CBS News Contributor Peter Attia Under Fire After Epstein Revelations
A week after being named a CBS News contributor, Dr. Peter Attia is under fire after the latest batch of documents from the Jeffrey Epstein files contains more than 1,700 mentions and evidence of a friendly relationship with the wealthy convicted sex offender who died in prison in 2019.
The correspondence makes it clear that Attia maintained a relationship with Epstein long after the financier faced sex trafficking and prostitution charges. “I’m going into JE withdrawal if I don’t see him.” reads one line from Attia to Lesley Groff, who was an Epstein assistant. The comment, found in a January 2016 email, has sparked negative reactions on social media.
CBS News could not immediately comment on Attia’s status as an on-air contributor. He is known for his focus on the study of human longevity and anti-aging techniques.
On January 27, CBS News named Attia as one of 19 new contributors to the news network that is being revamped from top to bottom by Bari Weiss, the newly installed editor-in-chief. The CBS News announcement billed Attia as “the founder of Outlive, a new app that translates the science of longevity into a personalized daily practice; and Early Medical, a medical practice that applies the principles of Medicine 3.0 to patients, with the goal of simultaneously extending their lifespan and increasing their health. He is also the host of the popular podcast “The Peter Attia Drive” and author of the bestselling book “Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity.”
Attia was the focus of a ’60 Minutes’ story last October, in which correspondent Norah O’Donnell spoke with him about his ideas for maintaining quality of life in old age. Attia emphasized exercise, protein consumption and early diagnosis.
Some of the other contributors mentioned by Weiss are known for their research in health and wellness, but sometimes support ideas that are not embraced by the scientific mainstream. One of them is Mark Hyman, a physician who has been active in efforts to reform food and agriculture policy, but who has also been a supporter of some of the controversial policies introduced by U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert Kennedy. One of the ideas he champions is the so-called “pegan diet,” which limits nutrient-rich foods like beans and whole grains. Andrew Huberman is a popular science podcaster whose promotion of nutritional supplements has drawn some rebuke.
