Sherri Tenpenny

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Tenpenny in 2019
Needles are scary
Anti-vaccination
movement
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Pricks against pricks

Sherri J. Tenpenny is an osteopath[1] and an American professional anti-vaccination liar[2] who leverages her "Doctor of woo" status to promote discredited studies and anti-vax hysteria. She also happens to be a Dame of Malta (Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, Knights Hospitaller, commonly known as the Catholic order "Knights of Malta").[3]

Tenpenny has a prominent following on social media.[4] She will not engage in civil discourse with anyone who disagrees with her opinions, rather she follows the Food Babe social media mantra of deny, delete and block. She is effectively banned from Australia.[5][6]

In 2012 Tenpenny implied on social media that the Sandy Hook massacre was caused by a reaction to vaccines by JAQing off:[7]

I'd like to take it one step backward: How much "mental illness" in children starts from the 66 vaccine antigens and doses chemicals injected into developing brain by 6 months of age? Or the cumulative effects of 110 antigens by 5yr of age… Or by 12 years, the sum of 153 antigens (and measurable amounts of more than 63 different chemicals). There is nothing "hysterical" about that statement — simply the facts about what comes through those needles.
—Tenpenny speaking about Sandy Hook mass murderer Adam Lanza[8]

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.[9]

In 2023, the Ohio State Medical Board investigated Tenpenny's wingnuttery. After treating the Board contemptuously, they indefinitely suspended her medical license.[10]

COVID-19[edit]

See the main article on this topic: COVID-19 pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic Tenpenny openly spoke against every measure used to contain Covid. She called masks useless, dehumanizing, apparently it is a religion has now become a popular cult-like practice[11] and acted similarly in regards to social distancing and quarantine.[12] Beyond more "normal" types of anti-COVID talking points Tenpenny also has pushed homegrown conspiracies theories like arguing that Quebec was making a blacksite for citizens who don't follow quarantine[13] or for political opponents.[14]

Due to things like this her access to Facebook was banned to reduce COVID misinformation[15] but even now she's one of 12 people responsible for 65% of COVID misinformation.[16]

In June 2021, Tenpenny was invited to the Ohio House of Representatives as an expert witness on COVID vaccinations. She claimed that the vaccinations turned people into human magnets, and that the vaccines turn people into an 'interface' with 5G.[17] Tenpenny falsely claimed during her testimony that 5000 people in the US had died from COVID vaccines, and implausibly stated she had spent 10,000 hours researching vaccines since the pandemic.[17] Some GOP representatives actually thanked her for spewing her bullshit.[17]

Other quackery[edit]

From her 2010 CV, one can observe other sorts of quackery that Tenpenny has been trained for or involved with:[3]

She has written some dubious publications, including two self-published books through her NMA Media Press[21]

  • FOWL!Bird flu: It’s Not What You Think (2006)
  • Saying No to Vaccines: A Resource Guide for All Ages (2008)
  • She has written chapters on vaccines in two books that were co-authored by Mehmet Oz[22][23]

External links[edit]

References[edit]

  1. New measles myth from vaccine denier Sherri Tenpenny – not a disease (2019/04/18) Skeptical Raptor.
  2. Dr Sherri Tenpenny
  3. 3.0 3.1 [Sherri J. Tenpenny, DO, AOBNMM (November 5, 2010) WebCite (archived from 2015-02-09 02:09:06).
  4. Dr. Tenpenny on Vaccines
  5. Anti vaccination, anti women — who gets to speak in Australia
  6. ABC News: Anti-vaccination campaigner Dr Sherri Tenpenny cancels Australia tour amid security concerns
  7. 2012 Millennium Awards
  8. Tenpenny facebook post 2012
  9. https://f4d9b9d3-3d32-4f3a-afa6-49f8bf05279a.usrfiles.com/ugd/f4d9b9_16ccca9c25a04445a69dcd0298fd530d.pdf
  10. Jake Zuckerman, This doctor said vaccines magnetize people. Ohio suspended her medical license. cleveland.com, 9 August 2023.
  11. Tenpenny calling vaccines useless
  12. calling social distancing and lockdowns propaganda with a link
  13. saying there's centers or "uncooperative citizens"
  14. calls it a concentration camp
  15. The Trump administration bailed out prominent anti-vaccine groups during a pandemic
  16. 12 prominent people opposed to vaccines are responsible for two-thirds of anti-vaccine content online: report
  17. 17.0 17.1 17.2 A doctor falsely told lawmakers vaccines magnetize people: 'They can put a key on their forehead. It sticks.' by Andrea Salcedo (June 9, 2021 at 4:18 a.m. PDT) The Washington Post.
  18. [Referral List of DAN! Doctors who Offer Mercury Detoxification Treatments for Autism] (archived from April 22, 2021).
  19. See the Wikipedia article on Nambudripad's Allergy Elimination Techniques.
  20. MLM Pyramid Scheme Scam? Researching and analyzing USANA and its pyramid scheme. Associates, Shareholders, and Federal Regulators should read. (October 1, 2012) USANA Watch Dog.
  21. NMA Media Press (archived from October 3, 2015).
  22. You: Having a Baby: The Owner's Manual to a Happy and Healthy Pregnancy by Michael F. Roizen and Mehmet C. Oz (2010) Scribner. ISBN 1416572376.
  23. You: Raising Your Child: The Owner's Manual from First Breath to First Grade by Michael F. Roizen and Mehmet C. Oz (2010) Scribner. ISBN 1439109486.