Epidemic of Fraud: Exposing Hydroxychloroquine Censorship

Speakers: Dr. Paul Marik, John Davidson

“It was clear to me that something bigger was manipulating news coverage and misleading the public.” – John Davidson, Filmmaker, Epidemic of Fraud

In early 2020, as COVID-19 spread worldwide, fear and uncertainty gripped the globe. Lockdowns, masks, and social distancing became the norm, and the search for effective treatments grew desperate.

Then, President Donald Trump mentioned hydroxychloroquine—a decades-old drug for malaria and autoimmune diseases. Instantly, it became the most controversial medicine on the planet. Media labeled it “unproven” and “dangerous,” social platforms censored discussions, and doctors who prescribed it faced backlash.

For filmmaker John Davidson, the uproar didn’t make sense. How could a medicine safely used for decades suddenly be so contentious? And why was any discussion about it aggressively censored?

He did what many were told not to do—his own research. What he uncovered was far more disturbing than he expected.

His journey became the documentary Epidemic of Fraud, revealing a coordinated effort to discredit a promising treatment. It exposed a web of deception that challenged everything we thought we knew about medicine, media, and power.

A Remedy Through the Ages: The History of Quinine

Long before hydroxychloroquine became controversial, there was quinine—a bitter extract from the bark of the cinchona tree, native to the Andes. Indigenous people in Peru used it to treat fevers. Spanish missionaries brought it to Europe, where it became known as the “miracle cure” for malaria.

By the 17th century, quinine was saving lives worldwide, from malaria-ridden Italy to tropical British colonies. It became so vital that British soldiers were required to take it. To make it more palatable, they mixed it with gin and soda, giving birth to the gin and tonic.

Even today, tonic water lists quinine as an ingredient—a nod to its medicinal past. This centuries-old remedy eventually led to synthetic derivatives like chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, which retained quinine’s disease-fighting power while being less bitter. These drugs were safely used for decades to treat malaria and autoimmune diseases.

It was this rich history that first caught John Davidson’s attention. As he researched, Davidson was fascinated by quinine’s journey—from ancient remedy to life-saving medicine, and finally to the center of one of modern history’s most explosive controversies.

The deeper he dug, the more questions emerged. If quinine and its derivatives were safe for centuries, why was hydroxychloroquine suddenly labeled dangerous? Who stood to gain from discrediting a cheap, widely available treatment? And how did this narrative spread so quickly, silencing dissent?

This historical perspective set Davidson on a path that led to Epidemic of Fraud. Understanding the past was the key to unraveling the present. And the truth about hydroxychloroquine was far more complex—and far more shocking—than anyone could have imagined.

Hydroxychloroquine: What the Data Really Says

Despite the disinformation campaign, the scientific evidence supporting hydroxychloroquine is overwhelming. Meta-analyses of over 420 studies involving more than half a million patients in 59 countries consistently show significant benefits when used early in COVID-19 treatment.

• 76% Reduction in Mortality: Meta-analyses demonstrate a 76% reduction in early mortality when hydroxychloroquine is administered during the initial stages of infection.
• Effective Antiviral Action: As an antiviral, hydroxychloroquine is most effective in the early phase when viral replication is at its peak.
• Cost-Effective Treatment: The cost per life saved is $26, compared to $1.5 million for Remdesivir.

Dr. Paul Marik summarized the data succinctly:

“If you look at the approved peer-reviewed scientific data, there’s very little doubt that hydroxychloroquine is highly effective for COVID, particularly when used early. The science and the data support what we say. This is not conjecture; this is evidence-based medicine.”

Download Dr. Marik’s presentation — COVID-19-HCQ-The Truth

And yet, this overwhelming body of evidence was systematically buried. Studies were misrepresented, negative trials were designed to fail, and any positive findings were dismissed as anecdotal.

Davidson’s film exposes this coordinated effort, revealing how powerful interests corrupted science to protect their investments. “The manipulation was so thorough that even today, most people don’t know the truth about hydroxychloroquine,” he stated.

Media Manipulation Influenced Public Perception of Hydroxychloroquine 

The public’s perception of hydroxychloroquine wasn’t shaped by science alone—it was molded by powerful narratives. As soon as Trump mentioned the drug, the media launched a coordinated effort to discredit it.

For John Davidson, this was the first red flag. “I worked at CNN. I knew what media manipulation looked like, but this was different,” Davidson recalled. The narrative was being controlled, and dissenting voices were silenced.

Doctors who supported hydroxychloroquine were deplatformed, threatened with losing their medical licenses, and publicly discredited. Positive studies were ignored, while flawed ones showing negative outcomes were amplified. Social media giants labeled any positive mention as “misinformation.”

Davidson realized the suppression wasn’t just about public health—it was about controlling the narrative. And as his investigation revealed, powerful financial and political interests were at the heart of the deception.

Political and Financial Motivations Intentionally Misled Health Care Professionals

Behind the media narratives were political and financial interests shaping the hydroxychloroquine controversy. It wasn’t just about Trump’s endorsement—it was about protecting billion-dollar investments.

Hydroxychloroquine was cheap, widely available, and off-patent, meaning no major profits could be made. In contrast, new drugs like Remdesivir were patent-protected and sold at high prices. As Dr. Paul Marik noted, “The cost per life saved for hydroxychloroquine is $26. For Remdesivir, it’s $1.5 million.”

Moreover, mRNA vaccines were already in development before the pandemic hit. For these investments to pay off, alternative treatments had to be discredited.

Davidson uncovered email exchanges obtained through FOIA requests, revealing a coordinated effort to discredit hydroxychloroquine.

“If these two drugs [hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin] had been used widely, it would have controlled the pandemic, we wouldn’t have needed a vaccine,” said Dr. Paul Marik.

The narrative wasn’t just manipulated—it was manufactured.

Scientific Fraud and the “Surge” of Disinformation

One of the most damning revelations in Davidson’s investigation was the role of scientific fraud. In May 2020, The Lancet published a study claiming hydroxychloroquine was dangerous and increased mortality. The findings led to the suspension of clinical trials worldwide. But the study was fraudulent.

Known as the Surgisphere study, it claimed to analyze data from 671 hospitals across six continents, showing that hydroxychloroquine was deadly. Media amplified the narrative, and politicians cited it to justify bans. But the supposed “massive dataset” simply didn’t exist.

Over 600 researchers demanded the raw data, suspecting fraud. Their suspicions were confirmed when it was revealed that Surgisphere was a shell operation. The lead author, Dr. Sapan Desai, vanished, deleting his online presence and eventually losing his medical license—but faced no legal consequences.

Davidson uncovered that the fraud was more extensive than anyone realized. “It was a coordinated effort to discredit hydroxychloroquine. And what’s worse is that the media didn’t investigate—they amplified the lies,” he said.

Follow the Money: Conflicts of Interest and Corruption

The question remained: who stood to gain from discrediting hydroxychloroquine? The answer was clear—Big Pharma and the power brokers behind the COVID-19 narrative.

At the center of this web of conflicts was the Gates Foundation. Davidson discovered email exchanges showing close collaboration aimed at ensuring “negative outcomes” for hydroxychloroquine trials.

Major pharmaceutical companies, public health agencies, and influential nonprofits played a role. If hydroxychloroquine was proven effective, the emergency use authorization for vaccines would collapse, along with the trillion-dollar market.

“The narrative wasn’t just controlled—it was bought and paid for,” said Dr. Marik.

The Impact of Censorship and Deplatforming

As our followers are no doubt aware, censorship became a powerful weapon. Social media giants labeled supportive posts as “misinformation” and banned accounts that contradicted the narrative.

Doctors who spoke out were deplatformed and even lost their medical licenses. Scientific journals were complicit, fast-tracking negative studies while rejecting positive ones.

Davidson uncovered direct links between social media companies and organizations orchestrating the disinformation campaign. “They weren’t just censoring misinformation—they were censoring the truth,” he said.

Epidemic of Fraud: A Story That Needed to Be Told

After years of research, John Davidson released Epidemic of Fraud to set the record straight. The film isn’t just about hydroxychloroquine—it’s about the manipulation of truth, the corruption of science, and the consequences of censorship.

Davidson’s journey took him from a skeptical observer to a filmmaker exposing one of the greatest disinformation campaigns in modern history. He interviewed frontline doctors, whistleblowers, and researchers who risked their careers to speak the truth.

“It wasn’t just about hydroxychloroquine. It was about the manipulation of reality itself,” Davidson stated.

In Epidemic of Fraud, Davidson exposes the lies and honors the courage of those who fought back. The film offers hope that truth can still prevail—even in an age of deception.