Gary Null

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Gary Michael Null (born 1945) is an acclaimed American talk radio host, author, documentary film and television producer, and advocate for alternative medicine, naturopathy, and prevention of disease by healthy eating, exercise, and lifestyle. He has authored more than 70 books on nutrition, self-empowerment and public health issues, including Power Aging. He hosted the syndicated public radio show, Natural Living with Gary Null for 27 years.[1] .

Early life and education

Null was raised in Parkersburg, West Virginia, with his two brothers. He holds an associate's degree in business administration from Mountain State College in

Null holds a Ph.D. in human nutrition and public health sciences from Union Institute & University[2] .

Radio programs

Null began broadcasting a syndicated radio talk show, Natural Living with Gary Null in 1980.[3] His show was broadcast first on WBAI, then on the VoiceAmerica Network and over the internet. Null's show subsequently returned to WBAI, leading to protests from ACT-UP New York and other AIDS activist groups concerned by Null's promotion of AIDS denialism.[4][5] He continues to host The Gary Null Show through the Progressive Radio Network, which he established in 2005.[6]

Documentaries

Null has made many independent documentary films on public policy issues, personal health, and development. His videos have been aired by PBS during pledge drives, and his presence is used during fund drives, and his media are high-tier incentives to encourage donations.[7][8]

Magazine Articles

Starting in 1979 and continuing through the 80's, Null helped produce two series of articles for Penthouse, entitled "The Politics of Cancer" and "Medical Genocide".[9]

Controversies

Null challenges various aspects of conventional medicine he views as harmful to the general public, arguing that in some cases, physicians and pharmaceutical companies have an economic interest in promoting rather than preventing sickness. In the 1979-80, he co-authored a series of articles on cancer research for Penthouse, entitled The Politics of Cancer[9] beginning with one entitled "The Great Cancer Fraud."[10] Null's writings in Penthouse accused the medical community of "suppressing alternative cancer treatments to protect the medical establishment's solid-gold cancer train." In place of standard medical therapy, Null advocated alternative cancer treatments such as hydrazine sulfate. A series of three articles co-authored by Null in Penthouse is credited by David Gorski with bringing the Burzynski clinic to prominence.[11] In 1985, Null began writing a lengthy series of reports for Penthouse entitled "Medical Genocide".[9]

Flu Vaccination

Null was the keynote speaker at a rally opposing mandatory H1N1 influenza vaccination during the 2009 flu pandemic, leading the New York State Department of Health to dismiss Null's claims about the vaccine as "not scientifically credible." The New York State Health Commissioner held a conference at the time of the rally to discuss the clinical trials which were used to demonstrate its safety.[12]

HIV

In addition to his promotion of alternative cancer treatments and condemnation of the medical establishment, Null has argued that HIV is harmless and does not cause AIDS.[13] In his book AIDS: A Second Opinion, Null advocated a range of dietary supplements for HIV-positive individuals instead of antiretroviral medication. In 2002, Salon.com described the book as "massive, irresponsible and nearly unreadable."[14] In 2014, the United States Government's AIDS website said "not everyone with HIV progresses to AIDS," that "AIDS is the final stage of HIV infection, and not everyone who has HIV advances to this stage of infection."[15]

Seth Kalichman, professor of social psychology at the University of Connecticut, has decried Null for not supporting the HIV-AIDS causation theory, and has accused him of cashing in on HIV/AIDS; in Kalichman's 2009 book, Denying AIDS, he compared Null's activities to Holocaust denial and described Null as an example of a dangerous entrepreneur who "obviously breached" the balance between free speech and protecting public health.[16] The book has been reviewed as having many typographical errors. In addition, Kalichman's university website shows citations indicating grant money received concerning HIV-related topics.[17]

However, a scientific paper published in 2006 states that "The pathogenic and physiologic processes leading to AIDS remain a conundrum."[18]

Supplement Problems

In 2010, Null reported that he and six other consumers had been hospitalized – and that he had nearly died – of vitamin D poisoning, after ingesting a nutritional supplement manufactured by a contractor, alleging that the supplement erroneously contained more than 1,000 times the dose of vitamin D reported on the label. He sued the manufacturer himself.[periodicals 1]

References

  1. ^ "WBAI Website with Gary Null Shows". WBAI Radio. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
  2. ^ "Union Institute and University Website". Retrieved May 9, 2014.
  3. ^ "WBAI Program Listing". Retrieved May 10, 2014.
  4. ^ "Letter to Indra Hardat, interim general manager, WBAI/Pacifica". ACT-UP. January 17, 2006. Retrieved June 23, 2011.
  5. ^ "WBAI: Do not put Gary Null's dangerous show on the air". aidstruth.org. November 17, 2010. Retrieved June 23, 2011.
  6. ^ "Progressive Radio Network website". Retrieved May 10, 2014.
  7. ^ Katz, Richard, Null zeroes in on PBS, fills void in coffers, Variety, 23 December 1998. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
  8. ^ Quinn, Judy Gary Null's Book Sales Get Healthier, Publishers Weekly 12 April 1999. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
  9. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference null_qw was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Null's Penthouse articles on alternative cancer therapies include:
    • Null, Gary; Robert Houston (1979). "The Great Cancer Fraud". Penthouse: 76–78, 82, 268, 270, 272, 274, 276–278.
    • Null, Gary; A. Pitrone (1980). "Suppression of new cancer therapies: Dr. Joseph Gold and hydrazine sulfate". Penthouse: 97–98, 160, 162–163.
    • Null, Gary; L. Steinman (1980). "The politics of cancer. Part five. Suppression of new cancer therapies: Dr. Lawrence Burton". Penthouse: 75–76, 188–194, 196–197.
  11. ^ Gorski, David (July 2, 2013). "Stanislaw Burzynski: The Early Years". Science Based Medicine. Retrieved February 20, 2014.
  12. ^ Scribona, Charles (November 2, 2009). "Health workers angry over mandatory swine flu shots". Legislative Gazette. Retrieved June 23, 2011.
  13. ^ Park, Alice; Jeffrey Kluger (May 17, 1999). "The New Mister Natural". TIME. Retrieved June 23, 2011.
  14. ^ Kurth, Peter (May 21, 2002). "Quack record". Salon.com. Retrieved June 23, 2011.
  15. ^ "http://aids.gov/hiv-aids-basics/hiv-aids-101/what-is-hiv-aids/". United States Government. Retrieved May 9, 2014. {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)
  16. ^ Kalichman, S (2009). Denying AIDS. Springer. pp. 12, 89. ISBN 978-0-387-79475-4.
  17. ^ Kalichmann, Seth. "University of Connecticut Professor Page". University of Connecticut. Retrieved May 9, 2014.
  18. ^ Grossman, Z. ""Pathogenesis of HIV Infection"". Nature Medicine. 12 (3): 280–295. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)

External links

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