Dr. Oz finally answered his critics (sort of) by putting the focus on them and the GMO food industry rather than on his own actions.
In essence he made the doctors criticizing him seem like unscrupulous doctors out to get him because he opposes (or wants labels) on GMO foods.
Some of what he said was accurate and the doctors who went after him definitely need to be looked at more closely, but some of what he said felt exaggerated, inflammatory and a bit self-serving.
He spent a small portion of the show addressing the charges against him, then spent the bulk of the show explaining what the GMO industry is about and what his view point is on it.
While his presentation was crisp and eloquent it also felt acted, measured and a bit tawdry thanks to his “investigation” of the doctors who criticized him.
He had some good points in his own defense, but those facts got lost in all the sensational elements and tactics he used to make his case.
Dr. Oz opened the show by addressing the 10 doctors who asked that he be removed from Columbia.
He briefly highlighted his accomplishments over the past 20 years and noted his dedication to helping consumers become experts on their own health.
Then, after stating that he has never used his show to peddle products the show took a turn for the worse.
He revealed that he had investigative reporter Elisabeth Leamy check out the doctors attacking him to find out whop they really are.
While she did show a link between some of the doctors and the GMO industry, the tone of the investigation felt like something out of a Jerry Springer episode.
Leamy noted that Dr. Henry Miller, who spear-headed this campaign against Dr. Oz, is a big advocate of the GMO industry and is a former supporter of the Tobacco industry.
She also brought to light that Dr. Gilbert Ross, another of the critics who signed the letter, was previously convicted for Medicaid fraud.and found 2 of the other doctors to also be linked to the GMO industry.
While some of that information is disturbing, it is not enough to dismiss the letter or what was said in it.
Also, her report only found a link between 4 of the doctors and the GMO industry- less than half, so using that as a motive for their attack doesn’t ring true.
Even more disturbing was the segment that followed with , Dr. Joel Furhamn, M.D., a colleague of Dr. Oz.
He was brought in to give his opinion on Dr. Oz’ critics, though I’m not sure why.
He has no personal knowledge of the doctors in question yet was speaking as if he was an expert on them.
He also stated that these doctors opinions’ were “not that of the rest of the medical industry”.
On what grounds is he qualified to speak for the entire medical industry?
The rest of the show went on to focus on GMO foods and there was a lot of great information to be learned, if you could get past everything else going on.
Dr. Oz made some valid points about whether these GMO foods are good for us and why he believes these foods should be labeled.
He also made a good case for himself, noting he has stopped endorsing weight loss pills and supplements.
Too bad all that information got drowned out by sensational rhetoric that put the focus on fiction instead of facts.
Is Dr. Oz a quack? In the words of Elisabeth Leamy: “you be the judge?”
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