Investigative journalist Scott Carney has released the first episode of a three-part series examining what he believes is a direct connection between two of the wellness world’s most prominent figures and a string of alarming medical outcomes tied to a single regenerative medicine physician.
The doctor in question is Adeel Khan, who operates a network of clinics across Mexico, Dubai, Japan, and Lithuania, with more locations being developed inside the United States. Khan has earned a reputation as something of a celebrity physician, with patients ranging from the Kardashians to Tony Robbins. He describes himself as a regenerative medicine specialist, and his primary offering is stem cell therapy.
The two patients now under scrutiny are Mark Hyman, a 12-time New York Times bestselling author and leading voice in functional medicine, and Jordan Peterson, the pop psychologist and cultural commentator. Both men had been dealing with chronic back pain for years and both sought treatment outside conventional medicine. Both were also hospitalized for sepsis within roughly the same period.
Hyman opened up about his ordeal on Jay Shetty‘s podcast, though he was notably evasive about the nature of the procedure that preceded his illness. He described an injection into his spine that led to a spreading infection, emergency surgery, and a prolonged recovery during which he said he lost 25 lbs (approximately 11.3 kg) and was bedridden for months.
“I literally had to lay down with four pillows under my leg,” Hyman said. “I couldn’t wipe my own a*s. It was bad.”
Carney’s investigation points to a now-deleted podcast episode Hyman recorded with Khan in November 2024, which appears to have been deliberately removed from every major platform. The episode was titled “The Secret to Reversing Chronic Pain and Aging Before It’s Too Late.”
In a separate video posted by Khan in July 2024, Hyman had already discussed seeing Khan for disc degeneration and herniation, describing it as “a general stem cell tuneup.” Khan described injecting stem cells epidurally and into the facet joints of Hyman’s spine.
Carney’s working theory is that a follow-up treatment shortly after the podcast recording introduced an infection that escalated rapidly, prompting Hyman to scrub all references to Khan from his public platforms.
On the other hand, Peterson has been out of the public eye with no clear return timeline. His daughter Mikhaila previously confirmed he was in an ICU dealing with pneumonia and sepsis following neurological complications.
Carney was direct about the limits of his findings: “I haven’t directly inspected their medical records, which means that the conclusions I reach here are at least somewhat circumstantial.”
He is asking anyone with firsthand knowledge of Khan’s Eterna Health clinics to come forward, and notes that Khan’s legal team has already made contact.
