On Friday, The White House announced President Trump’s plans to appoint several new members to his Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition, which aims to encourage youth sports participation and promote overall physical fitness and health. The council is part of the Department of Health and Human Services.
There were a few familiar names among the new appointments, including wrestler Kyle Frederick Snyder, former bodybuilder Lou Ferrigno, and Olympian Misty May-Treanor. But one addition proved especially controversial: Mehmet Oz, author, and star of The Dr. Oz Show.
The inclusion of Dr. Oz took many in the health industry by surprise, especially those who have been following the TV star’s snake-oil antics over the last few years. Oz has been repeatedly called out for his support of false, deceptive products and unproven medical practices, both from the medical community and consumer watchdog groups. His appointment clearly speaks in no way to his reputation as a trusted medical source, but rather to his celebrity status–and the ability to parlay that into multiple business opportunities. Perhaps that’s what Trump, who has shown a preference for pundits over experts, finds appealing.
In 2014, a team of Canadian medical researchers found that only 46% of advice given on The Dr. Oz Show was actually backed by science, while 15% of recommendations went against conventional evidence. The study was published in the peer-reviewed medical journal BMJ. That same year, 10 doctors from prestigious institutions called for Columbia University to part ways with Oz, who at the time served as that school’s vice chair of the Department of Surgery.
“He’s a quack and a fake and a charlatan,” wrote Dr. Henry Miller of Stanford in the strongly worded takedown. “His advice endangers patients.” Over 1,300 doctors signed the letter in unison.
The celebrity physician was also grilled by a Senate subcommittee about his support of controversial weight-loss supplements, such as Garcinia cambogia. His show promised that the miracle pills required “No Exercise. No Diet. No Effort.”