Has dr. ben carson ever promoted honey as a treatment in speeches, books, or interviews?
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Executive summary
Available reporting shows multiple instances of fabricated ads and doctored videos falsely claiming Dr. Ben Carson endorsed or promoted miracle remedies — including CBD gummies, “blood vessel‑cleaning” gummies, erectile‑dysfunction cures and Alzheimer’s sprays — and Carson’s spokespeople have repeatedly denied he ever endorsed those products [1] [2] [3] [4]. None of the provided sources show credible evidence that Carson has promoted honey as a medical treatment in speeches, books or interviews; available sources do not mention any public honey endorsement by Carson [5] [6].
1. Pattern of fake health endorsements tied to Carson
Media fact‑checks document a recurring pattern: social posts and shady websites attach Carson’s image or altered audio to promote unproven health products. PolitiFact and AFP detail fake CNN/NBC/USA TODAY‑style headlines and scam pages that use Carson’s likeness to lend false credibility to CBD gummies, erectile‑dysfunction remedies and “natural cures” [1] [3] [5]. University at Buffalo media‑forensics coverage and Reuters likewise document doctored or deep‑faked clips misattributing endorsements to him [2] [6].
2. Carson’s spokespeople deny these endorsements
When confronted, Carson’s representatives have consistently denied involvement. AFP and Reuters cite statements from his nonprofit’s spokesman and other representatives saying Carson “has never endorsed or even heard of” the products promoted in viral posts, and called the claims “completely fake” [5] [6] [3]. USA TODAY’s fact check found no affiliation between Carson and a falsely attributed Alzheimer’s product and noted Carson “has no connection” to that product [7].
3. No sourced evidence here that he promoted honey
None of the supplied fact checks or reporting mention honey as a treatment promoted by Carson. The records focus on CBD products, gummies, nasal sprays and other fabricated endorsements — not honey — so available sources do not mention any instance of Carson promoting honey in speeches, books or interviews [5] [1] [4].
4. Why honey might surface in misinfo campaigns (context)
Health‑product scams frequently exploit familiar, benign remedies (like honey) because they’re plausible and hard to disprove quickly; fact‑checkers cite similar tactics with “natural” ingredient claims attached to prominent names to increase clicks and sales [1] [5]. The presence of multiple fake endorsements tied to Carson across platforms shows how a single respected name can be reused for unrelated products, whether CBD gummies or hypothetical honey remedies [1] [2].
5. Limits of the available reporting
The sources provided span many fact checks of false endorsements through 2023–2024 and into 2025 but do not constitute a comprehensive archive of every public statement Carson has ever made [5] [6] [3]. Therefore, while the supplied reporting finds no evidence of a honey promotion and documents an ongoing pattern of fabricated endorsements, the statement “he never promoted honey” is limited to what these sources cover: available sources do not mention such a promotion [5] [6].
6. Competing explanations and hidden agendas
Fact‑checkers and Carson’s spokespeople frame these items as scams by third parties seeking profit; the outlets (AFP, Reuters, PolitiFact, USA TODAY) emphasize altered media and fake websites as the likely mechanism [5] [2] [7] [1]. An alternative possibility — not asserted in these sources — is deepfakes or manipulated audio being mistaken for real remarks, which the University at Buffalo’s media‑forensics work illustrates in other Carson cases [2]. The recurring denials from his team and the similarity of scam page formats suggest a commercial motive behind the misattributions [3] [5].
7. Bottom line for readers
Do not rely on social posts or web pages that claim celebrities or doctors discovered miracle cures; multiple fact checks show Dr. Ben Carson’s name has been used in fabricated endorsements but do not show him promoting honey — available sources do not mention any such claim [1] [5] [6]. If you encounter a specific post alleging Carson promoted honey, treat it as suspect, seek primary sourcing (a direct transcript, video with verified provenance, or a statement from Carson’s office) and consult established fact‑checking outlets cited above for verification [2] [7].