Doctor apologises to Samantha Ruth Prabhu for 'illiterate' comment

Dr. Cyriac Abby Philips also known as "The Liver Doc," has issued an apology to Samantha Ruth Prabhu following his disparaging comments on social media. The apology came after Dr. Philips referred to Samantha as 'health and science illiterate,' sparking public outcry and accusations of insensitivity. He clarified that he intended to caution against medical misinformation, not to discredit Samantha personally.

"I apologize if she felt uneasy or bad about the way the message was conveyed. That was unintentional. My aim was for her to leave behind medical misinformation-peddling 'doctors' who are using her vulnerability and catering to her anecdotal experiences for their gain," he posted on X. He urged patients with chronic illnesses to adhere to evidence-based medical practices.

The controversy began when Samantha recommended nebulizing with a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and distilled water on Instagram, suggesting it as an alternative to conventional medicines for viral infections. This post garnered significant attention and criticism. Dr. Philips expressed concern over the potential public health risks and called for regulatory intervention by India's Health Ministry or other health authorities to address misinformation spread by social media influencers.



"In a rational and scientifically progressive society, this woman will be charged with endangering public health and fined or put behind bars. She needs help or a better advisor in her team," Dr. Philips stated.

Reacting to the doctor's statement, Samantha explained that she had shared the advice with good intentions, based on her personal experiences and consultations with a qualified doctor. She emphasized that she was not advocating the treatment strongly but merely suggesting it as an option.

"Over the last couple of years, I've had to take many different types of medicines. I've tried everything I was strongly advised to take. As advised by highly qualified professionals and after doing as much self-research as is possible for a layperson like me."

"I am not naive enough to go about strongly advocating a treatment. I merely suggested with good intention because of all that I have faced and learned in the last couple of years. Especially that treatments can be financially draining and many may not be able to afford them. At the end of the day, we all depend on educated doctors to guide us. This treatment was suggested to me by a highly qualified doctor who is an MD, who has served DRDO for 25 years. He, after all his education in conventional medicine, chose to advocate an alternate therapy," Samantha explained further.

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Dr. Philips defended his stance, highlighting the dangers of hydrogen peroxide nebulization, which can cause significant respiratory issues.

In his recent post he said, "I am a clinical doctor. Compassionate, ethical, empathetic care is ingrained in me from the moment I stepped into medical school. These virtues only grow with clinical practice and people who know me, know how I am to people, patients, and their families. I do not have to showcase 'kindness' or 'answer to' strangers on the internet while communicating facts. Being vocal and brutally straightforward with facts is the only way medical misinformation can be handled in certain situations, especially when the person who peddles the misinformation has been brainwashed into believing in irrationality."


A social media user commented on Dr. Philips' post, asking, "How can people think that inhaling a strong oxidizing agent like H2O2 is a good idea?" He chided and answered, "Because the 'influenza' (instead of influencer) said it."