Dr. Oz - the popular TV host and top heart surgeon hailed by Oprah Winfrey as "America's Doctor" - is not so wonderful!!
That's the diagnosis of health experts who have branded the TV doctor a "quack" for his enthusiastic support of New Age alternative medicine remedies such as energy therapy and hands-on Reiki healing.!
Those unconventional treatments are unscientific and in certain circumstances could even be harmful, some doctors warn The ENQUIRER!
"One part of Dr. Oz is highly rational and scientific, but I think he's also loaded with near-delusional ideas and gives some very bad advice," said Dr. Stephen Barrett, a North Carolina-based psychiatrist who is vice president of the National Council Against Health Fraud, and co-author of The Health Robbers: A Close Look at Quackery in America.
"The bottom line for me is that he does more harm than good for American health."
Dr. Mehmet Oz is a witty and energetic 49-year-old New York City cardiac surgeon who has quickly moved from making health related appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show to hosting his own syndicated medical show.
Despite his background as one of the country's leading heart surgeons and director of the Cardiovascular Institute at New York Presbyterian Hospital, he frequently promotes Eastern medicine. His wife Lisa is a certified Reiki Master and energy-healing specialist.
His free-thinking alternative approach was highlighted on Oprah's show last year when he said: "We are beings of energy - beings of light. The next frontier in medicine is energy medicine - how energy influences how we feel."
But one leading expert blasts "energy medicine" as unscientific.
"So-called energy medicine is pure quackery," declared Dr. David Gorski, surgeon and Associate Professor of Surgery at the Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, Mich.
"Even the Catholic Church has recognized that fact. Recently the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops declared that Reiki therapy is not compatible with Catholic beliefs and should not be supported or promoted in health care facilities.
Dr. Steven Novella, a Yale University neurologist and president and co-founder of the New England Skeptical Society, criticizes Dr. Oz's health advice for being unproven.
"Despite his compelling stories and feel-good philosophy, I believe Dr. Oz is advocating that doctors use treatments based upon sloppy reasoning and poor evidence," he said.
Another expert called Dr. Oz a showman who oversimplifies complicated medical issues.
"Dr. Oz promotes unproven approaches such as Reiki and Therapeutic Touch, and to support them he cherry-picks studies that are positive and ignores the negative ones," Dr. Mary Ann Malloy, a nationally known Illinois-based cardiologist, told The ENQUIRER.
But not every expert contacted by The ENQUIRERt hought Dr. Oz was misguided.
"I like what Dr. Oz is doing and I agree with it," stated Dr. Ernie Bodai, a leading Breast Cancer surgeon.
"If a patient wants these kinds of complementary treatments, I think a doctor is right to utilize them - as long as they are used as an addition to standard medical treatments rather than a replacement."
Who is the real quack here - Dr. Mehmet Oz with his impressive credentials or * "Doctor" Stephen Barret and his meager credentials who makes a living being a hack for mainstream medicine?
Dr. Mehmet Oz:
Oz was born in Cleveland, Ohio to Turkish Muslim parents Suna and Mustafa, who had immigrated from Konya, Turkey. He was educated at Tower Hill School in Wilmington, Delaware and in 1982 received his undergraduate degree from Harvard University. In 1986, he obtained a joint MD and MBA degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and The Wharton School.
Oz is Professor of Cardiac Surgery at Columbia University. He previously directed the Heart Assist Device Program and is a founder of the Complementary Medicine Program at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. His research interests include heart replacement surgery, minimally invasive cardiac surgery, and healthcare policy. He has authored more than 400 original publications, book chapters, abstracts, and books and has received several patents. Oz serves as a scientific advisor to MDLinx, a leading physician portal.
Oz is the founder and chairman of HealthCorps, a non-profit organization that pays a small stipend to recent college graduates to spend two years in high schools mentoring students about health, nutrition, and fitness.
Stephen Barrett:
The most quoted source against alternative healing in the mainstream media, Barrett let his medical license expire and instead pursued making a living through his Quackwatch and other websites which attack alternative medicines. Barrett also has received income from out of court settlements after numerous threats against his detractors as well as income from testifying as a psychiatric "expert" in court cases.
In a recent year court case Barrett lost, he was forced to make several revealing admissions:
1. He had ties to the AMA, Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Food & Drug Administration (FDA).
2. Despite providing supposed expert testimony as a psychiatrist and testifying in numerous court cases, he was not a Medical Board Certified psychiatrist because he had failed the certification exam.
3. He has filed 40 defamation lawsuits against his detractors and not won a single case.
He has become pretty scarce since having to dodge all of those lawsuits - but a picture has just been unearthed of him pressing the flesh with one of his big fans.....
Classic ad hominems - good job! I've allowed TWO healthcare professional licenses lapse to pursue other professional interests, does that mean I’m TWO TIMES A QUACK?
At least you're not saying that Dr. Barrett's license was revoked like some other detractors.
Classic ad hominems - good job! I've allowed TWO healthcare professional licenses lapse to pursue other professional interests, does that mean I’m TWO TIMES A QUACK ?
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Dr. Mehmet Oz is a quack - Dr. Stephen Barrett 
