Columbia’s medical school urged to fire Dr. Oz

Ten physicians have jointly asked Columbia’s College of Physicians and Surgeons to remove Methmet Oz, M.D. from the faculty because of his unethical conduct as host of “The Dr. Oz Show.” The letter, sent to Dean of the Faculties of Health Sciences and Medicine, states:
Dr. Oz has repeatedly shown disdain for science and for evidence-based medicine, as well as baseless and relentless opposition to the genetic engineering of food crops. Worst of all, he has manifested an egregious lack of integrity by promoting quack treatments and cures in the interest of personal financial gain. Thus, Dr. Oz is guilty of either outrageous conflicts of interest or flawed judgments about what constitutes appropriate medical treatments, or both. Whatever the nature of his pathology, members of the public are being misled and endangered, which makes Dr. Oz’s presence on the faculty of a prestigious medical institution unacceptable.

I honestly don’t know why he hasn’t had his medical license pulled. I could see allowing him to keep it if he was promoting things which had promising studies, but weren’t conclusively proven to work, but with him promoting crap that’s shown to be patently useless, he ought to lose his license.

The curtain is being raised on the “great and powerful” doctor of OZ.

The curtain is being raised on the "great and powerful" doctor of OZ.
Or is it "Ooze"? Lois

Doctor OZ has already mounted a defense which basically amount to his usual " I am just giving people choices" sprinkled with some ad hominem attacks on the authors of the letter. That’s about all I would expect from this snake oil salesman. As usual the media is siding with Oz as they do with virtually all things Woo.
I have already had two patients email me over the weekend because they know how I feel about Oz. Every exam room has had an “Oz not spoken here” poster for years. They thought it was interesting that it took the rest of the medical community this long to catch up.

Doctor OZ has already mounted a defense which basically amount to his usual " I am just giving people choices" sprinkled with some ad hominem attacks on the authors of the letter. That's about all I would expect from this snake oil salesman. As usual the media is siding with Oz as they do with virtually all things Woo. I have already had two patients email me over the weekend because they know how I feel about Oz. Every exam room has had an "Oz not spoken here" poster for years. They thought it was interesting that it took the rest of the medical community this long to catch up.
Woo sells. Lois
Woo sells. Lois
LOL. Maybe we could make some money off of that. We can bottle of tap water and label it Woo with a catch line underneath "Add Decades to Your Life" which is technically true since without water no one would last more than a few days. Can you spell early retirement? :-)

Leaked emails show Dr. Oz trying to get product deal with Sony.]

In a January 2014 email, for instance, Dr. Oz reaches out to Michael Lynton, the CEO of Sony Entertainment, about his interest in wearable fitness and health tracking devices.
“I have been carefully following the wearable device market and am pretty close to consummating a longer term relationship, but just saw the piece below quoting Kaz Hirai [the president and CEO of Sony] and realized that Sony is moving into the space as well,” Oz writes in an email. “We should leverage the Sony-driven success of our TV show into other arenas where Sony thrives, like health hardware.”
The email suggests Dr. Oz is planning to use his platform on the show to help expand Sony’s fitness and health tracking devices market. Oz doesn’t mention health considerations. He mostly seems excited about the business synergy with Sony, one of the producers of his show.

Leaked emails show Dr. Oz trying to get product deal with Sony.]
In a January 2014 email, for instance, Dr. Oz reaches out to Michael Lynton, the CEO of Sony Entertainment, about his interest in wearable fitness and health tracking devices. "I have been carefully following the wearable device market and am pretty close to consummating a longer term relationship, but just saw the piece below quoting Kaz Hirai [the president and CEO of Sony] and realized that Sony is moving into the space as well," Oz writes in an email. "We should leverage the Sony-driven success of our TV show into other arenas where Sony thrives, like health hardware." The email suggests Dr. Oz is planning to use his platform on the show to help expand Sony's fitness and health tracking devices market. Oz doesn't mention health considerations. He mostly seems excited about the business synergy with Sony, one of the producers of his show.
You know how the WWE bills itself as "Sports Entertainment" rather than just a "Sport"? This gives them an out, re: the fact that what they provide is a completely scripted and staged sport-like activity. Perhaps Dr. Oz should not give the impression that he is a physician, but rather, bill himself as a "Medical Entrepreneur". BTW, I would like a watch that can accurately periodically measure and keep a record of my blood pressure. It should also have an overweight Mickey Mouse (that adjusts in adiposity in accordance with any changes in my personal level of obesity) as a screen saver.
I honestly don't know why he hasn't had his medical license pulled. I could see allowing him to keep it if he was promoting things which had promising studies, but weren't conclusively proven to work, but with him promoting crap that's shown to be patently useless, he ought to lose his license.
$ $ $ $ $ Nuff said.
Leaked emails show Dr. Oz trying to get product deal with Sony.]
In a January 2014 email, for instance, Dr. Oz reaches out to Michael Lynton, the CEO of Sony Entertainment, about his interest in wearable fitness and health tracking devices. "I have been carefully following the wearable device market and am pretty close to consummating a longer term relationship, but just saw the piece below quoting Kaz Hirai [the president and CEO of Sony] and realized that Sony is moving into the space as well," Oz writes in an email. "We should leverage the Sony-driven success of our TV show into other arenas where Sony thrives, like health hardware." The email suggests Dr. Oz is planning to use his platform on the show to help expand Sony's fitness and health tracking devices market. Oz doesn't mention health considerations. He mostly seems excited about the business synergy with Sony, one of the producers of his show.
You know how the WWE bills itself as "Sports Entertainment" rather than just a "Sport"? This gives them an out, re: the fact that what they provide is a completely scripted and staged sport-like activity. Perhaps Dr. Oz should not give the impression that he is a physician, but rather, bill himself as a "Medical Entrepreneur". BTW, I would like a watch that can accurately periodically measure and keep a record of my blood pressure. It should also have an overweight Mickey Mouse (that adjusts in adiposity in accordance with any changes in my personal level of obesity) as a screen saver. Sounds like you could be onto a winning idea. Lois
Ten physicians have jointly asked Columbia's College of Physicians and Surgeons to remove Methmet Oz, M.D. from the faculty because of his unethical conduct as host of "The Dr. Oz Show." The letter, sent to Dean of the Faculties of Health Sciences and Medicine, states: Dr. Oz has repeatedly shown disdain for science and for evidence-based medicine, as well as baseless and relentless opposition to the genetic engineering of food crops. Worst of all, he has manifested an egregious lack of integrity by promoting quack treatments and cures in the interest of personal financial gain. Thus, Dr. Oz is guilty of either outrageous conflicts of interest or flawed judgments about what constitutes appropriate medical treatments, or both. Whatever the nature of his pathology, members of the public are being misled and endangered, which makes Dr. Oz's presence on the faculty of a prestigious medical institution unacceptable. http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2015/04/16/a-bunch-of-doctors-ask-columbia-university-to-cut-its-ties-with-dr-oz/
Long ago I came to the conclusions that at best he is nothing better than a snake oil salesman. It's a wonder to me that any medical scholl would want his name on their letter head.

His rebuttal was mostly about the people, not the substance. Can’t say I’m really interested in the details. The NYT had a decent article. The bit about him not gaining financially from the products he promotes seems pretty shady. I realize it isn’t a direct connection, but he creates the atmosphere of not trusting science, then sells books into that. Much easier to sell a book and just slap a disclaimer on it than it is to do actual research or try to sort out the research that is out there.

His rebuttal was mostly about the people, not the substance. Can't say I'm really interested in the details. The NYT had a decent article. The bit about him not gaining financially from the products he promotes seems pretty shady. I realize it isn't a direct connection, but he creates the atmosphere of not trusting science, then sells books into that. Much easier to sell a book and just slap a disclaimer on it than it is to do actual research or try to sort out the research that is out there.
You're right. His defense amounted to nothing more than ad hominem attacks and diversion
His rebuttal was mostly about the people, not the substance. Can't say I'm really interested in the details. The NYT had a decent article. The bit about him not gaining financially from the products he promotes seems pretty shady. I realize it isn't a direct connection, but he creates the atmosphere of not trusting science, then sells books into that. Much easier to sell a book and just slap a disclaimer on it than it is to do actual research or try to sort out the research that is out there.
By saying this is an issue of "free speech" he gives his supporters a nonexistent bone to chew on. No one is trying to silence him. It is his credibility that is being examined and disputed. He has the right to say anything he wants, but not from the platform of serious medicine. Columbia is wrong to defend him in any way.
By saying this is an issue of "free speech" he gives his supporters a nonexistent bone to chew on. No one is trying to silence him. It is his credibility that is being examined and disputed. He has the right to say anything he wants, but not from the platform of serious medicine. Columbia is wrong to defend him in any way.
Good point. When he says "I'm a doctor, and this is what I believe" it is a classic argument from authority fallacy. But people classically misunderstand that fallacy.
His rebuttal was mostly about the people, not the substance. Can't say I'm really interested in the details. The NYT had a decent article. The bit about him not gaining financially from the products he promotes seems pretty shady. I realize it isn't a direct connection, but he creates the atmosphere of not trusting science, then sells books into that. Much easier to sell a book and just slap a disclaimer on it than it is to do actual research or try to sort out the research that is out there.
You're right. His defense amounted to nothing more than ad hominem attacks and diversion What else did he have? Lois
His rebuttal was mostly about the people, not the substance. Can't say I'm really interested in the details. The NYT had a decent article. The bit about him not gaining financially from the products he promotes seems pretty shady. I realize it isn't a direct connection, but he creates the atmosphere of not trusting science, then sells books into that. Much easier to sell a book and just slap a disclaimer on it than it is to do actual research or try to sort out the research that is out there.
You're right. His defense amounted to nothing more than ad hominem attacks and diversion What else did he have? Lois Well, had he been an honest and ethical person he might have said something to the effect of " you know you may have a point", but obviously he is neither of thise things and he wont say anything of the sort
Well, had he been an honest and ethical person he might have said something to the effect of " you know you may have a point", but obviously he is neither of thise things and he wont say anything of the sort
Yes, and then Bill Belichick quits football and goes around speaking at High Schools about the evils of cheating, and Lance Armstrong writes another book, "It's actually not about the bike, it was about me and I didn't care about anyone else", and Dick Cheney donates most of his wealth to early childhood education programs that fill in the gaps left by our government, then we might be on a path to a decent world.

The show “Last Week Tonight” pounded hard on Oz and his inadequate attempt at self justification, last night.