Cyriac Abby Philips

Last updated

Cyriac Abby Philips
Cyriac Abby Philips in 2023.jpg
Philips in 2023
Born
Kottayam, Kerala, [1] India
Other namesThe Liver Doc
Education St. John's Medical College (MBBS), [2]
Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital (MD) [2]
Occupations
  • Hepatologist
  • clinician-scientist
Parent

Cyriac Abby Philips is an Indian hepatologist and clinician-scientist. He is known for his critical views of alternative medicine. He is known as "The Liver Doc" on social media where he frequently discusses his findings and research works on the negative effects caused by alternative medicines and practices.

Contents

Early life

Philips was born in Kottayam, in the state of Kerala, the third of four siblings. [1]

Career

In 2019, Philips co-authored a paper analyzing the death of a woman who died after taking Herbalife's dietary supplements, which was later retracted by Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hepatology. [3] [4] The retraction was undone, after microbiologist Elisabeth Bik and Retraction Watch, published the paper on their respective blogs. [5]

Philips works as a senior consultant hepatologist and physician-scientist at Rajagiri Hospital in Kochi. [6] [7]

Social media activism

Philips is known for airing his critical views of Ayurveda, Homeopathy and other alternative medicine systems, on Twitter and YouTube. [5] [8] [9] According to him, the "principles and practice of ayurveda are based on essentially primitive, untested, observations from an ancient past which lack scientific rigour”. He has been the target of defamation lawsuits from Kerala State Medical Council for Indian Systems of Medicine, [10] [11] Ayurveda Medical Association of India, and various ayurvedic medicine manufacturers. [5] In a research published in Hepatology Communications, Philips and other researchers concluded that Homeopathic remedies can potentially result in severe liver injuries. [12] [13] He claims, "Homeopathy is not medicine, but an extreme form of quackery." [14]

On 28 September 2023, Dr. Abby Philips' X account was suspended after an interim injunction order was passed by a Bengaluru court for defaming Himalaya Wellness Company. [15] However, Philips maintains that his allegations against Himalaya Wellness Company are "fully science-backed and evidence-backed" and that all the analysis which he had done are available for public review. [16]

Personal life

He is the son of Padma Shri recipient, Philip Augustine, [8] and is the father of two daughters and a son. [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naturopathy</span> Form of alternative medicine

Naturopathy, or naturopathic medicine, is a form of alternative medicine. A wide array of practices branded as "natural", "non-invasive", or promoting "self-healing" are employed by its practitioners, who are known as naturopaths. Difficult to generalize, these treatments range from the pseudoscientific and thoroughly discredited, like homeopathy, to the widely accepted, like certain forms of psychotherapy. The ideology and methods of naturopathy are based on vitalism and folk medicine rather than evidence-based medicine, although practitioners may use techniques supported by evidence. The ethics of naturopathy have been called into question by medical professionals and its practice has been characterized as quackery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hepatology</span> Medical specialty

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ayurveda</span> Alternative medicine with roots in India

Ayurveda is an alternative medicine system with historical roots in the Indian subcontinent. It is heavily practiced throughout India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, where as much as 80% of the population report using ayurveda. The theory and practice of ayurveda is pseudoscientific; some ayurvedic medicines have been found to contain toxic substances.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Government Medical College, Kozhikode</span> Medical school in Kerala, India

Government Medical College, Kozhikode, also known as Calicut Medical College, is a public medical college in Kozhikode, in the Indian state of Kerala.

Herbalife Nutrition Ltd., also called Herbalife International, Inc. or simply Herbalife, is an American multinational multi-level marketing (MLM) corporation that develops and sells dietary supplements. The company has been alleged to have fraudulently operated a pyramid scheme. Some products sold by Herbalife have caused acute hepatitis. The business is incorporated in the Cayman Islands, a tax haven, with its corporate headquarters located in Los Angeles, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lakeshore Hospital</span> Hospital in Kochi, India

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">P. K. Sasidharan</span> Indian medical academic

P. K. Sasidharan ) is an Indian professor, medical practitioner, medical teacher and author from Kozhikode, Kerala. He retired as the Professor and Head of the Department of Internal Medicine and the division of Clinical Hematology at Calicut Medical College in 2015. He had held academic positions like the Dean faculty of Medicine of the University of Calicut and the chairman of PG board of studies at the Kerala University of Health Science (KUHS),. He served as the PhD research Guide for University of Calicut during his tenure at Calicut

Philip Augustine, an Indian gastroenterologist, specialist in gastrointestinal endoscopy and a hospital administrator from Ernakulam, Kerala. He founded the Lakeshore Hospital and Research Centre in 2003. In 2010, the Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri, for his services to the fields of medicine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yogesh Kumar Chawla</span>

Yogesh Kumar Chawla is an Indian medical doctor, hepatologist and has served as the director of the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh. He graduated in medicine from the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Medical College, Jabalpur, secured a master's degree (MD) in gastroenterology from the same college before joining PGIMER in 1983 as a member of faculty of the department of hepatology and became the head of the department in 1999. Chawla, a recipient of the 1999 Dr. B. C. Roy Award and an elected fellow of the National Academy of Medical Sciences was honoured by the Government of India in 2015 with Padma Shri, the fourth highest Indian civilian award.

Badri Nath Tandon was an Indian gastroenterologist, hepatologist, medical researcher and academic, and the Chairman and Senior Consultant of Gastroenterology, at Metro Hospitals and Heart Institute, Noida. He is a former Professor and Head of Department of Gastroenterology and Human Nutrition Unit at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi (AIIMS) and a former Director and Senior Consultant of Hepatology and Gastroenterology at Pushpawati Singhania Research Institute for Liver, Renal and Digestive Diseases, New Delhi. He is a recipient of several awards including Sasakawa WHO Health Prize and Jubilee Medal of the RAMS. The Government of India awarded him the third highest civilian honour of the Padma Bhushan, in 1986, for his contributions to medicine.

Shiv Kumar Sarin is an Indian gastroenterologist, hepatologist, translational scientist, researcher and teacher. He set up the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences. He is a recipient of the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize and the Padma Bhushan. He served as chairman of the Board of Governors of Medical Council of India. He was the president of the Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver and founder of Asian Pacific School of Hepatology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mamun Al Mahtab</span> Bangladeshi hepatologist

Mamun Al Mahtab is a Bangladeshi doctor, hepatologist, medical scientist, and author. With 290 publications in national and international peer-reviewed journals to his credit, Mahtab is currently working as the Head, Division of Interventional Hepatology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU).He has some scandals about wrong treatment.Some case are running still three years. Also did same mistake in 2023 and february 2024. Most pathetic mistake he did with a young doctor who died for professor's wrong treatment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Medical education in India</span> Medical education

The standard entry-to-practice degree in modern evidence-based medicine in India is the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS). Alternative systems of Medicine in India are Ayurveda (BAMS), Unani (BUMS), Siddha(BSMS), Homeopathy (BHMS). M.B.B.S. a credential earned upon completion of a five-and-a-half-year undergraduate program. The curriculum is divided into one year of preclinical studies in general science subjects and three and a half years of paraclinical and clinical studies, followed by a one-year clinical internship. Before beginning the internship, students are required to pass several examinations, the final one of which is conducted in two parts. Postgraduate education in medical specialties typically takes 3 additional years of study after the MBBS and concludes with the award of a Master of Surgery or Doctor of Medicine(MD). Postgraduate diplomas in medical specialities may also be awarded upon the completion of two-year training programs. After that a person can further get a degree in superspeciality in his or her respective branch after successful completion of 3 years of superspeciality in a medical college.

References

  1. 1 2 Parth Sharma (3 September 2022). "Debunking Magical Cures and More- A Physician's Battle Against Pseudoscience". nivarana.org. Archived from the original on 21 October 2022. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
  2. 1 2 "Doctor-Profile". www.rajagirihospital.com. Archived from the original on 22 November 2022. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
  3. ↑ Bik, Elisabeth (20 December 2020). "Paper about Herbalife®-related patient death removed after company threatens to sue the journal". Science Integrity Digest. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  4. ↑ Philips, Cyriac A.; Augustine, Philip; Rajesh, Sasidharan; John, Solomon K.; Valiathan, Gopakumar C.; Mathew, Jos; Phalke, Sameer; Antony, Kuruveetil L. (1 March 2019). "REMOVED: Slimming to the Death: Herbalife®-Associated Fatal Acute Liver Failure—Heavy Metals, Toxic Compounds, Bacterial Contaminants and Psychotropic Agents in Products Sold in India". Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hepatology. 9 (2): 268–272. doi: 10.1016/j.jceh.2018.08.002 . ISSN   0973-6883. PMID   31024209. (Retracted, see doi:10.1016/j.jceh.2019.12.005, PMID   32025170,  Retraction Watch)
  5. 1 2 3 Sohini C (5 February 2023). "Doctor lifts lid on dark side of India's 'wellness', traditional medicine sector". South China Morning Post . Retrieved 17 March 2023.
  6. 1 2 Pooja Biraia Jaiswal (1 January 2023). "Docfluencers provide genuine information to millions". theweek.in. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
  7. ↑ Preetu Nair (11 June 2021). "Kerala: Doctor sees bid to defame him using 'toolkit'". Times of India . Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  8. 1 2 Theres Sudeep (27 December 2022). "Who is challenging Ayurveda in today's India? Meet Kerala doctor, Cyriac Abby Philips". ThePrint . Retrieved 17 March 2023.
  9. ↑ "Doctor slams Filocof cough syrup, says 'contains parts of dead cockroach'". Mint. 11 March 2023. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  10. ↑ "Liver specialist accused of professional misconduct for calling Ayurveda 'pseudoscience'". The Hindu. 6 February 2022. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
  11. ↑ "Charges dropped against Kerala doc who flagged herb meds for causing liver injury". The News Minute. 5 October 2022. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
  12. ↑ "'This is crazy!': Doctor flags alcohol amount in homeopathic drugs, warns 'happy people'". Hindustan Times. 14 March 2023. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
  13. ↑ Theruvath, Arif Hussain; Raveendran, Resmi; Philips, Cyriac Abby; Ahamed, Rizwan; Abduljaleel, Jinsha K; Tharakan, Ajit; Rajesh, Sasidharan; Augustine, Philip (March 2023). "A series of homeopathic remedies-related severe drug-induced liver injury from South India". Hepatology Communications. 7 (3): e0064. doi:10.1097/HC9.0000000000000064. PMC   9916127 . PMID   36757412.
  14. ↑ Manpriya Khurana (16 March 2023). "From alcohol to dead cockroaches; how homeopathy pushes quackery to new limits". International Business Times . Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  15. ↑ "X suspends 'TheLiverDoc' Abby Philips account after Himalaya's defamation plea". 28 September 2023. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  16. ↑ "X Account of 'The Liver Doc' Suspended After Court Issues Ex-Parte Injunction in Suit Filed by Himalaya". 28 September 2023. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
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