DR. OZ'S BAD DAY ON CAPITOL HILL

Illini_Jim

What a goof ball......

DR. OZ'S BAD DAY ON CAPITOL HILL

TV personality Mehmet Oz ran into trouble before a senate panel Tuesday over his claims that certain products can cause "miracle" weight loss.

Oz, host of "The Dr. Oz Show," repeatedly tangled with lawmakers who called on him to change his approach to encouraging healthier habits in his audience.

The back-and-forth took place at a Commerce subcommittee hearing led by Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) on deceptive advertising for weight-loss products.

Referring to Oz's "miracle" claims for products like green coffee extract, she said, "I don't get why you need to say this stuff because you know it's not true."

"The scientific community is almost monolithically against you in terms of the efficacy of the three products you called 'miracles,' " McCaskill told Oz.

"We didn't call this hearing to beat up on you. … [But] you can either be part of the police or be part of the problem, and we hope you'll do a better job at being part of the police."

Oz replied that he's toned down his language surrounding weight-loss products but defended his desire to connect viewers with remedies he argued could lead to healthier choices.

"My job is to be a cheerleader for the audience when they don't think they have hope," said Oz, also a cardiac surgeon.

"I have things I think work for people. I want them to try them so that they feel better, so that they can do the things we talk about every day on the show [like diet and exercise]."

"When I can't use language that is flowery, that is exulting, I feel like I've been disenfranchised."

The hearing hit stalemate after stalemate as lawmakers politely quarreled with Oz over his endorsement of weight-loss remedies.
Though he said he "heard the message," Oz did not back down from arguing on behalf of his approach.

"I do personally believe in the items that I talk about," he said.

"I intensively study them. I have given my family these products. … If you can lose a pound a week more than you would have lost by using them, it jumpstarts you and gets you going. I think it makes sense."

"I'm surprised you're defending this," McCaskill replied. "It's something that gives people false hope. I don't see why you need to go there."

The hearing, which included five other witnesses, explored the problem of fraudulent businesses using Oz's language to sell fake weight-loss products.

The Federal Trade Commission is currently suing a Florida company that capitalized on Oz's claims about green coffee bean extract to market a new weight-loss remedy.

The FTC charged the business with false advertising after it claimed the product, "Pure Green Coffee," could help users lose 20 pounds in four weeks.

"I know I've made their lives more difficult" at the FTC, Oz acknowledged. He recommended policies to encourage whistleblowing at fraudulent companies and a bounty for going after them.

Other lawmakers pursued Oz with criticism throughout the hearing, which was nonetheless upbeat in tone.

"It's a major problem when people are spending more and more money and they're gaining more and more weight," said Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.).

"Either you don't talk about these things at all, or you're going to have to be more specific, because right now, this is not working."

The hearing was held by the Senate Commerce subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety and Insurance.

http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/209611-dr-oz-gets-tough-treatment-on-weight-loss-claims