Informed Consent Action Network Reports $23 Million Revenue in 2023 Amidst Extensive Legal Battles

Del Bigtree, founder of the Informed Consent Action Network (ICAN), recently highlighted the organization's broad mission and significant legal endeavors, stating that ICAN "currently funds approximately 90 active lawsuits across the country to protect medical freedom and to fight for transparency." Bigtree’s statement underscored the group's commitment to what he terms "choice, transparency, and informed consent" regarding medical interventions.

Bigtree urged the public to watch and share "An Inconvenient Study," a film he produced as part of the broader mission. He emphasized a core belief: "I believe if you don’t control what goes into your body, you’re not truly a free citizen." He clarified that their advocacy "isn’t about taking vaccines away from anyone. It’s about choice, transparency, and informed consent."

ICAN, founded in 2016 by Bigtree, operates as a prominent anti-vaccination advocacy group in the United States, according to Wikipedia. The organization reported a substantial $23 million in revenue for 2023, marking a 74% increase from the previous year, as detailed by NBC News. Much of this funding supports its legal efforts and the production of content like its weekly live show, "The HighWire," hosted by Bigtree.

The group's legal strategy focuses on challenging vaccine mandates and advocating for medical freedom. Bigtree cited successes in "restoring religious exemptions, defending service members who refused forced vaccination, and protecting families’ right to choose what’s injected into their bodies." Recent legal wins include securing religious exemptions for students in the University of California system and a preliminary injunction against a D.C. law allowing minors to consent to vaccination without parental knowledge.

Despite its stated mission, ICAN has faced criticism. Academic sources, such as an article in the Northwestern Journal of Law and Social Policy, describe ICAN as using its platform to create "false narratives around legal action," often misrepresenting the outcomes of court decisions. Del Bigtree, who earned a $234,000 salary from ICAN in 2023, also served as communications director for Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s presidential campaign.

ICAN's largest expenditure in 2023 was $6 million paid to the New York law firm Siri & Glimstad, which handles many of the network's public records requests and legal challenges. Bigtree concluded his message by inviting supporters to donate to ICAN, stating, "if you believe in this mission, you can donate to support our work."