Big Pharma Secretly Pays Big $$$ to Social Media Influencers (You’ll Never Guess Who)

The Influence of Big Pharma and Big Food on Social Media [00:00]

• Corporations, including big pharma and big food, are strategically hiring social media influencers to disseminate health information, dictate dietary choices, and guide opinions on health practices.
• This practice is not speculative but is backed by documented evidence, indicating a hidden collaboration between these industries and influencers.
• Influencers are hired on a per-post basis, with their pricing often determined by their perceived credibility and reach.
• Big pharma faces a significant trust deficit, which it attempts to bridge by "borrowing" credibility from social media influencers who possess this crucial attribute.

"What if the people that you really trust online for health information were not actually giving you their independent opinion?"

Corporate Corruption and Financial Penalties [01:27]

• Big pharma has accumulated substantial penalties, totaling over $126 billion since 2000, with over $60 billion specifically linked to patient injury and harm.
• Specific examples include Johnson & Johnson facing $25 million in penalties across 81 offenses, Pfizer incurring $11 billion across 107 penalties, and Merck facing over $10 billion in penalties for 90 violations.
• The focus of modern medicine has shifted from health to business, with big pharma dominating 90% of both traditional TV and digital marketing.

The Financial Value of Influencer Credibility [02:35]

• The average pay for an influencer is approximately $20-$25 per 1,000 views.
• However, an influencer's trust and credibility can multiply this rate by 8 to 12 times, potentially reaching $240 per 1,000 views.
• An AI estimation suggests a credible influencer like Dr. Berg could earn $250,000 to $500,000 for a 60-90 second YouTube post, with potential earnings exceeding $1 million for high-viewership content.
• An Instagram reel with 500,000 to 1 million impressions could yield $150,000 to $300,000, while a TikTok post with 500,000 to 2 million views might earn $100,000 to $250,000.

"This is incredible. the amount of money that's involved here."

Hidden Agendas and Influencer Recruitment [04:16]

• Big pharma does not typically engage influencers directly, opting instead to work through PR firms.
• These firms establish dedicated teams to identify, hire, and train influencers, meticulously crafting messages to appear authentic.
• Legally, influencers are required by the FTC to disclose financial payments, but over 40% fail to do so, making it difficult to identify sponsored content.
• Failure to disclose payments can result in fines of up to $50,000 from the FTC.

Case Study: Dr. Mike and Undisclosed Sponsorships [05:08]

• Dr. Mike, an osteopath known for reaction videos, stated he had never been compensated by a vaccine company.
• However, public records indicate Dr. Mike received over $1 million from Abbott Labs, a company involved in vaccine sales.
• This instance highlights not only potential undisclosed sponsorships but also direct denials of payment from entities within the pharmaceutical industry.

"So, not only did Dr. Mike get paid by Big Pharma, but he said he didn't get paid."

Dietitians and Food Industry Influence [06:06]

• Certain dietitians have faced FTC scrutiny for promoting junk foods and failing to adequately disclose sponsorships.
• In November 2023, the FTC issued warning letters to industry groups and registered dietitians for promoting aspartame safety and sugar consumption without proper disclosures on platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
• Coca-Cola has reportedly hired influencers to promote messages of obesity being solely about energy balance and the need for exercise, diverting attention from sugary drinks.

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: A Conflict of Interest [07:40]

• The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, representing over 100,000 dietitians, significantly influences nutrition policy.
• An investigation revealed 80,000 pages of correspondence between Big Food and the Academy, indicating deep ties and potential conflicts of interest.
• The Academy and its foundation have invested in ultra-processed food and pharmaceutical companies, raising questions about their independence.
• Funding sources for the Academy include companies like Abbott Laboratories, Pepsi Cola, Coca-Cola, Hershey's, and General Mills.

"I mean, talk about a conflict of interest. How can they be independent if they're actually benefiting financially from these companies?"

The Art of Framing and Discrediting [08:46]

• A powerful tactic employed by corporations is not just paying influencers but also carefully framing the message and discrediting alternative viewpoints.
• This often involves repetitive messaging and nullifying influencers who promote concepts like the dangers of seed oils.
• Arguments used to defend seed oils often focus on the oil itself, neglecting the harmful byproducts created during processing and heating.
• The American Heart Association, which recommended replacing saturated fats with unsaturated seed oils, is cited as an example of an organization with potential conflicts of interest that defends the junk food industry.

The Dietary Guidelines Committee and Lack of Transparency [10:09]

• Committee members involved in forming dietary guidelines, such as the food pyramid, have shown extensive ties to big food, big pharma, and big advertising.
• A lack of transparency necessitates digging to uncover these connections.
• Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is presented as an individual fighting for transparency and safety studies, who is attacked because he poses a threat to industry interests.

"I mean, let me ask you, who do you go to to get truthful health information?"

The Medical Profession's Influence and Mythbusting [10:55]

• A significant portion of doctors (estimated at 95%) may not recommend low-carb or ketogenic diets due to perceived risks, often amplified by media narratives.
• The supposed dangers of the ketogenic diet, such as creating atrial fibrillation, have been based on flawed studies that did not accurately represent low-carb diets.
• Mythbusting videos are often sponsored and label alternative viewpoints as misinformation or dangerous, repetitively attacking figures like RFK or Dr. Berg without providing detailed evidence.

The Antidote: Awareness and Critical Thinking [12:15]

• The pervasive influence of corporations on health information underscores the need for critical evaluation of online content.
• Awareness and the ability to connect the dots are presented as the antidote to corporate propaganda, enabling individuals to discern between genuine information and sponsored messaging.

"And I think the antidote to all this is awareness. being able to connect the dots and really understand who's feeding you true information or who's feeding you propaganda."