CNN Defends Joe Rogan Coverage: Only Thing Network Did Wrong Was ‘Bruise the Ego’ of Someone Pushing ‘Dangerous Conspiracy Theories’

CNN fired back at criticism over its Joe Rogan coverage after a recent spat between the podcast host and Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

In a statement provided to Washington Post media critic Erik Wemple, CNN PR hit back at Rogan:

The heart of this debate has been purposely confused and ultimately lost. It’s never been about livestock versus human dosage of Ivermectin. The issue is that a powerful voice in the media, who by example and through his platform, sowed doubt in the proven and approved science of vaccines while promoting the use of an unproven treatment for covid-19 — a drug developed to ward off parasites in farm animals. The only thing CNN did wrong here was bruise the ego of a popular podcaster who pushed dangerous conspiracy theories and risked the lives of millions of people in doing so.

Rogan got covid-19 in early September, and one of the drugs he took for treatment was ivermectin.

Ivermectin is not a proven covid-19 treatment. Public health officials have warned against its use, particularly after people were taking ivermectin from feed stores meant for large animals.

Ivermectin has approved uses in humans for parasites, but there is a difference between the ivermectin meant for humans and the ivermectin meant for animals like horses. The FDA website explains, “Animal drugs are often highly concentrated because they are used for large animals like horses and cows, which weigh a lot more than we do—a ton or more. Such high doses can be highly toxic in humans.”

Rogan was criticized for irresponsibly promoting ivermectin, but after commentary on CNN saying he’s taking a drug used as horse dewormer, he went off on the network and asked if he should sue CNN.

He confronted Gupta on his show and said CNN was lying about him. The network’s chief medical correspondent acknowledged “they shouldn’t have said that.”