Time to change the channel: The problem with medical advice on TV

Dear Reader, I always cringe when a patient starts a sentence with "I heard on TV..." It's not so much the topic I worry about. In fact, you come across a lot of interesting things while channel surfing. But the problem is, nine times out of 10 (and that's a generous estimate) you simply don't get the whole story from TV. Especially when it comes to health information presented by those well-known celebrity medical "experts." I am going to go out on a limb here and say that there's no doctor on mainstream TV who is qualified to give you the information about health and nutrition that I can give you. Let me clue you in on how these "doctors" (who shall remain nameless) get their information. Do you think they're out there like me reading the journals, scanning the Internet for the latest research into the world of health and nutrition, or even seeing patients? NO! (But I AM doing all of this...and much more.) They have a team of producers who look at things on the Internet and then decide, "Oh, this will make for an interesting segment with lots of splashy graphics!" They then whip up a 7-minute segment. And just before it gets filmed, a production assistant hands the TV doctor a few index cards outlining the content. The doctor flips through the cards during a commercial break, and voila! He's an "instant expert" on the subject. Yes, that is how it works. I know, because I've been on TV many times being interviewed for one thing or another. And the scenario I just described played out time and time again. The host interviewing me flipped through a stack of notecards and stashed them out of sight just as the camera started rolling. With just enough background "knowledge" to ask me a few basic questions. And this just doesn't happen on the shows hosted by doctors. It happens on every major network show. I should know...I have been on just about all of them. But the fact is, television is filled with doctors whose faces have become familiar fixtures in American homes. Which is why I do my best to stay up-to-date on what these folks are saying (and mis-saying). So I can have a better conversation with my patients about these topics--and give you the details you won't get on TV. Fortunately, my patients are well aware that I know more than these guys. But far too many Americans don't realize these celebrity doctors aren't the "experts" they play on TV. And, unfortunately, their doctors don't bother doing any of the legwork it takes to set the record straight. Doctors SHOULD make it a priority to learn about the topics their patients are seeing on TV. But they don't. Why? Well, let me just share this quote from Robyn Liu, MD, Assistant Professor of Family Medicine at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, which sums up most REAL doctors' thoughts on advice doled out by TV medical "experts." Dr. Liu says, "At least once a day, a patient will reference something they saw on TV. And I cannot think of an instance where a patient came to me with information from a TV show that was beneficial to them." I don't know if I'd go quite that far. Some of the things you see on TV are relevant. And if a patient is curious about it, it should matter to his or her doctor. What I take issue with is that the so-called "experts" presenting the information on TV don't actually know anything about it. The extent of their "knowledge" lies in those little notecards they flipped through prior to their 7-minute segment. I live and breathe these discoveries. I'm poring over the journals and finding out everything I can so that my patients--and you--have the WHOLE story. That way, my patients don't have to look to television for the health information they need. Because I'm providing it to them, spending time with them, and learning what's on their minds. The bottom line here? Don't look to the flashy TV medical shows for expert information. Instead, focus on building a solid, trusting relationship with your doctor. And if you don't have one who you feel comfortable asking questions or discussing a certain topic, well, then it's time to find a new one. I always recommend searching for a physician who is well versed in both natural and allopathic (traditional mainstream) therapies. (If you need help finding one, try the search function on the American College for Advancement in Medicine's website, www.acam.org.) They tend to be aware of the new research and treat patients as individuals, instead of simply relying on established, one-size-fits-all protocols. That way you can be sure you're getting the best of both worlds.