Fereydoon Batmanghelidj

Fereydoon Batmanghelidj (1931 – 15 November 2004) was an Iranian doctor, naturopath, HIV/AIDS denialist and writer. He is best known for believing increased water consumption is the cure for most disease, a view not supported by clinical evidence and considered quackery by medical experts. He attended secondary school in the United Kingdom, at Fettes College in Scotland, and later graduated from St Mary's Hospital Medical School of London University. He then practiced medicine in the United Kingdom, before returning to Iran. There he became a wealthy entrepreneur, helping in the development of hospitals and medical centres, and in sports projects, including the Ice Palace ice skating rink in Tehran. His first marriage ended in divorce. He later married Xiaopo Huang Batmanghelidj. Resting place: National Memorial Park.

Medical career Batmanghelidj was trained at St Mary's Hospital Medical School, and practised medicine in the United Kingdom before his return to Iran. In this book, Batmanghelidj asserts that chronic dehydration is the root cause of most pain and many ailments, opposing the use of drugs to cure conditions that he claimed could instead be addressed by increased water consumption. He also drew criticism for his HIV/AIDS denialism.

His ideas have been criticised by Stephen Barrett, co-founder of the National Council Against Health Fraud and the webmaster of Quackwatch, on several grounds, including a lack of any documented peer-reviewed research and exaggerated claims about the number of patients treated successfully. He further questions that Batmanghelidj has practiced medicine in the United States, pointing to his lack of registration as a physician. He was licensed as a naturopath.

Books Batmanghelidj, Fereydoon, How to Deal with Back Pain & Rheumatoid Joint Pain (1991), Global Health Solutions; Batmanghelidj, Fereydoon, Your Body's Many Cries for Water (1992), Global Health Solutions, Batmanghelidj, Fereydoon, Water: Rx for A Healthier, Pain-free Life (1997), Global Health Solutions; Cas&Bklt edition, Batmanghelidj, Fereydoon, ABC of Asthma, Allergies and Lupus: Eradicate Asthma – Now!, (2000), Global Health Solutions, Batmanghelidj, Fereydoon, Water For Health, For Healing, For Life (2003), Warner Books, Batmanghelidj, Fereydoon, You're not sick, you're thirsty! (2003), Grand Central Publishing, Batmanghelidj, Fereydoon, Water Cures: Drugs Kill: How Water Cured Incurable Diseases, (2003) Global Health Solutions, Batmanghelidj, Fereydoon, Obesity Cancer Depression; Their Common Cause & Natural Cure, (2005) Global Health Solutions;