Christiane Northrup

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The doctor Carl Sagan warned us about.
Against allopathy
Alternative medicine
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Clinically unproven
Woo-meisters
My divorce culminated during what is astrologically known as my Chiron return … simultaneously I had been under the influence of an astrological configuration know as a yod … the purpose of this was to move me out of my old life …”
—Christiane Northrup, The Evidence of Menopause[1]

Christiane Northrup is a obstetrician-gynecologist who famously pushes woo in the cause of women's health. She was a regular guest on Oprah, has published a shedload of best-selling books and writes for the Huffington Post. In her practice of holistic medicine, she uses her beliefs in the medical use of chakras, astrology, angels, mysticism, feng shui, and Tarot cards. And infallible female intuition.[2] She maintains a fetid disinformation presence on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter; however, her Instagram account was suspended in April 2021 for spreading COVID-19 misinformation.[3] Northrup allowed her medical license to expire in 2015.[4]

Clickbait[edit]

Northrup writes clickbait articles chocked full of fairy tales, misinformation, and outright falsehoods:

  • "Empaths" are "are highly advanced souls being incarnated on earth in increasing numbers to shed light into the darkness during this time of transformation."[5]
  • Vaccines are not safe, haven't been thoroughly tested, have not contributed to the decline in disease mortality, and are not appropriate for children.[6]
  • "Flower essences" that have "a unique vibrational energy pattern" are good for health, and a homeopathic kit is useful to have around to "nip symptoms in the bud" and cure yourself of the flu and other health problems.[7]

Disinformation Dozen[edit]

In 2021, a report from the Center for Countering Digital Hate listed her as one of the "Disinformation Dozen," a group of 12 people responsible for about 65% of COVID-19 related misinformation circulating online.[8] She has recommended hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin as cures for COVID-19 and has made the claim that vaccines cause an 800% increase in chronic illness.[9] She has spread the conspiracy theory that components of the vaccine covertly relay physiological information to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation via cellphone cameras, has called COVID vaccines “murder weapons,” and claimed COVID-19 vaccines would change people’s DNA and infiltrate their bodies with tiny “nanoparticle” robots with two-way 5G antennas.[4] In 2020, she infamously endorsed the Plandemic conspiracy video.[4][10]

What others say[edit]

The Encyclopedia of American Loons profiled Northrup in 2014, saying she "has risen to rather frightening levels of fame through her promotion of woo and denialism in the cause of women’s health."

A serious danger to public health. Through the misleading veil of formal training, Northrup has a knack for getting away with all the breathtaking ignorance, religious fundamentalism, wishful thinking, distortions, and confabulatory woo she wants – and people do, indeed, listen. An utterly corrupt, horrible human being.[1]

Science-Based Medicine's profile says that Northrup disturbingly mixes science with strange beliefs.

Northrup’s writings are a disconcerting mixture of good science, misinterpreted science, unproven and irrational treatments, recommendations that are actually dangerous, pop psychology, mysticism, and superstition. If she’d left out the nonsense, she could have written a very helpful book. But then I don’t suppose Oprah would have wanted her on the show. Science-based medicine doesn’t make for good television.[2]

Jonathan Jarry, writing for the Office for Science and Society at McGill University, calls Northrup a "misenlightened guru" who epitomizes Carl Sagan’s dire warning about society sliding back into superstition and darkness.

We can chuckle at her story that she used to live in Atlantis in a previous incarnation (“doing work to upgrade DNA”) but Northrup’s spiritual storytelling combined with her belief in a grand COVID-19 conspiracy is a potent motivator for harm.[11]

External links[edit]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Christiane Northrup at the Encyclopedia of American Loons
  2. 2.0 2.1 Harriet Hall, Christiane Northrup, MD: Science Tainted with Strange Beliefs. Science-Based Medicine, 27 May 2008.
  3. Leela Stockley, Maine doctor’s Instagram account suspended for spreading COVID-19 misinformation. Bangor Daily News, 30 April 2021.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Colin Woodard, Meet Christiane Northrup, doctor of disinformation. Press Herald, 2 May 2021
  5. 8 Ways to Turn Your Empathy into A Super Power. drnorthrup.com, 20 March 2018.
  6. 6 Health Questions You Need to Ask Now! drnorthrup.com, 22 June 2021.
  7. 11 Easy Ways to Achieve Health Every Day. drnorthrup.com, 5 July 2021.
  8. The Disinformation Dozen: Why Platforms Must Act on Twelve Leading Online Anti-Vaxxers. Center for Countering Digital Hate, 2021.
  9. Disinformation Dozen, CCDH
  10. Sheera Frenkel, Ben Decker and Davey Alba, How the ‘Plandemic’ Movie and Its Falsehoods Spread Widely Online. The New York Times, 20 May 2020.
  11. Jonathan Jarry, The Doctor Carl Sagan Warned Us About. Office for Science and Society, McGill University, 8 January 2021.