Medical claims on The Dr. Oz Show

Last updated

The Dr. Oz Show is an American daytime television syndicated talk series that aired between September 14, 2009, and January 14, 2022. The host of the show is Dr. Mehmet Oz, a cardiothoracic surgeon who developed an affinity for alternative medicine. [1] Throughout its run, various episodes and segment features have been vastly criticized for a lack of scientific credibility about the medical claims on the show. A study by the British Medical Journal in 2014 concluded that less than half the claims made on The Dr. Oz Show were backed by "some" evidence, and that fell to a third when the threshold was raised to "believable" evidence. [2] The website Science-Based Medicine goes even further, claiming: "No other show on television can top The Dr. Oz Show for the sheer magnitude of bad health advice it consistently offers, all while giving everything a veneer of credibility." [3] What follows is a selection of claims lacking scientific evidence.

Contents

Vaccines

On January 4, 2010, Oz endorsed spacing out childhood vaccines, a common anti-vaccine trope based on the false premise that the immune systems of children are incapable of responding to multiple vaccines at once, and said that his children had not been vaccinated against H1N1. He also expressed suggestions that MMR vaccination may be linked to autism, infamously based on a fraudulent paper by Andrew Wakefield. However, in 2019, Oz endorsed MMR vaccination and encouraged his viewers to vaccinate themselves and their children against mumps, measles, and rubella. [4]

Arsenic in apple juice

In September 2011, Oz drew criticism for an episode on the alleged dangers of arsenic in apple juice. Oz hired an independent toxicology laboratory, EMSL, and found arsenic levels in some samples to be above the limit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allows in drinking water. The FDA said "there is currently no evidence to suggest a public health risk", and criticized the emphasis on measurements of total arsenic without distinguishing between harmless organic arsenic compounds and toxic inorganic arsenic compounds that pose differing levels of health risk. [5] [6] [7]

Consumer Reports conducted similar tests on samples of apple and grape juices around the same time. Unlike the tests done by Oz, Consumer Reports tested for both organic and inorganic types of arsenic. Results showed that 6% (5 out of 80) of the samples tested by Consumer Reports exceeded the 10-parts-per-billion (ppb) federal limit for arsenic in drinking water. When counting only inorganic arsenic, one of the 80 apple juice samples tested slightly exceeded 10-parts-per-billion limit, at 10.48 ppb. [8] [9] The limits only apply to arsenic levels for drinking water; there are no legal limits for arsenic in fruit juices. After the episode aired, the FDA indicated it is continuing to research the levels of arsenic in fruit juices and other foods, and may implement limits for fruit juices in the future. [10]

Conversion therapy

An episode in November 2012 discussed conversion therapy (under a different term, 'reparative therapy') [11] and "forms of therapy that are designed to turn a gay person straight." [12] This therapy has been rejected by the mainstream mental health professions. [13] The broadcast featured Julie Hamilton, a representative of the National Association for Research & Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH, now known as the Alliance for Therapeutic Choice and Scientific Integrity), which offers conversion therapy, and also had guests who condemned it. [14] Three of the groups who were consulted for the show — GLAAD, GLSEN, and PFLAG — issued a joint press release repudiating the episode just after it aired. The press release, calling NARTH "a splinter group of anti-gay therapists/activists", criticized the episode for starting with two segments of the show featuring proponents of conversion therapy without challenge, then introducing the NARTH representative as an "expert", and providing no opinion by Dr. Oz on the subject, which the press release authors characterized as causing the audience to be "misled to believe that there are actual experts on both sides of this issue". The press release also stated that "GLSEN would not have participated in The Dr. Oz Show had we known that NARTH would be represented". [14]

Oz responded in a blog post, mentioning the opposition of respected medical organizations to the practice of conversion therapy, and saying that "if we want to reach everyone who might benefit from understanding the risks of this therapy, you have to present multiple perspectives." He also said that he agreed "with the established medical consensus", that he had "not found enough published data supporting positive results with gay reparative therapy", and that he was concerned about "potentially dangerous effects when the therapy fails". Oz also pointed out that "the guests who appeared on my show on either side of this debate agreed that entering into any therapy with guilt and self-hate is a major error." [12]

2014 Senate hearing

During a Senate hearing on consumer protection, Senator Claire McCaskill stated that by airing segments on weight loss products that are later cited in advertisements, Oz plays a role, intentional or not, in perpetuating these scams, and that she is "concerned that you are melding medical advice, news, and entertainment in a way that harms consumers." [15] Mary Engle of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) criticized Oz for calling green coffee extract "magic" and a "miracle", stating that it is difficult for consumers to listen to their inner voices when products are praised by hosts they trust. [15]

One of the products Oz was promoting, green coffee bean extract, was found to have absolutely no weight loss benefits. Two of the researchers who were paid to write the study admitted that they could not back their data so they retracted their paper. The FTC filed a complaint that the Texas-based company Applied Food Sciences (the promoters of the study) had falsely advertised. The FTC alleged that the study was "so hopelessly flawed that no reliable conclusions could be drawn from it" so Applied Food Sciences agreed to pay a $3.5 million settlement. [16] [17]

Donald Trump appearance

In September 2016, during his presidential campaign, Donald Trump appeared on The Dr. Oz Show. [18] In the days leading up to the appearance, Trump had come under fire in the media for a refusal to publicly share the results of a recent physical health examination he had undergone. In the lead-up to the show's taping, Oz promoted Trump's appearance with a guarantee to obtain and ostensibly broadcast the exam's results, although the host declared that he would not ask Trump questions the then-Republican nominee did not wish to answer. [19]

The taping remained closed to the press. Oz reportedly read the results off of a sheet of paper Trump himself handed to the host. [20] NBC journalist Katy Tur reported that a source in the studio claimed that Oz remarked positively regarding Trump's health report, saying he "would be happy if any of his patients had similar results." [21] The one-page summary that Trump released to Oz reflected a health report generated by Trump's physician Harold Bornstein in 2015. Bornstein's note was widely criticized for its "unusual, brief" tone. [22]

Reports on Trump's weight conflicted: Oz declared Trump "slightly overweight" at 236 pounds; earlier reports reported Trump's weight at 267 pounds. [22]

Several news outlets speculated that Trump's appearance aimed to appeal to The Dr. Oz Show's large female viewership. [22] [23] [24] The episode coincided with the media fallout that occurred after the Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton took a brief hiatus from the campaign trail after falling ill with pneumonia. [20]

Forbes contributor Bruce Japsen criticized Trump's appearance given that Oz is not Trump's doctor. Japsen further pointed out the American Medical Association's ethics directives which warn against "personal opinion" in favor of evidence-based exams informing publicly given advice. [25]

Olive oil lawsuit

In November 2016, the North American Olive Oil Association, a trade group of oil packagers and importers, sued Oz for one of his segments. [26] Oz told millions of his viewers in May 2016 that 80 percent of extra virgin oil in supermarkets may be "fake". [27] The association claimed that Oz falsely attacked the quality and integrity of Olive Oil in supermarkets and sued him for misinformation. [28] In the segment, Oz showed a certified olive oil expert who conducted a blind smell test of five popular Italian extra virgin olive oils, claiming that only one was authentic extra virgin oil. [28] The expert was revealed to be an employee of the California Olive Ranch, although she was not introduced as such. [29] The group claims that it monitors the quality of olive oil by conducting independent testing on oils taken directly from the shelves of supermarkets. [30]

The lawsuit took place in Georgia court, one of the states in the U.S. which has a food libel law and a lower threshold of proof than a defamation allegation. [31] The Dr. Oz Show defended its story and refuted the allegations. [28] In March 2017, the lawsuit was dismissed. [32] The judge ruled that the association failed to show that it was financially hurt by Oz's actions and found no statements which claimed that olive oil was unsafe for human consumption. [32]

Medical marijuana

Oz denounced the "hypocrisy" in the Drug Enforcement Administration's classification of cannabis as a Schedule I, controlled substance on Fox & Friends . [33] He has advocated for medical marijuana as a solution for the opioid epidemic during an episode of the series featuring Montel Williams. [34]

Miracle diet pills

In March 2020, a California court dismissed a lawsuit brought against Oz stating that it had misrepresented the effectiveness of "fat bursting" supplements in his show. [35]

Colloidal silver

On at least three episodes Oz promoted colloidal silver as a treatment for cold symptoms, wounds, viruses, and bacteria, but there is no evidence at all to support any medical uses of it. [36] Despite Oz's recommendations, colloidal silver does not treat or prevent any disease or condition, and it is not proven safe to consume. [37]

Related Research Articles

Conversion therapy is the pseudoscientific practice of attempting to change an individual's sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression to align with heterosexual and cisgender norms. Methods that have been used to this end include forms of brain surgery, surgical or hormonal castration, aversive treatments such as electric shocks, nausea-inducing drugs, hypnosis, counseling, spiritual interventions, visualization, psychoanalysis, and arousal reconditioning.

The Alliance for Therapeutic Choice and Scientific Integrity (ATCSI), which until 2014 was known as the National Association for Research & Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH), also known as the NARTH Institute, is a US organization that promotes conversion therapy, a pseudoscientific practice used in attempts to change the sexual orientation of people with same-sex attraction. NARTH was founded in 1992 by Joseph Nicolosi, Benjamin Kaufman, and Charles Socarides. Its headquarters were in Encino, California, at its Thomas Aquinas Psychological Clinic. NARTH has not been recognized by any major United States-based professional association.

The ex-gay movement consists of people and organizations that encourage people to refrain from entering or pursuing same-sex relationships, to eliminate homosexual desires and to develop heterosexual desires, or to enter into a heterosexual relationship. Beginning with the founding of Love In Action and Exodus International in the mid-1970s, the movement saw rapid growth in the 1980s and 1990s before declining in the 2000s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chelation therapy</span> Medical procedure to remove heavy metals from the body

Chelation therapy is a medical procedure that involves the administration of chelating agents to remove heavy metals from the body. Chelation therapy has a long history of use in clinical toxicology and remains in use for some very specific medical treatments, although it is administered under very careful medical supervision due to various inherent risks, including the mobilization of mercury and other metals through the brain and other parts of the body by the use of weak chelating agents that unbind with metals before elimination, exacerbating existing damage. To avoid mobilization, some practitioners of chelation use strong chelators, such as selenium, taken at low doses over a long period of time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Exodus International</span> Defunct Christian conversion therapy organization

Exodus International was a non-profit, interdenominational ex-gay Christian umbrella organization connecting organizations that sought to "help people who wished to limit their homosexual desires". Founded in 1976, Exodus International originally asserted that conversion therapy, the reorientation of same-sex attraction, was possible. In 2006, Exodus International had over 250 local ministries in the United States and Canada and over 150 ministries in 17 other countries. Although Exodus was formally an interdenominational Christian entity, it was most closely associated with Protestant and evangelical denominations.

Robert Perloff was an American psychology and business administration professor emeritus, who taught at Purdue University and the University of Pittsburgh. He was a president of the Association for Consumer Research and the American Psychological Association.

POM Wonderful, LLC is a private company which sells an eponymous brand of beverages and fruit extracts. It was founded in 2002 by the billionaire industrial agriculture couple Stewart and Lynda Rae Resnick. Through The Wonderful Company, their holding company, they are also affiliated with Teleflora, FIJI Water, pesticide manufacturer Suterra, and Paramount Agribusiness. In 2010, the company was warned by the FDA for making false health claims and for marketing statements that promoted their products as unauthorized drugs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joseph Nicolosi</span> American clinical psychologist (1947–2017)

Joseph Nicolosi was an American clinical psychologist who advocated and practised "reparative therapy", a form of the pseudoscientific treatment of conversion therapy that he claimed could help people overcome or mitigate their homosexual desires and replace them with heterosexual ones. Nicolosi was a founder and president of the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH). Medical institutions warn that conversion therapy is ineffective and may be harmful, and that there is no evidence that sexual orientation can be changed by such treatments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">JONAH</span> Jewish ex-gay organization

Jewish Institute for Global Awareness (JIFGA), known before 2015 as Jews Offering New Alternatives for Healing (JONAH), was a Jewish non-profit organization which offered conversion therapy to persons who sought sexual orientation change. JONAH stated that it was "dedicated to educating the world-wide Jewish community about the social, cultural and emotional factors which lead to same-sex attractions". JONAH's leaders disagreed with the consensus of mainstream science and the world's major mental health organizations who say that non-heterosexual sexual orientation is not a disorder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mehmet Oz</span> American surgeon and TV host (born 1960)

Mehmet Cengiz Öz, also known as Dr. Oz, is an American television personality, physician, author, professor emeritus of cardiothoracic surgery at Columbia University, and former political candidate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MonaVie</span> Multi-level marketing company

MonaVie is a defunct, American multi-level marketing company that manufactured and distributed products made from blended fruit juice concentrates, powders, and purées. The company was the subject of several controversies. Health claims for its products had not been scientifically confirmed or approved by regulatory authorities, and its chairman had been previously involved in false health claims concerning another beverage company. According to Forbes, MonaVie's business plan resembled a pyramid scheme. In 2015, the company defaulted on a US$182 million loan and went into foreclosure. Florida-based Jeunesse Global took over MonaVie’s assets when it purchased the note for $15 million.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A. Dean Byrd</span>

Albert Dean Byrd was a former president of the National Association for Research & Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH), a research organization that advocates sexual orientation change efforts (SOCE). He was a psychologist who focused on SOCE, and wrote on the topic. Although raised by a Buddhist mother and a Baptist father, Byrd converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was very active in the debate within the church on issues involving homosexuality.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christian Jessen</span> British celebrity doctor and television presenter

Christian Spencer Jessen is an English celebrity doctor, television personality, and writer. He is best known for appearing in the Channel 4 programmes Embarrassing Bodies (2007–2015) and Supersize vs Superskinny (2008–2014).

Donnica Moore is an American physician and women's health advocate, best known as an author and media commentator on women's health concerns. Moore, who is known as Dr. Donnica, has appeared over 800 times on U.S. television shows such as The Dr. Oz Show; The Today Show; CNN, the Oprah Winfrey Show, the Tyra Banks Show, The View, ABC, The Anderson Cooper Show, Good Morning America Health, and is quoted in several articles on the health website WebMD. In 2007 Moore gained attention for teaching TV presenter Tyra Banks to breast feed on Banks' television talk show. Footage of the lesson accumulated over two million views on YouTube. Her book, Women's Health for Life, is a popular resource on women's health.

Positive Alternatives to Homosexuality (PATH) is a coalition of groups that purport to help "people with unwanted same-sex attractions (SSA) realize their personal goals for change—whether by developing their innate heterosexual potential or by embracing a lifestyle as a single, non-sexually active man or woman." The predominantly ex-gay member groups promote the "right to decide whether to seek counseling or therapy" and abstinence. The coalition lists studies on reparative therapy and links to organizations that work with people who have unwanted same-sex attractions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American College of Pediatricians</span> Right-wing anti-LGBTQ advocacy group

The American College of Pediatricians (ACPeds) is a socially conservative advocacy group of pediatricians and other healthcare professionals in the United States, founded in 2002. The group's primary focus is advocating against abortion rights and against rights for gay, queer, and transgender people. ACPeds promotes conversion therapy and purity culture. As of 2022, its membership has been reported at about 700 physicians.

Jilly Juice is a quack pseudomedicine in the form of a fermented drink that is falsely claimed by its proponents to be able to cure an assortment of conditions, including cancer and autism spectrum disorders, as well as regenerate missing limbs, reverse the effects of aging, and "cure" homosexuality. No studies have proven any of these claims, nor has the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the recipe. The juice, composed of water, salt, and fermented cabbage or kale, is falsely claimed to expunge Candida and parasitic worms. Scientific evidence has shown that this treatment is not only ineffective, but is also toxic with potentially deadly adverse effects.

Many health organizations around the world have denounced and criticized sexual orientation and gender identity change efforts. National health organizations in the United States have announced that there has been no scientific demonstration of conversion therapy's efficacy in the last forty years. They find that conversion therapy is ineffective, risky and can be harmful. Anecdotal claims of cures are counterbalanced by assertions of harm, and the American Psychiatric Association, for example, cautions ethical practitioners under the Hippocratic oath to do no harm and to refrain from attempts at conversion therapy.

The history of conversion therapy can be divided broadly into three periods: an early Freudian period; a period of mainstream approval of conversion therapy, when the mental health establishment became the "primary superintendent" of sexuality; and a post-Stonewall period where the mainstream medical profession disavowed conversion therapy.

References

  1. ↑ Belluz, Julia (April 16, 2015). "The making of Dr. Oz: How an award-winning doctor turned away from science to embrace fame". Vox.
  2. ↑ Korownyk, C.; Kolber, M. R.; McCormack, J.; Lam, V.; Overbo, K.; Cotton, C.; Finley, C.; Turgeon, R. D.; Garrison, S.; Lindblad, A. J.; Banh, H. L.; Campbell-Scherer, D.; Vandermeer, B.; Allan, G. M. (2014). "Televised medical talk shows—what they recommend and the evidence to support their recommendations: a prospective observational study". BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.). 349: g7346. doi:10.1136/bmj.g7346. PMC   4269523 . PMID   25520234 . Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  3. ↑ "Lies, fraud, conflicts of interest, and bogus science: The real Dr. Oz effect". January 29, 2015. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  4. ↑ Stecula, Dominik A.; Motta, Matthew; Kuru, Ozan; Jamieson, Kathleen Hall (March 29, 2022). "The Great and Powerful Dr. Oz? Alternative Health Media Consumption and Vaccine Views in the United States". Journal of Communication . 72 (3): 374–400. doi: 10.1093/joc/jqac011 . Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  5. ↑ Freeman, David (September 15, 2011). "Apple juice safe despite arsenic, FDA tells Dr. Oz". CBS News .
  6. ↑ Neale, Todd (September 15, 2011). "FDA Slams 'Dr. Oz' for Apple Juice Report". MedPage Today . Retrieved March 28, 2013.
  7. ↑ Gann, Carrie (September 15, 2011). "Apple Juice Showdown: Dr. Oz Arsenic Claim Questioned by Dr. Besser". ABC News .
  8. ↑ The Atlantic Wire (December 1, 2011). "Dr. Oz Vindicated: New Study Finds High Arsenic Levels in Apple Juice". Theatlantic.com. Retrieved March 28, 2013.
  9. ↑ "Consumer Reports tests juices for arsenic and lead". Consumer Reports. November 30, 2011. Archived from the original on December 1, 2011. Retrieved May 19, 2013.
  10. ↑ "Dr. Oz slammed over apple juice arsenic warning". www.cbsnews.com. September 16, 2011. Retrieved January 16, 2021.
  11. ↑ "Dr. Oz's Reparative Or 'Ex-Gay' Episode Prompts Backlash From GLAAD, PFLAG And GLSEN". The Huffington Post . November 29, 2012. Retrieved January 25, 2013.
  12. 1 2 Oz, Mehmet (November 28, 2012). "The Reparative Therapy Controversy". Dr. Oz Blog. Harpo, Inc. Archived from the original on June 13, 2018. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
  13. ↑ Just the Facts Coalition (2008). Just the facts about sexual orientation and youth: A primer for principals, educators, and school personnel (PDF). Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association. p. 5. Retrieved February 1, 2018. The most important fact about these "therapies" is that they are based on a view of homosexuality that has been rejected by all the major mental health professions.
  14. 1 2 Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation; Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network; PFLAG National (November 28, 2012). "LGBT Organizations Condemn Dr. Oz Show for Episode on So-Called Reparative Therapy, Ask Dr. Oz to Stand Up for His LGBT Viewers" (Press release). Los Angeles: Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. Archived from the original on December 3, 2012.
  15. 1 2 "Senate Sub-Committee for Commerce, Science, and Transportation Hearing on Protecting Consumers from False and Deceptive Advertising of Weight-Loss Products". June 17, 2014.
  16. ↑ "Dr.Oz-endorsed diet pill study was bogus, researchers admit". CBS News. October 20, 2014. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
  17. ↑ Saunders, Russell (October 20, 2014). "Dr. Oz Green Coffee Bean Study Retracted". The Daily Beast. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
  18. ↑ de Moraes, Lisa (September 14, 2016). "Donald Trump Plays Media With "Surprise" Handover Of Physical Exam Rundown At 'Dr. Oz' Taping". Deadline. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
  19. ↑ Gass, Nick (September 9, 2016). "Dr. Oz pledges to avoid questions Trump 'doesn't want to have answered'". Politico. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
  20. 1 2 Nguyen, Tina (September 14, 2016). "WHAT DONALD TRUMP REVEALED ON THE DR. OZ SHOW". Vanity Fair. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
  21. ↑ Taylor, Jessica (September 14, 2016). "Trump Shares Medical Information And Affinity For Fast Food With 'Dr. Oz'". NPR. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
  22. 1 2 3 Haberman, Maggie (September 14, 2016). "Donald Trump Checkup Said to Reveal He is Overweight". The New York Times. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
  23. ↑ Vox, Ford (September 18, 2016). "Trump and Oz: A match made in tv heaven". CNN. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
  24. ↑ Stetler, Brian; Lee, MJ (September 14, 2016). "Donald Trump surprises Dr. Oz with results of recent physical". CNN. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
  25. ↑ Japsen, Bruce (September 15, 2016). "In Trump's Dr. Oz Appearance, Consider The AMA's Guide To TV Doctors". Forbes. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
  26. ↑ "Olive Oil Trade Group Sues Dr. Oz After He Calls a Majority of Supermarket Olive Oil 'Fake'". ABC News. December 1, 2016. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
  27. ↑ Galuppo, Maria Mercedes (November 30, 2016). "Dr. Oz sued over claims about 'fake' olive oil". AOL. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
  28. 1 2 3 "Olive Oil Trade Group Sues Dr. Oz After He Calls a Majority of Supermarket Olive Oil 'Fake'". Yahoo. December 1, 2016. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
  29. ↑ Kuperinsky, Amy (November 30, 2016). "N.J. olive oil association suing Dr. Oz for segment alleging fake products". NJ. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
  30. ↑ "Olive oil trade group suing Dr. Oz". ABC. December 1, 2016. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
  31. ↑ Bentley, Rosalind (November 30, 2016). "Virgin or not? TV's Dr. Oz faces Georgia lawsuit over olive oil claims". AJC. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
  32. 1 2 Lynch, Sarah N. (March 3, 2017). "Judge dismisses lawsuit against Dr. Oz over fake olive oil claims". Reuters. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
  33. ↑ "The Roll-Up #3: Dr. Oz and Fox & Friends". Leafly. September 22, 2017. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
  34. ↑ "Dr. Oz and Montel Williams on Whether Marijuana Can Treat Opioid Addiction". The Fix. September 22, 2017. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
  35. ↑ "Suit Dismissed Over Dr. Oz's 'Miracle' Diet Pills - Law360". www.law360.com. Retrieved January 16, 2021.
  36. ↑ Hananoki, Eric (January 10, 2022). "Mehmet Oz praised colloidal silver as a "smart" product that "has a ton of data behind it"". Media Matters for America. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  37. ↑ "Colloidal Silver" (Last Updated September 2014). National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. July 2009. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.