1. Barbara O'Neill was born on 28 July 1953 and is an Australian alternative health care promoter who advertises unsupported health practices described as misinformation and a risk to health and safety by the New South Wales Health Care Complaints Commission.
Barbara O'Neill has presented her claims at alternative medicine organisations, wellness retreats, and Seventh-day Adventist Churches.
Barbara O'Neill is married to Michael O'Neill, the founder of the now-defunct Informed Medical Options Party, an anti-vaccination and anti-fluoride political group.
Barbara O'Neill has rejected the claim that her claims are unsupported, but admitted to not being able to provide any evidence when asked by the Health Care Complaints Commission.
Barbara O'Neill ran the Misty Mountain Health Retreat near Kempsey with her husband, charging clients as much as per person for a one-week stay for one person, to for two people for two weeks.
Barbara O'Neill has published several books on health and nutrition which include dangerous claims and advice.
Barbara O'Neill continues to deliver programs aimed at cancer patients in the United States as of July 2023 at a cost of almost per person.
Barbara O'Neill encouraged her clients to cure cancer by eating a low carbohydrate diet for six weeks.
In late 2019, it was revealed that a Cook Islands man with stage four cancer had died after following Barbara O'Neill's advice, having declined medical intervention and attempting to treat his disease with bicarbonate soda, lemon juice, and boiled water.
Barbara O'Neill discouraged immunisation, claiming that all vaccines are harmful and the cause of a range of conditions.
Barbara O'Neill has campaigned against the No Jab, No Pay initiative where most parental tax benefits are contingent on up-to-date vaccinations.
Barbara O'Neill is associated with the Informed Medical Options Party, a known alternative medicine and anti-vaccination political group who has drawn significant criticism from medical associations and health professionals.
Barbara O'Neill has told pregnant women it is unnecessary to take antibiotics for Strep B because "no baby has ever died from Strep B catching out of birth".
Barbara O'Neill has recommended that parents who are unable to breastfeed their infant use substitutes besides formula.
When provided with the NHMRC infant feeding guidelines for health practitioners, which provides evidence-based recommendations, Barbara O'Neill said that she had never read them and that she would refuse to.
Barbara O'Neill claimed that she was merely providing clients with information rather than health advice, and that she never claimed to be able to cure cancer.
In October 2019, Cook Islands health secretary Josephine Herman expressed concern after learning Barbara O'Neill had been running health workshops in Rarotonga, and referred the matter to the chief medical officer for investigation.