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Sucharit Bhakdi

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Sucharit Bhakdi
Born (1946-11-01) November 1, 1946 (age 74)
Washington, D.C., U.S.
NationalityThai-German
Alma mater
Known forMicrobiology,[1] fringe ideas about COVID-19[2]
AwardsOrder of Merit of Rhineland-Palatinate, Aronson Prize
Scientific career
FieldsMedicine/surgery, bacteriology and atherosclerosis

Sucharit Bhakdi (สุจริต ภักดี [sut̚˨˩.t͡ɕa˨˩.rit̚˨˩ pʰak̚˦˥.diː˧]; born Sucharit Punyaratabandhu, สุจริต บุณยรัตพันธุ์, 1 November 1946, in Washington, D.C.) is a retired Thai-German microbiologist, known in retirement for spreading conspiracy theories and antisemitic polemic.[1] In 2020 and 2021 Bhakdi became a prominent source of misinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic, claiming that the pandemic was "fake" and that COVID-19 vaccines were going to decimate the world's population.[3][2]

He was a professor at the University of Mainz, where from 1991 to 2012 he was head of the Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene.[4] The university subsequently disassociated itself from Bhakdi's views on the Coronavirus pandemic.[5] In 2021 Bhakdi's publisher broke off relations following the appearance of an online video in which Bhakdi made antisemitic comments.[6]

Early life and education

Bhakdi's parents are Thai diplomats.[7] In an interview, Bhakdi stated that his mother studied at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.[8]

Bhakdi studied at the Universities of Bonn, Gießen, Mainz and Copenhagen, and at the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology in Freiburg.[4]

He studied medicine at the University of Bonn from 1963 to 1970, during part of which (from 1966 to 1970) he was a scholarship holder of the German Academic Exchange Service.[9] Bhakdi worked for a while as a private assistant to the internal medicine specialist  [de].[8] In February 1971 he received his doctorate in medicine. From 1972 to 1978, he studied at the Max Planck Institute for Immunobiology in Freiburg on scholarships from the Max Planck Society at the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology in Freiburg and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.[4]

He worked at the University of Copenhagen for a year before moving to the Institute of Medical Microbiology at the Justus Liebig University in Gießen, where he worked from 1977 to 1990. In July 1979 he habilitated.

Scientific and medical career

Bhakdi was appointed C2 professor at Gießen in 1982. He spent a further year in Copenhagen and became C3 professor of medical microbiology (at Gießen again) in 1987 before being appointed to the University of Mainz in 1990. From 1991 he headed the Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene as a C4 professor.[4]

Bhakdi retired on 1 April 2012.[10] Since 2016 he has been a visiting scholar at the University of Kiel.[11][12][13]

Prior to his retirement, Bhakdi produced scientific work in fields such as bacteriology and atherosclerosis, and published multiple scientific articles in these areas.[14] Awards he received include the Order of Merit of Rhineland-Palatinate.[15]

Memberships and functions

  • Member of the Collaborative Research Centres of the German Research Foundation "Proteins as Tools in Biology" at the University of Giessen (1987-1990),
  • Deputy Spokesperson of the Collaborative Research Center "Immunopathogenesis" (1990-1999)
  • Spokesperson of the Collaborative Research Center "490 Infection and Persistence in Infections" in Mainz (2000-2011).[9]
  • Co-founder and board member of the Association of Physicians and Scientists for Health, Freedom and Democracy, which was founded in May 2020 and lost its non-profit status in October 2020.[16] The purpose of the association is to take action against the government’s measures to contain the corona pandemic.[12]

In autumn 2020 he was one of the first signatories of the "appeal for free debating spaces" ( Appells für freie Debattenräume).[clarification needed][17]

He was Editor in Chief of Medical Microbiology and Immunology from 1990 to 2012.[18]

Prominence during COVID-19 pandemic

See also: COVID-19 misinformation

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Bhakdi started a YouTube channel proposing that the number of deaths stemming from SARS-CoV-2 infection had been overstated. In November 2020 his account was terminated for violating YouTube's community guidelines.[19]

Bhakdi has made a number of false statements about the COVID-19 pandemic, saying that the pandemic is a "fake", that face masks and quarantines are "nonsense" and that the COVID-19 vaccines are deadly and will decimate the global population.[3]

He has been otherwise criticised for his theses on the COVID-19 pandemic; according to  [de], they are considered unscientific by a majority of experts.[20]

Bhakdi's criticisms of the COVID-19 pandemic response

His criticisms of states' (most particularly Germany's) reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic have included:

  • Writing an open Letter in March 2020 to German Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel regarding the "socio-economic consequences of the drastic containment measures which are currently being applied in large parts of Europe"[21][better source needed]
  • Posting videos on YouTube claiming, for example, that the government was overreacting because the virus posed no more threat than influenza, and that any COVID-19 vaccine would be "pointless".[22]
  • Participation in May 2020 in the writing of a "position paper of the BMI" by an employee of the German crisis management department.[23][24][25] The Federal Ministry distanced itself from the position, calling the paper a "private opinion" circulating on official letterhead, and released the chief government councilor Stephan Kohn from duty.[26]
  • He is the co-author of Corona, False Alarm? Facts and Figures (2020), German: ('Corona Fehlalarm?')[27][28] An earlier book of his was published in 2016, Schreckgespenst Infektionen – Mythen, Wahn und Wirklichkeit (tr. "Bogeyman Infections - Myths, Delusions and Reality").[29] He published both books together with his wife, Karina Reiss, a biologist and biochemist at the Quincke Research Center, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel.[30]
  • Describing Germany in December 2020 as a "health dictatorship", saying he wanted to emigrate to Thailand because of this.[31]

Responses to Bhakdi's claims

Bhakdi's claims, in particular in his YouTube videos and in the book Corona Fehlalarm?, have been extensively fact-checked and found to be variously unsubstantiated, misleading, or false.[32][33]

In Germany, fact-checking activity has included articles at dpa,[34] SWR3[35] and the German non-profit correctiv.org.[22] On the basis of fact checks by Correctiv, ZDF, die Welt, Der Spiegel and Bayerischer Rundfunk, the Süddeutsche Zeitung summed up: "What Wodarg and Bhakdi say is not completely wrong, but they mix facts with speculation and disinformation."[36]

Correctiv fact-checked one of Bhakdi's YouTube videos, and found a number of problematic claims, including the claim that any COVID-19 vaccine would be "pointless", and that the virus posed no more threat than influenza.[22]

Writing for Foreign Policy, Tyson Barker (Head of DGAP's Technology & Global Affairs Program)[37] described Bhakdi as a prominent example from a "crop of debunked but credentialed so-called experts minting conspiracy theories and undermining fact-based information".[38]

In October 2020 the University of Mainz issued a statement to the effect that it does not support Bhakdi's views.[5][39][40]

Political activism, antisemitism

In 2021, Bhakdi was a founder of the new German political party  [de], which emerged out of the "Querdenken" political movement, standing as a candidate in the 2021 German federal election in North Rhine-Westphalia.[41][42][43] In April 2021, the antisemitism commissioner for the state of Baden-Württemberg identified the Querdenken movement as providing space for antisemitic conspiracy theories, noting that Bhakdi singled out the German-Jewish minister of education in Schleswig-Holstein, Karin Prien, as "poisoning our children with CO2".[44]

In a video released as part of his campaign, Bhakdi articulated antisemitic views, saying Israel is "even worse" than Nazi Germany, and "That’s the bad thing about Jews." The Austrian publisher  [de] of three of Bhakdi’s books on the pandemic, said that it was severing ties with the author.[6][40][45][46] Bhakdi was criticised by antisemitism commissioners for the states of Berlin and Baden-Württemberg.[47][48][49]

Awards

Professional awards

Negative award

Following the publicity accorded to Bhakdi's statements and publications regarding Covid-19 during 2020, the Gesellschaft zur wissenschaftlichen Untersuchung von Parawissenschaften (English: Society for the Scientific Investigation of Pseudosciences) named him as winner of the 2020 Goldenes Brett considered as the "most astonishing pseudo-scientific nuisance" of the year.[59]

References

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b "Bhakdis Brief an die Kanzlerin – Was ist dran an seinen Fragen?" [Bhakdi’s Letter to the Chancellor - What About His Questions?]. BR24 (in German). 1 April 2020.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b Muriel Kalisch; Patrick Stotz (21 May 2020). "Hinter der Verschwörung" [Behind the plot]. Der Spiegel (in German).
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b Daniel Funke (30 April 2021). "Fact check: COVID-19 vaccines don't cause death, won't decimate world's population". USA Today.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b c d "Sucharit Bhakdi (Punyarataband) Lebenslauf" [curriculum vitae]. studylibde.com. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b Universität distanziert sich von Corona-Kritiker Bhakdi (tr. "University distances itself from Corona critic Bhakdi") 2 November 2020 www.swr.de Accessed 4 December 2020
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b Algemeiner, The (16 July 2021). "Jews 'Learned Evil' From Nazis: Leading COVID-19 Conspiracy Theorist in Germany Loses Publisher Over Antisemitic Comments". Algemeiner.com. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
  7. ^ "Sucharit Bhakdi]". goldegg-verlag.com, Goldegg Verlag. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b "Weltwoche: "Gefährliche Verführungen"" [Dangerous seductions]. www.weltwoche.ch. 6 May 2020. Retrieved 14 May 2020. His mother, who had studied at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, inspired him early in medicine. «She was an excellent doctor,» says Bhakdi.
  9. ^ Jump up to: a b Gestern Stipendiatin – und heute? Sucharit Bhakdi – Leiter des Instituts für Medizinische Mikrobiologie und Hygiene der Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz (tr."Yesterday a DAAD-scholar - and today? Sucharit Bhakdi - Head of the Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz") www.daad.de, 2006 (Archive)
  10. ^ "Neu bei uns. (PDF)" [New to us] (PDF). www.unimedizin-mainz.de. September 2013. p. 18. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  11. ^ "Meinungen am Rande des Mainstreams" [Opinions on the margins of the mainstream Pharmazeutische Zeitung]. www.pharmazeutische-zeitung.de. 30 March 2020. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  12. ^ Jump up to: a b Rohwedder, Wulf (10 August 2020). "Zweierlei Maß bei "Corona-Rebellen"" [Double standards in Corona rebels"]. tagesschau.de. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  13. ^ Schwenke, Karen (8 August 2020). ""Wir wollen zum Denken anregen" – Zwei Kieler Forscher stellen sich gegen alle anerkannten Corona-Experten. Ihr Buch ist ein Bestseller (Paywall)" ["We want to inspire people to think" - Two Kiel researchers stand against all recognized Corona experts. Their book is a bestseller (Interview in den Kieler Nachrichten)].
  14. ^ "Scopus preview - Bhakdi, Sucharit - Author details - Scopus". www.scopus.com. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  15. ^ Jump up to: a b "Sucharit Bhakdi MD". chelsea green. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  16. ^ Lars Wienand: Corona-Verein von Sucharit Bhakdi verliert Gemeinnützigkeit (tr. "Corona Association of Sucharit Bhakdi loses non-profit") www.t-online.de accessed 5 November 2020
  17. ^ Erstunterzeichner (tr. "First signatory")idw-europe.org accessed 8 October 2020
  18. ^ "Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Springer". www.springer.com. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  19. ^ Schmerer, Kai (28 November 2020). "COVID-19: Youtube sperrt zahlreiche Videos und Konten von Regierungskritikern" [COVID-19: YouTube blocks numerous videos and accounts of government critics]. ZDNet. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  20. ^ Wenn Ärzte von der Coronakrise als einer „kriminellen Inszenierung“ sprechen tr. When doctors speak of the corona crisis as a "criminal act" 22 July 2020, www.medical-tribune.de, accessed October 7, 2020

    "Die Thesen von Prof. Bhakdi, emeritierter Professor für Mikrobiologie der Uni Mainz, werden von der übergroßen Mehrheit der Experten unwissenschaftlich genannt, denen des ehemaligen Lungenfacharztes Dr. Wodarg wird gleichermaßen widersprochen." tr. "The Theses of Prof. Bhakdi, professor emeritus of microbiology at the University of Mainz, is called unscientific by the vast majority of experts, those of the former lung specialist Dr. Wodarg are equally contradicted."
  21. ^ Open Letter from Professor Sucharit Bhakdi to German Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel (26 March 2020) swprs.org, accessed 8 October 2020
  22. ^ Jump up to: a b c Kathrin Wesolowski (19 June 2020). "Impfung gegen Covid-19 "sinnlos"? Sucharit Bhakdi stellt unbelegte Behauptungen auf" [Vaccination against Covid-19 "pointless"? Sucharit Bhakdi makes unfounded claims]. Correctiv (Fact check) (in German).
  23. ^ Julia Sextl (13 May 2020). "Brisantes Corona-Papier: War das alles richtig so?" [Explosive Corona paper: was it all right?]. Abendzeitung. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  24. ^ Stephan Kohn (2020). "KM4 Analyse des Krisenmanagements (Kurzfassung)" [KM4 analysis of crisis management (short version)] (PDF). Stephan Kohn / Abendzeitung. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  25. ^ Sucharit Bhakdi, Gunter Frank, Gunnar Heinsohn, Stefan W. Hockertz, Karina Reiß, Peter Schirmacher, Andreas Sönnichsen, Till Uebel, Harald Walach / Abendzeitung (11 May 2020). "Gemeinsame Pressemitteilung der Experten des Corona-Papiers aus dem Bundesministerium des Innern" [Joint press release by the experts on the Corona paper from the Federal Ministry of the Interior] (PDF). Retrieved 16 May 2020.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  26. ^ Benjamin Reuter (14 May 2020). "Wie der angebliche Corona-Geheimreport im Innenministerium entstand" [How the alleged Corona secret report in the Interior Ministry was created]. Der Tagesspiegel. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  27. ^ Bhakdi, Sucharit; Reiss, Karina. Corona Fehlalarm? Zahlen, Daten und Hintergründe [Corona false alarm? Numbers, dates and backgrounds]. www.goldegg-verlag.com. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  28. ^ "buchreport, Corona Fehlalarm?" [Bookreport, 'Corona Fehlalarm?']. www.buchreport.de. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  29. ^ Bhakdi, Sucharit; Reiss, Karina (April 2020). Schreckgespenst Infektionen – Mythen, Wahn und Wirklichkeit [Bogey Infections - Myths, Delusions and Reality]. www.goldegg-verlag.com. ISBN 9783903090668. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  30. ^ Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Karina Reiß www.uni-kiel.de, accessed 8 October 2020
  31. ^ "Bhakdi will aus "Diktatur" Deutschland nach Thailand auswandern, wo Covid-Fakes bestraft werden". Volksverpetzer (in German). 31 January 2021. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
  32. ^ Fact-checked by: Teyit 2021/01/02 | Turkey FALSE: Dr. Sucharit Bhakdi’s multiple coronavirus allegations 2 January 2021 www.poynter.org, accessed 2 May 2021
  33. ^ Dana Ford Fact Check: COVID-19 Shots Are NOT Set To Contribute To The 'Decimation Of The World's Population' 28 April 2021 leadstories.com, accessed 2 May 2021
  34. ^ dpa Faktencheck, 24 March 2020, accessed 2 May 2021.
  35. ^ swr3 Faktencheck, 21. April 2020. accessed 2 May 2021.
  36. ^ Corona-Falschmeldungen erreichen ein Millionenpublikum, (tr. "Corona false reports reach an audience of millions") 10 April 2020, www.sueddeutsche.de accessed 2 May 2021.
  37. ^ Tyson Barker Joins DGAP as Head of its New Technology & Global Affairs Program dgap.org, accessed 19 December 2020
  38. ^ Tyson Barker (2 September 2020). "Germany Is Losing the Fight Against QAnon". Foreign Policy.
  39. ^ Unimedizin Mainz distanziert sich klar von Bhakdi - Seit Monaten spricht der Professor im Ruhestand von einem „Corona-Fehlalarm“ – sein früheres Institut findet dafür deutliche Worte (tr. "Unimedizin Mainz explicitly distances itself from Bhakdi - For months, the retired professor has been talking about a "corona false alarm" - his former institute is unequivocal on this.") 31 October 2020 www.giessener-anzeiger.de (Subscription required)
  40. ^ Jump up to: a b Wienand, Lars (14 July 2021). "Antisemitismus-Eklat um Corona-Bestsellerautor". www.t-online.de (in German). Retrieved 26 July 2021.
  41. ^ Schrader, Hannes; Spiegel, Der (4 May 2021). ""Die Basis«: Das steckt hinter der »Querdenker«-Partei, der Volker Bruch beitreten wil"". DER SPIEGEL (in German). Retrieved 26 July 2021.
  42. ^ "Partei für Energetiker, Aidsleugner und Holocaustverharmloser". Tagesspiegel (in German). 6 May 2021. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
  43. ^ ""Die Basis" – eine rechtsoffene Schwurbelpartei mit Sucharit Bhakdi als Bundestagskandidat - die skeptiker". gwup (in German). 7 June 2021. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
  44. ^ "Lesen Sie zeit.de mit Werbung oder im PUR-Abo. Sie haben die Wahl". ZEIT ONLINE (in German). Retrieved 26 July 2021.
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  57. ^ Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz (20 April 2009). "Mainzer Mediziner Bhakdi für Hypothese zur Entstehung von Atherosklerose ausgezeichnet" [Mainz physician Bhakdi honored for hypothesis on the development of atherosclerosis]. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
  58. ^ Deutsches Ärzteblatt. Namen und Nachrichten [Names and messages]. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
  59. ^ Das Goldene Brett vorm Kopf "Fehlalarm"-Arzt Sucharit Bhakdi mit Satirepreis ausgezeichnet tr. The golden board in front of the head "False alarm"-doctor Sucharit Bhakdi awarded with a satire prize 15 December 2020 www.kleinezeitung.at, accessed 18 December 2020
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