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Has Ben Carson promoted alternative medicine therapies after leaving politics?
Executive summary
Ben Carson has been linked in reporting and fact-checks to multiple endorsements or promotions of unproven health products and alternative treatments after his active political career, but several of those links are instances of fabricated ads or fake endorsements rather than verified personal promotions (e.g., fake CNN screenshots and scam ads) [1] [2] [3]. Independent outlets also documented occasions where Carson personally endorsed or said he used unapproved products (oleander extract, a promoted homeopathic COVID product), and advocacy groups criticized those endorsements as dangerous [4] [5].
1. Past behavior: a pattern of public statements and appearances tied to "holistic" language
Ben Carson has used language encouraging broader or "holistic" approaches in medical contexts — for example, urging new doctors to be “holistic healers” at Liberty University — which provides context for why he is sometimes associated with non‑mainstream remedies [6].
2. Instances where Carson said he used a specific unapproved treatment
Reporting in 2020 recorded Carson saying he took oleander extract — an unapproved herbal supplement promoted by MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell — after contracting COVID-19; The Hill summarized that claim as Carson saying he used that unapproved product [4]. That is a primary example in which Carson himself reported using an alternative/unapproved therapy.
3. Criticism from scientific and skeptic groups over his endorsements
When Carson endorsed a homeopathic treatment for COVID‑19 publicly, the Center for Inquiry called the endorsement “reckless” and urged public-health officials to disavow his claim, arguing it endangered public health by lending credibility to ineffective treatments [5]. This shows mainstream skeptic organizations interpreted some of Carson’s post‑political health commentary as undermining science‑based medicine [5].
4. Widespread scam ads and fabricated headlines falsely attributing endorsements to him
Multiple fact‑checks find that social media and scam advertisers have repeatedly used fake headlines and doctored screenshots to claim Carson endorsed natural cures for high blood pressure, erectile dysfunction, prostate cancer or dementia; AFP, Reuters and PolitiFact documented such fraudulent or fabricated ads and concluded there is no evidence he made those findings or endorsements [1] [7] [3] [2]. Those fact-checks underline that many online claims tying Carson to alternative‑medicine products are outright fabrications rather than documented promotions.
5. A mixed record: actual comments vs. false attributions
Available reporting shows both types of items exist: verifiable self-reported use (oleander extract) and a public endorsement criticized by scientific groups (homeopathic COVID product) [4] [5], but also a large volume of false advertising that leverages his image without his consent [1] [2]. The distinction matters: some claims in circulation are factually false per fact‑checks, while other items are genuine and have drawn public-health criticism.
6. Why these distinctions matter for readers and consumers
Fact-checkers warn that scam ads and fabricated endorsements are used to sell unproven products and that public figures’ names are often misappropriated; several fact-checks explicitly state Carson did not endorse the advertised products and that headlines were fabricated [1] [2] [3]. Separately, health advocates argue that when a former physician and cabinet official does promote or say he used unproven therapies, it can give those products undue credibility [5].
7. Limits of available reporting and what’s not found
Available sources in this collection do not provide a comprehensive list of every post‑politics health statement Carson has ever made; they document notable examples of his reported use of specific supplements, advocacy criticisms, and many falsified online ads [4] [5] [1]. If you are asking whether he has ever promoted alternative therapies: reporting shows both verified instances and many false attributions — but a full accounting of every endorsement or appearance is not found in the current reporting (not found in current reporting).
Bottom line: credible reporting documents at least some occasions where Carson personally endorsed or said he used unapproved or homeopathic products (which drew public‑health criticism) while fact‑checkers have repeatedly debunked many viral ads that falsely attribute extensive alternative‑medicine endorsements to him [4] [5] [1].