Dr. Oz .....British Medical Journal

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voraciousreader
voraciousreader Member Posts: 7,496
edited December 2014 in Clinical Trials, Research News, Podcasts, and Study Results

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/...


Bottom line...stop watching entertaining doctors! IMHO...read established medical journals, make copies of articles and make an appointment with a physician whom you trust and remember to bring those studies with you to discuss with your clinician.


There are no miracle diets, supplements or "top" doctors. Rarely is there compelling evidence for ANYTHING. Medical studies have their own limitations and biases. That said, that is why there are annual meetings for specialties and meetings in between to discuss studies and ultimately to develop guidelines. Probably the best physician....is one who reads a lot and is busy seeing patients and doesn't have the time of day to appear on television.


http://www.bmj.com/content/349/bmj.g7346



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  • 208sandy
    208sandy Member Posts: 2,610
    edited December 2014

    Finally, someone see Dr. Oz for what he is - too bad I hear he is a great thoracic surgeon but he's been "Oprafied" - cannot believe people take him seriously.

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  • SelenaWolf
    SelenaWolf Member Posts: 1,724
    edited December 2014

    I would, also, add: do not use You Tube as a resource either.

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  • voraciousreader
    voraciousreader Member Posts: 7,496
    edited December 2014

    What I also find fascinating about this study is that there IS a study! Dr. Oz must have generated a lot of concern among other physicians for the establishment to conduct such a study. Also interesting is that the study was published in a European journal and NOT an American journal, where his show and The Doctors show originates. Very, very interesting.....

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  • Morwenna
    Morwenna Member Posts: 1,063
    edited December 2014

    I think the guys at bmj have too much time on their hands!

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  • lyzzysmom
    lyzzysmom Member Posts: 654
    edited December 2014

    Well DH saw a diet on public TV called Yeast Belly which basically eliminates wheat, even whole grain. DH decided to give it a try as he is diabetic and very overweight. I was a bit dubious as it seemed to have mixed reviews and allows too much meat and cheese but he does not eat high fat and I saw it mentioned on doctor OZ so, yup, I said well maybe its OK. Now not so sure but he has spent a lot ordering the package from the TV station so I do hope it works for him but I am feeling kind of cynical, especially after reading this.

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  • sas-schatzi
    sas-schatzi Member Posts: 19,603
    edited December 2014


    Hi VR, in regard to where it was published. The study was done at the University COM of Alberta. They look to England for there source of the best. The Lancet is to the UK, as the New England Journal of Medicine is to the USA. Many relatives in Canada, they try to ignore us as much as possible.

    The lead author had a patient come into her office using Dr Oz as a resource. Info was wrong. You know university profs and students always looking for something to research and publish. They dug out the info really well. I think it was as matter of teaching the others involved how to research and publish as it was about Dr OZ.

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  • sas-schatzi
    sas-schatzi Member Posts: 19,603
    edited December 2014

    Morwena "I think the guys at bmj have too much time on their hands!" As I posted to VR. The Lancet is the most prestigious medical journal in the United Kingdom. Heavily peer reviewed. Very difficult to get published in, just as it's very difficult to get published in NEJM. For each country, they are the bible of publishing medical studies. In a distant time they were IT. Then other journals started to develop b/c they couldn't get into either. To our benefit and with the knowledge explosion many other topic specific journals started. The outcome of the study is important. Dr OZ et all, are going to have to be more careful about their info.


     

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  • Morwenna
    Morwenna Member Posts: 1,063
    edited December 2014

    Firstly my remark was "tongue in cheek" hence the smiley.

    Secondly, you don't need to educate me about The Lancet. I was born and bred in the UK with both my parents as doctors. My dad used to use The Lancet as a sleep aid!

    Thirdly, not sure why you are pontificating about The Lancet at all, as the article was concerning the British Medical Journal, a completely separate, and equally renowned publication.

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  • voraciousreader
    voraciousreader Member Posts: 7,496
    edited December 2014

    Here is what the Dr. Oz spokespeople had to say about the BMJ study:


    "Members of The Dr. Oz Show wrote: “The Dr. Oz Show has always endeavored to challenge the so-called conventional wisdom, reveal multiple points of view and question the status quo. The observation that some of the topics discussed on the show may differ from popular opinion or various academic analyses affirms that we are furthering a constructive dialogue about health and wellness.”

    http://time.com/3642533/dr-oz-advice/

     

     

    What I have to say about their comment is.....perhaps those "members" ought to go to medical school, get licensed to practice medicine and attend those "various academic" meetings that are held annually to discuss medical guidelines and then they MIGHT be in a position to "furthering a constructive dialogue...."

     

    The study, it seems, was undertaken because physicians saw an impact  the show was having on their practices.  Not unlike the debatable pharma ads that have permeated the consumers' minds and affected medical practices, series like Dr. Oz and The Doctors are having an effect on medicine and they sought to understand whether or not the info these shows were giving could be validated. 

     

    IMHO, the most important info garnered from this study, besides the fact that half of the info could NOT be validated, is that the show gave little or no info regarding the side effects or possible limitations of the studies.  Before taking anything, wouldn't YOU want to know what the side effects are?  Wouldn't you want to know the study's limitations?  How many people were studied?  If the treatment was not part of the guidelines, wouldn't you want to know why?  And lastly, and most importantly, how would you know, based on YOUR OWN PERSONAL MEDICAL HISTORY, if this treatment is contraindicated with whatever other medications you are presently taking and whether or not it might worsen the symptoms of your other illnesses?????

     

    Now one might say that the show tells viewers to discuss these treatments with their physician.  That's great!  However, remember, the reason why the study was conducted was because the physicians believed the show was INFLUENCING their practices.  Finding that half of the treatments could NOT be substantiated is a HUGE finding.  Must a physician spend so much time with a patient explaining the "facts"?  Seems like Dr. Oz is in the examining room with doctors when patients are discussing possible treatments.  Worse than that is when a patient embarks on one of Dr. Oz's guest's treatments WITHOUT consulting their physician.......Not.Good.At.All!

     

     

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  • voraciousreader
    voraciousreader Member Posts: 7,496
    edited December 2014

    Sas... Hi!!!  I guess you are having a little senior moment, don't you think?Loopy  But your point is a good one.  It didn't escape me that the folks who did the study were based in Canada and had to go across the pond to get their findings published in a highly respected journal.

     

    That said, there are plenty of people who take exception to the BMJ, The Lancet, JAMA and the NEJM....We all can name a few instances when each of those journals got into hot water.....Oy!

     

    But the point being, that the study was undertaken and was published in a prestigious journal is BIG news.

     


     

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  • leggo
    leggo Member Posts: 3,293
    edited December 2014

    Exactly what is the point of pissing all over the Canadian medical research community? Geezus.

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  • voraciousreader
    voraciousreader Member Posts: 7,496
    edited December 2014

    leggo....I was complimenting the Canadians! They were wise enough to recognize the need for such a study! Some people might ask what was their need to go to the BMJ when the show is produced in North America? Seems like it should have been published state side. Nonetheless, I'm pleased that the study was done and the results published in a major journal and it is garnering attention!

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  • 208sandy
    208sandy Member Posts: 2,610
    edited December 2014

    Voracious - you weren't "pissing all over the Canadian medical research community" from what I could see but Sas-Schatzi made a comment about her Canadian relatives "ignoring" the US and that got my dander up too - pretty hard to ignore the US when we are inundated by their Oprahsization of daytime TV - note that The Drs. is produced by Phil McGraw's son so that Dr. Phil, Dr. Oz, the Drs. are all Oprah all the time - so is Depak Chopra and Tony Robbins - certainly not a group I'd like to hang out with when looking for knowledge IMHO.

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  • voraciousreader
    voraciousreader Member Posts: 7,496
    edited December 2014

    hmmmm...Sandy......would be interested if the Canadian researches were "ignored" by the US journals or if the Canadians did, in fact, "ignore" the US journals. When I first read the study, I was bemused why the study was being published on the other side of the pond.....


    For the record...my maternal family is Canadian.

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  • 208sandy
    208sandy Member Posts: 2,610
    edited December 2014

    If the Canadian researchers "ignored" the US Journals could it be that Canada is still part of the Commonwealth and more likely to publish in the U.K. rather than the US - frankly I find the whole argument stupid! The fact that anyone had to take the vaunted Dr. Oz on amazes me - there is a lot of common sense lacking these days - why don't people listen to their Drs. - since when do TV shows take care of patients.

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  • voraciousreader
    voraciousreader Member Posts: 7,496
    edited December 2014

    sandy...I need you to sit down and have a long conversation with my 90 year old, retired nurse mother! Really! She is the smartest person I know and sits there eagerly and listens to every last word coming out of The Doctors and Dr. Oz's mouths.. And those pharmacists that have a column? She is DANGEROUS with scissors! She cuts out their articles and gives me a migraine from reading their words!!! I have some very stiff competition when I TRY to talk sense into her! Then again, at 90, she must be doing something right.....



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  • sas-schatzi
    sas-schatzi Member Posts: 19,603
    edited December 2014

    Forgive errors And typing ...on kindle

    Morwena sorry, didn't see you were from Canada.

    Hi VR I agree:)

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