Meet the medical student who wants to bring down Dr. Oz

[Firestormm]

12 July 2014

Meet the medical student who wants to bring down Dr. Oz

Dr. Mehmet Oz​

Benjamin Mazer is a third-year medical student at the University of Rochester. Last year, after becoming increasingly concerned with the public-health impact of Dr. Mehmet Oz's sometimes pseudoscience health advice, he decided to ask state and national medical associations to do something about it.

"Dr. Oz has something like 4-million viewers a day," Mazer told Vox. "The average physician doesn't see a million patients in their lifetime. That's why organized medicine should be taking action."


Last year, Mazer brought a policy before the Medical Society of the State of New York—where Dr. Oz is licensed—requesting that they consider regulating the advice of famous physicians in the media. His idea: Treat health advice on TV in the same vein as expert testimony, which already has established guidelines for truthfulness. I asked Mazer about what inspired the policy, and what became of his efforts....

Read more: http://www.vox.com/2014/7/12/5891451/meet-the-medical-student-who-wants-to-bring-down-dr-oz-quackery

 

[xchocoholic]

It's interesting that this med student thinks Dr Oz will cause patients to distrust their doctors. That shipped sailed decades ago. Not all of us were smart enough to get on it.

At least now that drug ads on tv include all the possible side effects patients are getting a better view of how the medical profession really works. Well that and all the lawsuits.

Fwiw, while I disagree regularly with how Dr Oz promotes supplements I appreciate what he's trying to do.

Tc ... x

 

[Valentijn]

Fwiw, while I disagree regularly with how Dr Oz promotes supplements I appreciate what he's trying to do.

Yes, he's obviously wrong about some things, but overall he seems very helpful and not really harmful. Overselling the benefits of certain foods and such might be unscientific, but it's far from criminal. I also doubt he's deliberately been dishonest about topics, maybe just under-educated and too trusting of some sources.

 

[xchocoholic]

It's the over selling that I have trouble with. I'd go broke buying everything he recommends.

I'd prefer he didn't dumb down the medical info he demonstrates too. I saw one the other day that was more confusing than educational. It was funny tho. Lol. It makes me wonder what age group he's targeting.

Tc .. x

 

[SDSue]

I smell a rat.

Oz has a target on his back. He is too vocal in promoting natural healing over pharmaceutical healing, and that's gotta really make some powerful people very angry. The pharm companies can't attack him directly, but they can discredit him using congressional hearings and a "med student".

In the march to remove supplements from the market, perhaps discrediting Oz is just another step? Who knows!

 

[Gingergrrl]

I have to say that a while back Dr Oz was promoting tart cherry juice to help with insomnia and my husband and I tried it and it actually helped! I took it in addition to sleeping meds not instead of but I did notice some benefit.

 

[IreneF]

I don't see how Big Pharma would be against supplements. Who do you think makes them?

From a brief search:

"Nexgen Pharma is a leader in the manufacture of dietary supplement products as well as pharmaceutical products."


"Some people who buy supplements to avoid Big Pharma drug companies may find themselves doing business with Big Herba, instead.

Some of the same companies that mass-produce drugs in huge chemical labs also churn out vitamin and herbal pills sold in bottles with rainbows, sunrises and flowers on their labels.

Dozens of other supplement makers reap more than $100 million in annual sales. One of the largest — NBTY Inc., on New York's Long Island — sold $2 billion last year in the United States alone. Its brands include Nature's Bounty, Vitamin World, Puritan's Pride and Sundown."


"Today, Bactolac Pharmaceutical is one of the most successful nutritional supplement companies in the world, led by a team of experienced scientists and pharmacists."

"Billionaire Pharmaceutical Entrepreneur Makes Bet On Fast Growing Supplement Manufacturer: MusclePharm"

 

[CFS_for_19_years]

I'm going to let this video speak for itself. It's similar to the Comedy Central type of humor here in the US.

 

[catly]

I think the attacks are coming from traditional/acedemic medicine and regulatory bodies (FDA). As @IreneF indicates, I'm guessing a lot of big pharma have nutraceutical/supplement arms and only benefit from the alternative medicine market.

But I don't think Dr. Oz has done any real service to our illness--has anyone attempted to count the number of times he mentions a remedy for fatigue in one of his shows? Yeah, sure, it's not his fault for the naming of this illness, but this is what everyone else thinks of when they hear CFS. If only I had a dollar for anytime told me to do xyz for my ME/CFS because they saw it on Dr. Oz, or texted me to say you have to turn on Dr. Oz, he's talking about your illness.

Sorry for rant, I think he is a good guy and supposedly an excellent cardiothorasic surgeon so if his TV show gets cut not to worry, he has a fallback career where he can really save lives.

@Gingergrrl43, I tried the tart cherry juice too for insomnia, along with every other herb, supplement and even accupunture to help me sleep but the only thing that works is Ambien.

 

[IreneF]

I read that Columbia retired him from surgery because he wasn't doing it often enough, but now I can't find that snippet of info., so I don't know if it's actually true. Makes sense, though. I would prefer to be operated upon by a surgeon who's got his hands in a chest every day.

 

[TigerLilea]

I read that Columbia retired him from surgery because he wasn't doing it often enough, but now I can't find that snippet of info., so I don't know if it's actually true. Makes sense, though. I would prefer to be operated upon by a surgeon who's got his hands in a chest every day.

Dr. Oz works out of New York-Presbyterian Hospital in NY. I don't know how it works in the US, but here in British Columbia most surgeons only get the OR for one day per week. Some of them will work out of a second hospital giving them two days per week.

 

[Mia Dit]

It is difficult to see the harm when someone speak about a subject with apparent sincere concern and genuine interest. I agree that shows (not just Dr. Oz) need to be subjected to some type of medical oversight. They are medical doctors and as such even giving an endorsement to a herb or natural remedy is the same as saying this is safe for "you". It doesn't matter what kind of disclaimer runs across the bottom of the screen, or announces (at auctioneer speed) to seek medical advice before beginning....

Reading the news yesterday I ran across this article in the Huffington Post The Blog, UK
ME success stories- is other's happiness a reason to get upset and abusive?

Here's the full link: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/philparker/me-success-stories-is-oth_b_5583525.html

It took me a full hour before I was calm enough to research the author, and guess what - not only is he so ill informed about what ME actually is, he founded a clinic that claims to cure the disease in just three days. His clinic has received some flack as noted on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lightning_Process

So, Phil Parker has now used the public world wide web as tool to advertise his program, to refute objections about the validity of his program and to claim that ME sufferers do not want to get well and do not want a cure. In his headline he claims those who are upset are also abusive in some way, yet his article did not address what ME group acted out. I venture to guess he has meet with strong opposition from the ME community, although I do not have any evidence to support this. After reading about him I stopped. He's not worth my energy.

I do not watch Dr. Oz (maybe three or four times total), but if people with medical backgrounds and licenses like Dr. Oz, and Phil Parker (says he's an osteopath) are going to advise or suggest products, procedures, or processes they should be subject to oversight, because not everyone is capable of or able to wade through hype and hope offered by well meaning people, or the glitz and glamor offered by scammers.

 

[TigerLilea]

I do not watch Dr. Oz (maybe three or four times total), but if people with medical backgrounds and licenses like Dr. Oz, and Phil Parker (says he's an osteopath) are going to advise or suggest products, procedures, or processes they should be subject to oversight, because not everyone is capable of or able to wade through hype and hope offered by well meaning people, or the glitz and glamor offered by scammers.

Dr. Oz's intention is to get people thinking about their health and how they treat their bodies. He isn't a scammer out to make a quick buck because he doesn't sell anything. He claims to fully investigate every herb, treatment, supplement, etc. before he ever recommends it to anyone on his show.

Considering some of the untested protocols that many people here are doing in the hope of relieving their CFS/ME symptoms, I'm surprised that anyone here would knock Dr. Oz for recommending something than can be found in any drugstore or health food store. As you say, not everyone is capable of or able to wade through hype and hope offered by well meaning people and that applies to anything that is offered here (Rich Van K, Fredd, Amy Yasko, etc.), yet people quickly jump on board with the protocols.

 

[catly]

Off topic, to @Mia Dit --love your avatar pic, is that a Friesian?

 

[CFS_for_19_years]

Dr. Oz's intention is to get people thinking about their health and how they treat their bodies. He isn't a scammer out to make a quick buck because he doesn't sell anything. He claims to fully investigate every herb, treatment, supplement, etc. before he ever recommends it to anyone on his show.

Considering some of the untested protocols that many people here are doing in the hope of relieving their CFS/ME symptoms, I'm surprised that anyone here would knock Dr. Oz for recommending something than can be found in any drugstore or health food store. As you say, not everyone is capable of or able to wade through hype and hope offered by well meaning people and that applies to anything that is offered here (Rich Van K, Fredd, Amy Yasko, etc.), yet people quickly jump on board with the protocols.

Dr. Oz is using his medical degree to somehow appear credible. If he wasn't using his title, then he should name his show, "Get A Load of This Shit From Some Guy Named Mehmet." (Sorry, took that from the video.) The use of credentials and the glorification of advice from that source is known as the "halo effect." He doesn't earn any money from the sales of products, but he earns a salary to produce a show.

The damage comes when people choose to believe Dr. Oz's advice over that of a doctor they are seeing in person:
http://www.vox.com/2014/7/12/5891451/meet-the-medical-student-who-wants-to-bring-down-dr-oz-quackery

JB: Was there a particular patient who inspired this crusade against TV quackery?
BM: The patient who inspired the policy I wrote was an older woman in her 60s who had a lot of the classic, chronic health problems we deal with in America. She was overweight, she had diabetes, heart disease. And so the physician I was working with was recommending these oral diabetes medications that are pretty standard fare. She had watched the Dr. Oz Show featuring green coffee-bean supplements—and how it was great to lose weight—and she was convinced this was going to be a huge impact on her weight.
We tried to politely express concerns that this probably wasn't going to be effective because there's no evidence for it. She refused the diabetes medications. The hope she had placed in the green coffee-bean extract was part of that.

 

[IreneF]

"I always find it strange: if someone had cancer and learnt that someone else had recovered from it, attacking them for 'not really having in the first place' would seem a very odd response."

Actually, that's the usual response by cancer specialists when someone claims to have been cured by magic beans from the jungle, shamanistic rituals, or sitting in a room and shouting affirmations. They want evidence of the diagnosis, the exact type and stage of cancer, and any other treatments the patient has had.

 

[xchocoholic]

The woman this med student referred to could just as well heard this from one of the millions of people using supplements and/or diet to try healing their bodies.

The internet opened that door when it first started. Forums, where real people take the time to share their successes and failures, are a lifeline for many patients today.

I think she did this med student a favor. He now knows that patients are just as interested in natural alternatives as drugs.

AND she thought enough of her doctor to tell him what she was thinking. That's trust.

So often patients have doctors who they don't feel comfortable being honest with about using natural alternatives.

Tc ... x

 

[CFS_for_19_years]

The woman this med student referred to could just as well heard this from one of the millions of people using supplements and/or diet to try healing their bodies.

The internet opened that door when it first started. Forums, where real people take the time to share their successes and failures, are a lifeline for many patients today.

I think she did this med student a favor. He now knows that patients are just as interested in natural alternatives as drugs.

AND she thought enough of her doctor to tell him what she was thinking. That's trust.

So often patients have doctors who they don't feel comfortable being honest with about using natural alternatives.

Tc ... x

Unfortunately, the result of NOT controlling one's blood sugar isn't a purely esthetic issue. Diabetes can and OFTEN does lead to irreversible kidney damage, blindness and loss of limbs due to gangrene. Refusing standard oral diabetes medications will most likely have a lasting impact on this woman's life, and her insurance company, most likely Medicare, will pick up the tab.

 

[Gingergrrl]

But did Dr. Oz actually tell her or anyone to stop their diabetes meds for green coffee beans or did she make that decision on her own?

I am not a huge fan of Dr Oz and more commenting on the overall principal that people have free choice to buy supplements.

 

[Mia Dit]

Dr. Oz's intention is to get people thinking about their health and how they treat their bodies. He isn't a scammer out to make a quick buck because he doesn't sell anything. He claims to fully investigate every herb, treatment, supplement, etc. before he ever recommends it to anyone on his show.

Considering some of the untested protocols that many people here are doing in the hope of relieving their CFS/ME symptoms, I'm surprised that anyone here would knock Dr. Oz for recommending something than can be found in any drugstore or health food store. As you say, not everyone is capable of or able to wade through hype and hope offered by well meaning people and that applies to anything that is offered here (Rich Van K, Fredd, Amy Yasko, etc.), yet people quickly jump on board with the protocols.

Hi TigerLilea

I just want to clarify that I did not "knock" Dr. Oz., and I did not claim or imply Dr. Oz is a scammer. I did watch the last few minutes of his program discussing CFS and was not impressed. That said, I do not have enough viewing time to say anything about him or his show. What I said was,

"I do not watch Dr. Oz (maybe three or four times total), but if people with medical backgrounds and licenses like Dr. Oz, and Phil Parker (says he's an osteopath) are going to advise or suggest products, procedures, or processes they should be subject to oversight, because not everyone is capable of or able to wade through hype and hope offered by well meaning people, or the glitz and glamor offered by scammers."

I stand by my statement that medical practitioners that endorse products to a national/international audience should be subject to some kind of oversight, and maybe they already are and I don't know it. When I first came across this site I noticed the various product discussions. I hope some, any, or all of the products suggested on this site or from any other source can offer someone even a measure of relief, and I can be happy for myself or anyone else who found relief regardless of what it is. I have a strong appreciation for herbs and/or supplements. Today, aspirin is a synthetic compound, but the active ingredient is found in willow tree bark and other plants, so nature provides us with many useful benefits. (http://www.aspirin-foundation.com/what/100.html)