Are there any clinical trials led by Dr. Ben Carson related to dementia or Alzheimer’s?
Executive summary
Available reporting finds no evidence that Dr. Ben Carson has led or sponsored clinical trials for dementia or Alzheimer’s treatments; fact‑checks say claims tying him to miracle cures or product endorsements are fabricated and his spokesperson calls such links “completely fake” [1] [2] [3]. Multiple outlets document recurring ads and fake articles that attach Carson’s name to unproven nasal sprays or supplements [4] [5].
1. No documented trials or endorsements in credible reporting
Major fact‑checking organizations and newsrooms that investigated viral claims about Carson and Alzheimer’s did not find any record of him running clinical trials or formally endorsing a cure; Reuters reports Carson “has not endorsed or ever heard of this” and a spokesperson called the claims “completely fake” [1]. AFP and USA TODAY fact checks say Carson has no connection to the nasal‑spray product AlzClipp and that the USA TODAY‑branded pages are fabricated [4] [3].
2. The recurring misinformation pattern: fake articles and ads
Researchers and fact‑checkers describe a recurring scam pattern: websites mimicking reputable outlets and social‑media ads paste Carson’s image and quotes onto promotions for supplements or nasal sprays that claim to “prevent” or “reverse” dementia, but those pages and headlines are fabricated [2] [6]. AFP and RTL note altered audio/images and counterfeit certificates purporting FDA approval for products that do not appear in the FDA database [4] [5].
3. Official responses and spokespeople’s statements
Carson’s nonprofit and representatives have repeatedly denied the endorsements; Reuters cites Brad Bishop of the American Cornerstone Institute saying Carson “has not endorsed or ever heard of this,” and Lead Stories reports Carson’s spokesperson described the viral “cure” claims as “completely fake” [1] [7]. USA TODAY likewise reported the institute’s denial when investigating the AlzClipp story [3].
4. Experts and regulators: no evidence the products work
Independent experts quoted in fact checks call the products unproven or likely scams; a cognitive‑aging researcher told AFP there is “zero evidence in humans” that the ingredients in the advertised nasal spray affect Alzheimer’s pathology [5]. AFP and Reuters emphasize there is currently no known cure for Alzheimer’s disease and that advertised “miracle” products lack scientific validation [4] [1].
5. Where Carson has spoken publicly about Alzheimer’s — not as a trial leader
Carson has publicly commented about Alzheimer’s treatments and healthcare in interviews and podcasts, discussing “promising breakthroughs” or the significance of the disease, but those appearances are not the same as running clinical trials or authoring peer‑reviewed dementia research [8] [9]. Available sources do not mention any registered clinical trials led by Carson.
6. Why the misinformation spreads: credibility borrowing and commercial motives
Fact checks show scammers borrow the credibility of public figures (Carson, Reba McEntire) and news brands (USA TODAY) to sell supplements on retail platforms; the objectives are commercial, not scientific, and the bogus articles often include fake images or altered audio to suggest legitimacy [4] [3]. Meta’s ad library removals cited by AFP indicate the social‑media ecosystem amplifies these promotions [2].
7. What to do if you encounter such claims
Trust peer‑reviewed clinical registries and official sources: fact checks recommend checking the FDA database, clinicaltrials.gov, and reputable newsrooms; the National Institute on Aging warns against products posing as cures [2]. AFP and Reuters advise skepticism of social posts that promise rapid reversal of dementia or one‑month cures because those claims conflict with established medical evidence [4] [1].
Limitations and final note: my summary relies only on the provided reporting. If you want confirmation from clinical registries or FDA databases that are not in these sources, those records are not covered in the current reporting and would require a separate check. Available sources do not mention any clinical trial led by Dr. Ben Carson [1] [2] [3].