In a recent discussion on the aftermath of the pandemic, philosopher and neuroscientist Sam Harris sharply criticized independent media figures and alternative health advocates for contributing to what he called a “polluted information landscape.” Harris singled out podcaster Joe Rogan and so-called “ivermectin cultists” as particularly culpable in fostering conspiratorial thinking during the pandemic during triggernometry appearance.
“And so we’ve ended up in a very conspiratorial world, partly, I think, because of what happened during COVID. And by the way, if you lock people in their homes for two years, some of them are going to loopy. You know what I mean? But part of the burden that our public health authorities couldn’t effectively shoulder was that they were messaging into a polluted information landscape that was poised to be this conspiratorial and this distrustful of authority.”
Harris did not spare independent media in his critique. “In large measure, independent media is culpable for that. I mean, it’s the Candace Owens of the world and the Joes of the world who were calling bulls*it where things were actually bulls*it and calling bulls*it on absolutely standard science. And I mean, the people who Joe had on his podcast again and again, Brett Weinstein and all the other… ivermectin cultists, that was genuinely harmful, right? It’s not that they were wrong about everything, but they were wrong about most things, and it was dangerous.”
Harris’ comments come in the wake of renewed public scrutiny of COVID-related misinformation, particularly around ivermectin. This debate was reignited following a recent video by science communicator in which he Debunks Disgraced Doctor Pierre Kory Following Heated Debate. In it, Professor Dave systematically dismantled claims made by Dr. Pierre Kory, a former ICU physician who rose to prominence advocating ivermectin as a “miracle” against COVID-19.
Kory’s testimony before the U.S. Senate in December 2020, in which he claimed ivermectin could prevent COVID-19 infection entirely, relied on unpublished studies, small observational trials, and unverifiable anecdotes. Major studies, including the ACTIV-6 trial (1,300 participants) and TOGETHER trial (1,500 participants), along with Cochrane reviews and guidance from the WHO and NIH, ultimately found no reliable evidence that ivermectin prevented infection, shortened illness, or saved lives.
Professor Dave’s investigation revealed that some of the studies Kory promoted were outright fabricated, including the widely cited Egyptian Elgazar study and hospital data from Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. These revelations have had real-world consequences: ivermectin ODs were reported across the U.S., patients delayed proper COVID-19 treatment, and hospitals faced shortages for legitimate parasitic infections.
Harris’ critique, alongside the exposure of Kory’s discredited claims, underscores the dangers of a media landscape where influential voices amplify unverified or false scientific claims.
“It’s not that people were wrong about everything, but they were wrong about most things, and it was dangerous.”
Measles outbreaks, vaccine hesitancy, and declining public trust in science highlight the ongoing risk posed by influential figures who leverage media platforms to promote conspiratorial or unverified claims. Harris’ remarks serve as a reminder that combating misinformation requires not just scientific evidence but also accountability from the platforms and personalities that propagate false narratives.
