Hepatologist and social media influencer Cyriac Abby Philips, known as The Liver Doc, is not stepping back from the controversy surrounding actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu’s support of alternative therapy.
The dispute, which played out on social media, saw comments from various celebrities, including Grammy-winning composer Ricky Kej and badminton player Jwala Gutta, with actors Varun Dhawan, Rhea Chakraborty, and Manchu Lakshmi rallying behind Samantha.
The Liver Doc reignited the debate by referencing a 2021 post by Samantha where she addressed the expectations placed on actors to comment on significant issues, asserting that they are “not fact-checkers.” In her post, Samantha had shared a video stating, “We’re entertainers, not fact-checkers. Why are actors crucified for having an opinion about the important matters pertaining to the world? We are humans too and make mistakes. But canceling us for speaking out or not speaking out on every topic is a bit unfair, don’t you think?” She concluded, “Let us stick to what we do best… making you fall in love with our performances ❤️.”
Sharing a screenshot of her phrase “We’re entertainers, Not fact-checkers,” The Liver Doc responded on X (formerly Twitter), “We are like this only. Sigh. Anyway. ‘I’m not lost for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost.’ — Winnie the Pooh.”
The conflict began when Samantha endorsed nebuHoweverogen peroxide and distilled water on her podcast, Take 20, as an alternative treatment for viral infections. Calling her “health and science illiterate,” The Liver Doc asserted on X that in a “rational and progressive society,” she could have faced legal consequences for promoting such claims. Samantha countered with a detailed statement, explaining that she discovered treatments that “worked wonderfully” after extensive “trial and error.” She mentioned that the alternative therapy was recommended by a medical professional with over 25 years of experience, who had shifted from conventional medicine. However, she vowed to be “more careful” with medical advice in the future.
While Ricky Kej supported The Liver Doc’s stance but criticized his tone, Gutta questioned Samantha’s willingness to take responsibility for any adverse effects of the alternative treatments she promoted.
In a recent social media post, Dr Drlips emphasized his longstanding against medical misinformation. He expressed empathy for Samantha’s health struggles and apologized if his message caused her distress. He clarified that his goal was to expose medical misinformation and those exploiting vulnerable individuals for personal gain.
