Mehmet Oz, the host of the Dr. Oz show, testified in a Senate subcommittee hearing Tuesday and acknowledged that his backing of so-called "miracle" weight loss products have "provided fodder for unscrupulous advertisers," Consumerist reported.
Missouri Senator Clair McCaskill, Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation's Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, grilled the talk show host in her opening remarks Tuesday.
"When you feature a product on your show, it creates what has become known as 'Oz Effect,' dramatically boosting sales and driving scam artists to pop up overnight using false and deceptive ads to sell questionable products," Senator McCaskill said. "I'm concerned that you are melding medical advice, news and entertainment in a way that harms consumers."
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Oz admitted that his "cheerleading" of products that are often used as "crutches" has caused trouble for himself and the Federal Trade Commission, but he said he stands by his research.
"I do think I've made it more difficult for the FTC," Oz said. "In the intent to engage viewers, I use flowery language. I used language that was very passionate that ended up being not very helpful but incendiary and it provided fodder for unscrupulous advertisers."
Click here to read the full report from Consumerist.
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