Celebrity health advice: with a grain of salt, please
January 12, 2010 by Raquel
Filed under HEALTHCARE
When it comes to health advice, who would you believe best? Ophra or your doctor? Apparently, for many people, the answer to this seemingly simple question is not so clear. We have seen how health campaigns use celebrities to drive home their message. We have seen how high profile cancer cases increased awareness that led to increased screening. We have seen how Michael J. Fox put Parkinson’s disease in the limelight and how Lance Armstrong helped cancer research funding. In other words, people would tend to listen more to their favourite celebrities than their doctors.
According to Dr. Aaron Carroll, director of Indiana University’s Center for Health Policy and Professionalism Research.
However, celebrity endorsement is not unidirectional. It can go both ways – maybe even the wrong way. A recent report in the US Today criticizes how some celebrities give medical advice without getting their facts right. In the process, they might actually put the health and life of their audiences on the line. Here are some examples of what the report referred to as “dangerous” medical advice.
Suzanne Somers, in her book Knockout
The actress Suzanne Somers has been diagnosed with breast cancer but refused chemotherapy. She considers chemotherapy as destructive and advocates instead treatments using the so-called “bioidentical hormones” which are compounds custom-mixed by special pharmacies but unapproved by the US FDA. Somers appeared on Ophra Winfrey Show to promote her book where she attacked mainstream cancer treatments and even went as far as blame chemotherapy for Patrick Swayze’s death.
According to Dr. Otis Brawley, chief medical officer of the American cancer Society
Jenny McCarthy, in her books on the link between autism and vaccines
The actress Jenny McCarthy blamed childhood vaccines for her son Evan’s autism and she voiced out her opinion in several books. In her book Mother Warriors, McCarthy says she doesn’t need a scientific training to know she is right. She said she learned about autism from “the university of Google” and at home where, by observing her son she learned it all.
According to paediatrician Dr. Martin Myers, executive director of the National Network for Immunization Information:
What do you think? Do you think celebrities should take more responsibility in getting the facts right speaking out? Would you follow celebrity-endorsed health advice?

Considering the fact that I am a stroke survivor and that medical knowledge is non-existent for recovery. i will and do definitely listen to patients because they have way more knowledge that any medical staff. It is the breakfast saying of bacon and eggs;the chicken is involved but the pig is committed. The medical staff is involved but the survivor is committed.