Dr Oz’s history of baseless medical claims as he’s picked to lead Medicaid, Medicare
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Ten years ago, Dr. Mehmet Oz was called to testify before a Senate subcommittee, where he was intensely questioned about misleading statements he had made regarding diet and weight loss during his television appearances.
"The scientific community is largely united in its opposition to you," stated former Senator Claire McCaskill, speaking about the products he had been promoting as 'miracle' solutions for weight loss.
Before becoming a familiar face on The Oprah Winfrey Show in the early 2000s, Oz received training as a surgeon.
He later hosted his own television program, The Dr. Oz Show, where he shared a number of highly questionable claims, including the idea that “miracle” coffee beans could help with weight loss and that selenium supplements could stop cancer.
A 2017 article in the Journal of Ethics by the American Medical Association referred to him as "a hazardous maverick unqualified for the position of the nation's physician."
He is getting ready to take on the role of Administrator for the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services in Donald Trump’s second term, collaborating with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is known for his skepticism about vaccines.
Here’s a review of some of his previous unfounded medical assertions:
Questionable Cancer 'Miracle Cures' Explained
In a 2012 episode of The Dr. Oz Show, Oz stated that selenium supplements, which are minerals present in some foods, were “the ultimate solution for preventing cancer.”
However, a study conducted by the National Library of Medicine in 2014 found that there is "no convincing evidence" so far indicating that selenium supplements can help prevent cancer in humans.
Instead, it discovered that consuming very large amounts of selenium can lead to serious issues, such as trouble breathing, shaking, kidney failure, heart attacks, and heart-related failures.
On his program, the television doctor mentioned that consuming red onion, endive, and sea bass might lower the risk of ovarian cancer by as much as 75 percent. This assertion led a team of researchers to release a study in the journal Nutrition and Cancer, titled "Reality Check: There Is No Such Thing as a Miracle Cure."
"Nutritional scientists and epidemiologists need to be aware of how their individual studies are interpreted in public health messages and should avoid exaggerating the results of any single study," they advised.
Dubious Weight Loss Techniques To Avoid
During the 2014 Senate subcommittee hearing on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Insurance, some of Oz's statements were presented to him. This hearing, where Oz was one of six experts providing testimony, centered on misleading advertising in the diet and weight-loss sector.
McCaskill highlighted one of his most ridiculous statements: “You might believe that magic is just a fantasy, but this tiny bean has researchers claiming they’ve discovered the miraculous solution for weight loss that works for all body types: it’s green coffee extract.”
"When you label a product as a miracle, and it’s something people can purchase that provides them with unrealistic expectations, I really don’t see the need for that," McCaskill said to Oz.
In 2015, the company responsible for the green coffee extract had to reach an agreement with the Federal Trade Commission after it was discovered that they utilized fraudulent news websites to promote "misleading, deceptive, and unverified statements" about their product.
Oz also made unfounded claims about weight loss, suggesting that raspberry ketone is the “top miracle in a bottle for fat burning.” He also promoted the herbal supplement garcinia cambogia, which, in rare instances, has been linked to liver damage.
During the Senate hearing, Oz attempted to justify his statements.
"I genuinely believe in the topics I discuss on the show and I invest a lot of passion into researching them," he stated, according to The Atlantic. "I understand that many of these ideas may not have strong scientific backing to be presented as facts, but I still share the advice I would offer my own family with my audience."
Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, Oz took on the role of a casual health consultant for Trump.
During an appearance on Fox & Friends, Oz mentioned that the antimalarial medication hydroxychloroquine might be a useful option for treating Covid-19.
"It's clear that it hasn't been shown to be helpful in the major clinical trials we anticipate in the U.S., which the FDA and medical organizations would certainly like to see," Oz stated. "However, there have been case studies that back this up."
The FDA released a safety alert regarding the medication back then, and experts from the World Health Organization have since advised against its use. Earlier this year, a recent scientific study revealed that thousands of patients could have died after taking the drug, which was given to individuals even though there was no evidence supporting its effectiveness.
The French research projected that approximately 16,990 individuals in the US, France, Belgium, Italy, Spain, and Turkey could have lost their lives due to the medication.
Trump referred to the medication as "the most significant breakthrough in medical history" and acknowledged during the peak of the pandemic that he was using it as a precautionary step.
“At this point, all I can say is that I appear to be doing fine,” Trump remarked to the press back then.
"I've been receiving a lot of really encouraging reports about hydroxy," Trump said, then questioned, "What do you have to lose?"
'Concerning Arsenic Levels In Apple Juice & Lavender Soap'
In 2011, during his program, Oz highlighted a study conducted by a laboratory in New Jersey, which reportedly discovered concerning amounts of arsenic in various apple juice brands.
The FDA promptly conducted its own examinations and found no proof to back up Oz's assertions.
"The agency stated at the time that there is no proof of any health hazards associated with consuming these juices and that the FDA has been conducting tests on them for several years."
Although it’s not harmful, Oz recommended placing a bar of lavender soap between the sheets to alleviate cramps.
"I realize this may sound a bit absurd," Oz mentioned back in 2010. "However, people actually place it under their bedding. We believe that lavender has a calming effect and could have its own advantages."
Although the fragrance can be soothing, there is currently no scientific evidence to support this assertion.
