1. Critics Aren’t All Supplement Hucksters The jab at supplement sales doesn’t hold up when you look at the bigger names in the vaccine-skeptic space. Pierre Kory, a critical care physician, focuses on protocols like ivermectin for early COVID treatment, not pushing vitamins for profit. Robert Malone, a scientist with early contributions to mRNA tech, critiques vaccine safety based on data and his expertise, not by hawking pills. Simone Gold, founder of America’s Frontline Doctors, advocates for alternative treatments but isn’t known for supplement schemes. Mary Talley Bowden, an ENT specialist, pushes for patient access to off-label drugs like ivermectin, not overpriced wellness products. These figures lean on clinical experience or research, not snake-oil sales, undermining the “buy my supplements” stereotype. Sure, some fringes might peddle products, but painting all critics as con artists is lazy and dishonest.
2. Fauci’s Dual Role: Real and Documented The claim about Fauci’s “dual role” between the CDC and Pentagon isn’t a conspiracy theory—it’s rooted in his expansive influence over public health and biodefense. As director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) from 1984 to 2022, Fauci oversaw infectious disease research, including gain-of-function studies, which some argue could overlap with bioweapon development. Post-2001, the Patriot Act and biodefense initiatives under Bush placed Fauci at the helm of coordinating biodefense research, including dual-use research of concern (DURC)—studies with potential civilian and military applications. A 2012 congressional testimony shows Fauci discussing NIAID’s collaboration with the Department of Defense on biodefense, confirming his role in both infectious disease and bioweapon prevention programs. Critics argue this blurred lines, especially with funding for risky experiments like those at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Dismissing this as a “hoax” ignores Fauci’s own words and documented federal records.
3. “Clot Shots” and Bioweapon Claims: Hyperbole with a Kernel of Truth The “clot shots” and “bioweapon” labels are provocative, but they stem from real concerns about vaccine side effects and gain-of-function research. Data from VAERS and studies like a 2021 Lancet paper on rare blood clots (e.g., cerebral venous sinus thrombosis) linked to adenoviral vaccines (AstraZeneca, J&J) give critics like Kory and Malone ammunition to question safety. The “bioweapon” charge, while exaggerated, ties to fears that Fauci-funded research—such as NIH grants to EcoHealth Alliance for bat coronavirus studies—could have militarized potential or led to lab leaks. These aren’t baseless conspiracies; they’re debated in mainstream outlets like The Intercept and congressional hearings. Mocking them as tinfoil-hat nonsense sidesteps the need for transparency about risky research.
4. The Snark’s Weakness: It Dodges Substance The remark’s cheap shot—mocking with a fake $64.99 price tag—avoids engaging with the critics’ actual arguments. Kory’s FLCCC protocols, Malone’s mRNA safety warnings, Gold’s telemedicine advocacy, and Bowden’s patient-care focus aren’t about selling snake oil; they’re about challenging a one-size-fits-all narrative. Fauci’s defenders can’t just sneer; they need to address why his NIAID funded controversial studies or why adverse events, however rare, were downplayed. Smirking about supplements doesn’t refute data or Fauci’s Pentagon ties.