice. If you thought Mercola was just a genial, avuncular health influencer, you’re in for a shock.

0:00 Introduction
2:28 Chapter 1: The Upside-Down Doctor
5:44 Chapter 2: Debunking the Newsletter
15:28 Chapter 3: A Pill for Every Ill
21:28 Chapter 4: Ghostwriting
28:58 Chapter 5: A Vivid Imagination
37:10 Chapter 6: Follow the Money
42:51 Chapter 7: The Two Towers

Written, shot, and edited by: Jonathan Jarry
For: The McGill Office for Science and Society

Photo of Dr. Joe Mercola © 2011 by cheeseslave is licensed under CC BY 4.0

References:

#JoeMercola #JosephMercola #Mercola #supplements #dietarysupplements #multivitamin #vitamin #vaccine #conspiracy #bahlon #mcgill #mcgillOSS #jonathanjarry #FTC #tanningbed #medicine #health #wellness #medical #doctor #joeschwarcz #skinhealth #mitochondrialhealth #immunesupport #metabolichealth #sleephealth #probiotics #antioxidants #DSHEA #snakeoil #quackery #pseudoscience #pseudomedicine #disinformationdozen #misinformation #disinformation #substack #robertmalone #delbigtree #robertfkennedy #RFK #petermccullough #stevekirsh #autismone #reawaken #mikkiwillis #judymikovits #mikeadams #tybollinger #christianenorthrup #andrewwakefield #CCDH #quackwatch #geneticliteracyproject #organicconsumers #ronniecummins #consumersfordentalchoice #rickpolito #kaiclay #scicomm #skepticism #skeptic #skeptical

[keithdavies]

I've been a listener to Body of Evidence for a number of years, and just heard about this from your interview with Noah Lugeons. I must have missed it somewhere. Seems I remember Marsh mentioning it, but I'm a carpenter that listens to a lot of Skeptical podcasts while working. Thanks for the work you do.

[williamverhoef]

In the age of social media, there has been an update on Brandolini's Law:
The amount of time and energy needed to refute a false claim is SEVERAL ORDERS OF MAGNITUDE greater than was needed to produce it.

[darklysparklingdownthestream]

How can we get more people to see this? Thanks so much! I can’t wait to check out those pods. I’m in Germany and there’s a really good German podcast called Science Cops and I’m always wishing I could share it with my English-speaking friends and family. Glad to hear there are some similar ones in English. We need more media and science literacy for laypeople and I’m so grateful for your work!

[GailJames-qk]

So very interesting. Exposing false ideas, theories is so very important. Especially today…we are inundated with extreme information (s) that are conflicting. You, on other hand are very qualified and knowledgeable in health issues. Thank you for stepping-out and being so insightful.

[KinetikES]

“Mercola wants you afraid so he can sell you a solution”. He’d make a great politician.

[mazieways]

Someone has to represent those many ppl harmed by common medical procedures, the fact is that we have more of a chance to be harmed than helped so until this changes, maybe open your eyes! Follow the money on the entire medical system…

[katmac]

This is both enraging and entertaining. Thank you for exposing this and revealing the truth about the quackery he panders. Excellent research.

[kimboslice]

I do remember the Maddie situation. I honestly believe her situation.

[KaZAkers]

Have known he is a pseudoscientist for years. He is featured on the list of the well-researched Quackwatch. Boggles the mind how snake oil salesmen like him still exist. Say something often enough people believe it. Desperate and uneducated people will try anything. We have to learn to be well informed consumers, we have to learn to drill down into this information we are being fed to find the facts and the agendas. He is a bitter pill to swallow.

[desireemou]

I'm really glad you spent some time talking about the girl who had some kind of neurological issue after receiving a second vaccine dose in a clinical trial. Sometimes people really are dismissed when they have health issues, or when they think a vaccine created a reaction (large or small). When these unfortunate people are given so little time by the medical system, the anti-vaccine/alternative medicine scene welcomes them with open arms. We would be wise to really take the time with people and their medical/health concerns, before we lose them for good to those who would gladly benefit off them.

[SteinerHaus]

It is truly amazing how people will fall for the "message" peddled by grifters like Mercola. He infected several members of my family. Consequently at least there has been at least one death that I would attribute to the grift.
Thank you for the information. I'm sharing it with the un-infected members of the family.

[MsPsychobanana]

I can a predicate this 'hit piece" on Mercola, as it offers some valid criticisms. However, I wish this video didn't come out of the gate with it's own strong bias against Mercola, but instead, used the "here is the evidence, from both sides, and you decide, " - he doesn't bother to examine how Mercola substantiates his claims, and then refute Mercola's sources one by one -- that would be interesting. Instead this is like watching Marketplace, where a reporter (in this case and MSc who is not even a scientist in his own right (was no PHD available McGill?). It would be more intellectually satisfying to have a deeper dive into specific claims that's how Universities used to be back in my day. Now McGill sponsors pro-dharma science as 'evidence'. Well McGill has to pay for all that research somehow, thank you big Pharma, you're the best.

[kimboslice]

Yeah I don’t like it when someone is making money off other not good medical advice. It’s hard to trust any of them.

[tumbleweed]

Allopathic medicine tends to be a symptom management system, through prescriptions and surgery, making it big business. Herbs, foods, supplements. etc can do much the same, and is also big business. There is a time and place for both, do your research, be comfortable with what you choose.

[kimboslice]

I also ain’t buying all these supplements either. So both sides can fo.

[TheMaui]

Even the best-trained, highest-paid MD specialists don't have 10% the income and assets Mercola has.

[angieciavarella]

Is this man for real... I bet he was paid well for this article - or maybe he just doesn't read any medical books...

[kimboslice]

Yeah I don’t like it when someone is making money off other not good medical advice. It’s hard to trust any of them.