Dr. Mehmet Oz came under fire from Congress on Tuesday after making false claims about weight loss aids and supplements on his popular daytime talk show. The doctor has a strong group of supporters that follow his advice and take his suggestions very seriously. Yesterday, however, Dr. Oz admitted to not having scientific proof of the success of all of the products he supports.
Weight loss is a frequent topic on “The Dr. Oz Show,” mostly as a result of the amount of people that suffer from obesity and the many methods that are available to fight it. While Dr. Oz has not specifically endorsed a brand or company, he has mentioned supplements that he believes will combat obesity.
According to Senator Claire McCaskill, chairman of the consumer protection panel, Dr. Oz makes allusions that give the impression that certain products are miracle workers on his television show, even when he knows the supplements don’t work that way. Dr. Oz admitted that the products he suggests are not all scientifically tested, but studied personally by using his family as test subjects.
In a 2012 episode, Dr. Oz proclaimed that green coffee was a good weight loss aid for all body types. After that episode aired, a Florida-based company produced and distributed a dietary supplement with the name Pure Green Coffee, using Dr. Oz as its endorser. Dr. Oz, however, claims that he knows the importance of exercise, proper eating, and other techniques for weight loss, in addition to these supplements. He also warns his viewers that these supplements are only short-term and should not be used to replace diet and exercise.
Dr. Oz told Congress that he never endorses brands, so any company that uses his name, photo, or TV show clips are false and illegal.