Explained: Samantha Ruth Prabhu vs A Doctor Who Said She "Should Be Thrown In Prison"

Samantha Ruth Prabhu shared this image. (courtesy: samantharuthprabhuoffl)

New Delhi:

Samantha Ruth Prabhu, who was diagnosed with an autoimmune condition called Myositis a few years ago, has responded after Dr Cyriac Abby Philips aka ‘The Liver Doc’ slammed the actress and dubbed her as “health and science illiterate” in a post he shared on X (earlier known as Twitter). It all began when the Family Man 2 star recommended hydrogen peroxide nebulisation to treat viral infections in a series of Instagram stories. In her latest entry, Ms Prabhu wrote, “Over the last couple of years, I’ve had to take many different types of medicines. I’ve tried everything I was strongly advised to take. As advised by highly qualified professionals and after doing as much self research as is possible for a lay person like me.”

Samantha Ruth Prabhu wrote about “conventional treatments” and “alternate therapies”, and added, “Many of these treatments were also very very expensive. I would always keep thinking about how fortunate I am that I could afford it and about all those who cannot. And for the longest time, conventional treatments weren’t making me better. There’s a good chance it was just me and am sure they will work very well for others. These two factors led me to also read up on alternate therapies and treatments. And after trial and error, I found treatments that worked wonderfully for me. Treatments that also cost a fraction of what I was spending on conventional healthcare.”

Samantha said that she is “not naive enough to go about strongly advocating a treatment.” She maintained that she merely “suggested it with good intention” and that a “highly qualified doctor” suggested the treatment to her. An excerpt from her post read, “I merely suggested with good intention because of all that I have faced and learnt in the last couple of years. Especially that treatments can be financially draining and many may not be able to afford them. End of the day, we all depend on educated doctors to guide us. This treatment was suggested to me by a highly qualified doctor who is an MD, who has served DRDO for 25 years. He, after all his education in conventional medicine, chose to advocate an alternate therapy.”

Without naming the doctor in her statement, Samantha Ruth Prabhu wrote, “A certain gentleman has attacked my post and my intentions with rather strong words. Said gentleman is a Doctor too. I have no doubt that he knows more than I do. And I am quite sure his intentions were noble. It would have been kind and compassionate of him had he not been so provocative with his words. Especially the bit where he suggests I should be thrown in prison. Never mind. I suppose it goes with the territory of being a celebrity. I posted as someone who needs medical treatments and not as a celebrity. And I certainly am not making any money from the post nor endorsing anyone. I was merely suggesting a treatment as an option after undergoing it myself, for others who may be looking for options because conventional medicine isn’t working for them. Especially more affordable options.”

In an X post recently, ‘The Liver Doc,’ referring to Samantha’s post about alternate treatments, wrote, “Influential Indian actress Ms. Samantha Ruth who is unfortunately a health and science illiterate advising millions of her followers to inhale hydrogen-peroxide to prevent and treat respiratory viral infections.”

The actress added that it would have been nice if the “said gentleman Doctor” tagged her in a post instead of “going after” her. She wrote, “We cannot just give up when medicines aren’t working. I certainly wasn’t ready to give up… Coming back to the topic of the said gentleman Doctor, it would have been nice had he politely invited my Doctor, whom I have tagged in my post, rather than go after me. I would have loved to have learnt from that debate and discussion between two highly qualified professionals.”

Samantha Ruth Prabhu signed off the post with these words, “And as far as sharing information about the treatments that have helped my health, I shall be more careful as my intentions are only to help others. Not to harm anyone. I’ve had so many well meaning people suggesting Ayurveda, homeopathy, acupuncture, Tibetan medicine, pranic healing etc. I heard them all out. I was merely doing something similar. Sharing something that worked for me, as an option. And I know many of us dealing with health issues need that help, especially given how overwhelming it is when every option has qualified people who are so certainly sure of their polar opposite opinions. Both sides, for and against every treatment, are both so sure and persuasive. It’s difficult to navigate these and find good help.”

Read Samantha Ruth Prabhu’s post here:

Samantha Ruth Prabhu was last seen in the film Kushi, co-starring Vijay Deverakonda. The actress will next be seen in Citadel: Honey Bunny with Varun Dhawan. Citadel has been helmed by Raj and DK. Samantha previously worked with them in Family Man 2.