At a time when Americans’ trust in public health institutions continues to decline, Republican Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin has been criticized for promoting a book that peddles a baseless medical theory that bleaching can treat autism and other conditions.
Johnson included the quote on the cover of “The Chlorine Dioxide War,” a book by Dr. Pierre Kory, a controversial doctor and lung expert who has gained national attention during the COVID-19 pandemic for promoting off-label use of ineffective “miracle drug” treatments.
The American Board of Internal Medicine revoked Corey’s certification in 2024, preventing him from practicing medicine in large hospitals and academic institutions. However, he still has a medical license.
But that hasn’t stopped Johnson backing the disgraced doctor’s claims that chlorine dioxide, a chemical used in disinfection and bleaching, could help treat autism, COVID-19, cancer and a host of other conditions. Johnson has been heavily criticized in the past for spreading misinformation.
The three-term senator called Corey’s book “a gripping story of corruption and courage that will open eyes and raise serious questions” in a blurb on the cover.
Johnson confirmed he authorized the statement in a statement to ProPublica, which first reported the book’s citations.
Johnson, who has often expressed doubts about the effectiveness of vaccines, told reporters earlier this year that many childhood diseases, such as measles, could be eradicated through better hygiene and sanitation.
During the pandemic, he called on Cory as an expert witness at at least two 2020 Senate hearings, where Cory advocated that Americans take ivermectin, an anti-parasitic drug, to treat COVID-19.
“We are faced with a dangerous stream of misinformation that ignores evidence and negates the scientific process, undermining our nation’s response and belief in science,” a group of medical and scientific experts said in response to testimony at the time.
Voter confidence in CDC and other agencies begins to decline
Russell Vought, Republican Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, appears before the Senate Budget Committee for a confirmation hearing and vote.
Johnson’s support for the book and its author comes amid major conflicts over public health in the United States, particularly under the leadership of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Health and Human Services Secretary in the Trump administration.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently restructured the vaccine safety section of its website to cast doubt on its longstanding position that vaccines do not cause autism, rebutting decades of scientific evidence showing they are safe.
There is now evidence that trust in federal health agencies like the CDC is declining since the Trump administration returned to power.
An Ipsos survey released in October found that 54% of respondents trusted the agency, down from 60% in June and 66% in December 2024. The same goes for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), where polls show that the number of respondents expressing trust has dropped from 60% in December to 52% now.
contribute: Craig Gilbert
This article originally appeared in USA TODAY: Sen. Ron Johnson touts book promoting baseless autism treatment
