Dr. Deepak Chopra Claims Michael Jackson had Lupus

Systemic Lupus Erythematosis (SLE or lupus) is an autoimmune disease that can affect various parts of the body, including the skin, joints, heart, lungs, blood, kidneys, and brain. Normally the body’s immune system makes proteins called antibodies, to protect the body against viruses, bacteria, and other foreign materials. These foreign materials are called antigens. In an autoimmune disorder like lupus, the immune system cannot tell the difference between foreign substances and its own cells and tissues. The immune system then makes antibodies directed against itself. These antibodies—called “auto-antibodies” (auto means ‘self’)—cause inflammation, pain and damage in various parts of the body.

Chopra then goes on to make the rather extraordinary claim that “There’s some recent research that suggests that if children have experienced either physical or verbal, mental, emotional or sexual abuse, then 20, 30 years later they can develop these autoimmune diseases including lupus.” We looked into this by searching the collection at the U.S. National Library of Medicine and found that there are a handful of articles that suggest a link between autoimmunity and nervous system and psychiatric disorders (see casebook below) but could find no evidence of Dr. Chopra’s assertion. Can he please cite his source(s) of evidence?

Dr. Chopra also reminds us that Mr. Jackson has long suffered from the skin pigmentation disease, vitiligo, and Chopra’s son Gotham is quoted as saying “It was very disturbing to him that people thought he always wanted to be white and he was bleaching his skin. [But] he identified as being a black person and so it was troubling to him that everyone thought that he was a hater of his own race.”

Mark Boguski, M.D., Ph.D. is on the faculty of Harvard Medical School and is a member of the Society for Participatory Medicine, "a movement in which networked patients shift from being mere passengers to responsible drivers of their health" and in which professional health care providers encourage "empowered patients" and value them as full partners in managing their health and wellness.