What started as a typical CNN interview on the topic on everyone’s mind – coronavirus –quickly became a verbal battle between veteran CNN anchor Anderson Cooper and rags-to-riches MyPillow CEO founder Mike Lindell Tuesday.
Lindell, an ardent supporter and friend of President Donald Trump, made an appearance on CNN Tuesday afternoon advocating for the use of therapeutic treatment for COVID-19 that has not yet been tested by labs. Lindell told CNN Monday that Trump participated in a July meeting at the White House concerning the potential elixir, which is a toxic derivative from the plant Nerium oleander. The drug, oleandrin, is being manufactured by Pheonix Biotechnology, a company with financial ties to Lindell.
Some scientific trials have studied whether oleandrin could treat cancer, AIDS and congestive heart failure. However, there is no evidence that oleandrin works to treat COVID-19 in humans. Still, Andrew Whitney, an executive at Phoenix, recently told Axios that oleandrin has been tested on humans for treating COVID-19. A July 2020 study out of Texas showed that, in test tubes, oleandrin could inhibit the coronavirus in monkey kidney cells. But this study has not been peer-reviewed or published yet.
On Tuesday, Lindell touted the benefits of the treatment. He said at least 100 people he knows personally have tried it. He also claimed that the drug has saved lives and said there had been a study done on it, but he did not have details on that.
Cooper quickly ripped into Lindell, who started his popular pillow business in 2009 after years of fighting a drug addiction. The 53-year-old television anchor gibed the founder and CEO, accusing him of supporting the treatment for his own financial gain.
“You really are a snake oil salesman. I mean, you could be in the Old West standing on a box telling people to drink your amazing elixir that there’s no proof [of],” Cooper told Lindell in an interview.
Lindell quickly defended himself when the journalist accused him of dishonorable business prowess.
“I do what Jesus has me do,” he told Cooper Tuseday.
Cooper asked: “You think Jesus wants you out here promoting remedies that ... [have] never been tested?”
“Why would I do this? Ask yourself why would I ruin my reputation if I didn’t believe in this product?” Lindell responded.
A statement has yet to be released officially from the FDA about the validity of the treatment. Trump told reporters Monday that he believed in the treatment’s benefits.
“We’re looking at a lot of different things. I will say the FDA has been great. They are very close. We’re very close to a vaccine. Very close to a therapeutic. I have heard that name mentioned, we’ll find out,” the president said.
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