Dr. Oz would still be 'pitchman for dubious miracle cures' as Center for Medicare head: report

27 November 2024

A social media post Dr. Mehmet Oz — who Donald Trump nominated to lead the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare — published on Wednesday "suggests that he may continue to serve as pitchman for dubious miracle cures even when he’s in government," according to Rolling Stone.

While Oz's X account notes that he is a shareholder for, and serves as "global adviser" to iHerb — a "leading online store dedicated to trusted health products" — the MAGA nominee wrote, "Thanksgiving is a perfect excuse for practicing gratitude — which also happens to be a proven way to reduce stress. You can also reduce stress with adaptogens like ashwagandha from a trusted source like @iHerb. Happy Thanksgiving!"

Rolling Stone notes, "It’s not clear if or how Oz will seek to disentangle his many and significant financial ties to pharmaceutical and health tech companies to avoid conflicts of interest as the administrator of CMS, which works closely with and regulates such companies."

For now, the news outlet emphasizes, "it seems the TV doctor has no qualms about continuing to shill for the alternative medicine industry that made him a millionaire as he prepares to assume one of the most important jobs in public health."

Rolling Stone notes the heart surgeon has been criticized by medical experts over the years "for endorsing pseudoscience and his promotion of supplements including scam diet pills," all while "he’s earned tens of millions of dollars as a spokesman for another supplement manufacturer that has been sued by its own investors and accused of functioning as a pyramid scheme."

Furthermore, "as the Covid-19 pandemic raged, with his TV appearances guiding Trump’s response to the crisis, he touted hydroxychloroquine as a potentially effective treatment despite a lack of evidence to support the claim" — while owning "shares in a company that supplies the drug," according to the report.

Rolling Stone's full report is available at this link (subscription required).

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