For years, Sen. Ron Johnson has been spreading conspiracy theories and misinformation about COVID-19 and the safety of vaccines. Now, as Megan O’Matz reports, the Wisconsin politician is endorsing a book by a discredited doctor promoting an unproven and dangerous treatment for autism and a host of ailments: chlorine dioxide, a chemical used for disinfecting and bleaching.
The book is “The War on Chlorine Dioxide: The Medicine that Could End Medicine” by Dr. Pierre Kory, a critical care specialist who practiced in Wisconsin hospitals before losing his medical certification for statements advocating using an antiparasite medication to treat COVID-19. The book jacket features a prominent blurb from Johnson, who calls it “a gripping tale of corruption and courage that will open eyes and prompt serious questions.”
The Food and Drug Administration has warned that drinking mixtures containing chlorine dioxide can cause injury and even death. Concentrations of chlorine dioxide in drinking water systems higher than 0.8 milligrams per liter can be harmful, especially to infants, young children and fetuses, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Johnson confirmed he authorized the blurb on the cover “after reading the entire book.” ProPublica asked Kory and his co-author, Jenna McCarthy, to provide an advance copy, an interview and responses to written questions. Kory did not respond. McCarthy did not send a book or agree to an interview. McCarthy told ProPublica she was addressing some of our questions on Substack, where she wrote the book “is a comprehensive examination of the existing evidence and a plea for open-minded inquiry and rigorous research.”
