The Good Bug has denied comments made by social media health influencer LiverDoc. He, through a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter), alleges that the probiotic supplements firm is misleading consumers with unproven claims about weight loss, PCOD symptom reduction, IBS improvement, and hormone balancing.
In a conversation with financialexpress.com, dismissing the claims as baseless attacks from “self-claimed influencers”, the company emphasised their commitment to tackling obesity through a “science-backed natural GLP-1 offering”. They highlighted that their products are based on a Randomised, Double-blind, Placebo-Controlled, Multi-Centre trial conducted with MPREX, a CRO with over 15 years of experience and clients like Dabur and Bisleri.
What are the allegations against The Good Bug?
Dr. Philips, known for challenging unverified health claims, posted a 15-part thread on X accusing The Good Bug of promoting “fringe science” — flashy claims lacking solid human evidence. He criticised the brand’s use of terms like “SCIENCE” and “EVIDENCE” as misleading, claiming their studies are based on weak preclinical data and poorly reviewed open-access papers. “Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence—not extraordinarily cooked-up evidence,” he wrote.
He also alleges the company collaborates with MPREX, a third-party clinical research firm that purportedly offers to manipulate study outcomes in favour of the client’s product, a practice he claims is rampant due to weak regulatory oversight in India. Screenshots shared by Philips suggest MPREX was willing to remove or ignore negative data to create a favourable narrative. Furthermore, while some studies linked to GoodBug appear indexed on PubMed, Dr. Philips warns that mere publication does not guarantee scientific rigour—many such papers are published in pay-to-play journals with little peer review. He argues that terms like “gut cleanse” and “gut health” are marketing buzzwords with no grounding in medical science, and adds that most probiotic formulations are neither approved as treatments nor proven to offer therapeutic benefit. In his view, GoodBug’s products may not necessarily be unsafe, but their health claims are grossly overstated and built on a foundation of weak, misleading, or fraudulent science.
The trial, led by Dr. KN Manohar of Manipal Hospitals, has been peer-reviewed, with further reviews underway in global forums, the company claimed. “We are approved under FSSAI and have registered licenses for our products,” the company’s official spokesperson added, noting that their clinical trials are registered with the Clinical Trials Registry-India (CTRI), hosted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), and approved by an independent Ethical Review Board. To reassure customers, The Good Bug reiterated its dedication to transparency, stating, “Our mission is to make gut health simple, accessible, and empowering.” They also attached a peer-reviewed study to support their claims, though it was not publicly available at the time of reporting.
Philips also aimed celebrity endorser Hrithik Roshan and influencer Ryan Fernando, calling the latter a “health and science illiterate” profiting from “fake science whoring.” More seriously, he accused CRO MPREX Healthcare of data manipulation, citing a sting by influencer Jitendra Chouksey (@fitterwithjc) that allegedly revealed MPREX’s willingness to tweak study outcomes — a symptom, he claims, of India’s weak regulatory environment.
Who is the Liver Doctor?
Dr. Cyriac Abby Philips, a Kerala-based hepatologist known as “The Liver Doc,” has 293K followers and has been prominently calling out ayurveda and homoeopathy treatments for liver diseases. This isn’t Philips’ first rodeo, his outspoken critiques have previously landed him in hot water, including a Bangalore court-ordered Twitter ban in 2023.
Philips’ history of calling out alternative medicine and nutraceuticals is well-documented. Since 2019, he has targeted Ayurveda, Homoeopathy, and companies like Patanjali, often sharing case studies of patients harmed by unproven treatments. But his blunt approach has consequences. In 2023, a Bangalore court banned his Twitter account following a defamation suit over his criticism of a homoeopathic remedy, though the ban was later lifted. Critics argue Philips’ aggressive tone and blanket dismissal of entire industries risk alienating audiences, while supporters hail him as a rare voice of scientific rigour in a market rife with misinformation.
The court of public opinion
As the feud plays out on X, public sentiment is divided. Some users praise Philips for exposing “educated frauds” preying on health-conscious consumers, while others accuse him of sensationalism. Posts on X reveal frustration with The Good Bug’s lofty claims, with one user noting, “GoodBug’s weight loss and hormone balancing promises lack strong evidence.” Meanwhile, the company’s collaboration with Hrithik Roshan’s HRX brand for a weight management probiotic has only amplified its visibility and scrutiny.
For now, The Good Bug is doubling down on its scientific credentials, but Philips’ allegations have struck a nerve. His warning that “gut cleanse” and “gut health” are unscientific marketing terms resonates with microbiome researchers, who note that probiotics are only recommended for specific conditions like IBS and diarrhoea, and even then, as adjuncts to standard care.
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