Medbeds sound like something out of a sci-fi movie: machines that use energy and frequencies to cure everything from the common cold to cancer to missing limbs. The only problem is they don’t exist. The medbed myth started as a QAnon-adjacent conspiracy theory, but it has since gone mainstream, reaching an audience wide enough that President Trump has publicly acknowledged it. Meanwhile, sick and elderly people are being sold on the promise of these devices, waiting for machines that will never arrive.
Slate staff writer Molly Olmstead spent a full year investigating where the medbed myth came from, and she actually tracked down the man who created it. His response to everything it became? He regrets everything. Olmstead shared the findings on Slate’s ICYMI podcast with host Kate Lindsay, walking through how a fringe internet theory turned into a scam targeting the most vulnerable people.
The bigger lesson here is about how fast conspiracy theories can move from obscure corners of the internet into everyday life, and how the people who get hurt are often the ones who can least afford it. If you have an older relative or a friend dealing with health struggles, this is worth a conversation. Have you ever had to talk someone out of an online miracle cure? Tell us in the comments.
About the Author
Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.
