Dubbed "America's Doctor," a new study by the British Medical Journal has found that Dr. Mehmet Oz's medical advice may not be too accurate, Fox News reported.
The study analyzed health and medical suggestions from Oz's syndicated talk television show. The findings, outlined on Vox.com, stated that half of the suggestions on the show either went against scientific studies or that there was no verifiable evidence behind them at all. Any conflicts of interest were also never discussed.
The study poured over 40 random episodes, as opposed to cherry picking. Each episode offered about a dozen health tips, so 479 suggestions were able to be pulled by the researchers.
Special benefits and the impact of those benefits, costs and possible drawbacks were almost completely ignored while benefits of the medical claims were talked about in a general way.
"Anyone who followed the advice provided would be doing so on the basis of a trust in the host or guest rather than through a balanced explanation of benefits, harms, and costs," the study authors write. "The near absence of potential conflict of interest reporting further challenges viewers' ability to balance the information provided."
In conclusion, the study said that consumers should be skeptical and should ask themselves "whether we should expect medical talk shows to provide more than entertainment."
