The South By Southwest conference, SXSW, recently announced that Melinda Gates will be speaking.
Bill and Melinda Gates and their foundation have taken on many philanthropic roles around the world. From a health care standpoint they have, for example, championed vaccines and dedicated resources to accelerating the decline of human immunodeficiency virus worldwide.
What I find curious about Melinda Gates appearing at SXSW is the SXSW Wellness Advisory Board includes Dr. Kelly Brogan, an AIDS denialist who also wonders if the WHO is trying to clandestinely sterilize women in Africa via the tetanus vaccine.
Dr. Brogan shared an article on Facebook in 2014 about the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and asked if Bill and Melinda Gates are really philanthropists or “profit-mongering sadists?”
No really.
Dr. Brogan writes on her website that “Contrary to the claim that vaccines eliminate infection, they promote it.”
A Website that Dr. Brogan is associated with, Green MedInfo, has posted an articles about the HPV vaccine claiming Bill Gates used “30,000 Indian girls as guinea pigs” to test the HPV vaccine.
Brogan also wrote a book titled Vaccines and Brain Health.
I care too much about my own brain health to read it, but fortunately Orac has a more robust constitution and provides an excellent run down of her antivaccine views here.
Dr. Brogan’s book is new so clearly she hasn’t changed her views on vaccines.
Melinda Gates is free to speak wherever she chooses and obvious SXSW can invite anyone to be on their “Wellness Board,” but I have to say I am very curious if Melinda Gates knows about Dr. Brogan’s views?
As for SXSW elevating the profile of an anti-vaccine, coffee-enema promoting AIDS denialist? That is the exact opposite of wellness.
Dr. Jen Gunter 
If I may , on any of these sites , ALWAYS read the `Disclaimer` . Kelly has a lovely one .
Who knew SXSW had “wellness advisory” board. A glance at the members indicates they are all quacks, not just Brogan. I like this guy:
“Shawn Ullman is the co-founder and CEO of Feel Rich, the market leader in delivery branded celebrity health and wellness content, influencers, products, and live events. ”
In other words, he advises quacks how to enhance their financial “wellness” by selling snake oil.
So sad. Speaking of profit-mongering sadists, I was hoping you might research and write a piece on the health benefits (or not) of raw water. Thanks for your blog. I love your well-researched posts that shine a light of truth on the scary, manipulative pseudo science and false health info out there.
Giardia is the ultimate cleanse.
Yes, I got it in East Africa and lost 10kg in a month! Can’t recommend it though.
Here’s an interesting article in the Washington Post about raw water and its risks:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/made-by-history/wp/2018/01/11/the-raw-water-craze-threatens-to-undo-one-of-our-major-public-health-achievements/?hpid=hp_hp-cards_hp-posteverything%3Ahomepage%2Fcard&utm_term=.f14440a76235
Would I find Dr. Brogan’s books in the comedy section? What a clown!