Indian badminton player Jwala Gutta recently weighed in on the ongoing social media feud involving actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu and hepatologist-medical influencer Cyriac Abby Philips, also known as The Liver Doc. Jwala expressed serious concerns about Samantha's advocacy of alternative medical treatments to her fans and followers. Addressing the issue on X (formerly Twitter), she questioned who would bear responsibility if any of the actress' recommended treatments led to fatalities. She spoke about the potential risks involved and urged Samantha and the medical professionals she collaborates with to consider the consequences of their advice.
Her tweet read, "My only question to the celeb who's prescribing medicine to the huge number of people who are following her... I understand the intention is to help... But... just in case... just in case the prescription doesn't help and causes a fatality... will you be taking responsibility too? Will the doctor who you have tagged also take the responsibility."
Meanwhile, Telugu-Tamil actor-director Rahul Ravindran took a different approach and asked The Liver Doc to engage in a constructive debate with Samantha's endorsing doctor rather than resorting to public criticism. Rahul highlighted the importance of professional discourse over social media conflict and criticised the negative impact such confrontations could have on individuals like Samantha.
He wrote, "Since you do seem to care about this information being put out... would have been nice if you had engaged in a debate with a fellow doctor rather than go after her and... I am sure inadvertently, put a target on her back for an opinionated mob. And even go so far as to suggest she should be in prison. Shouldn't you be taking on the doctors and the organisations that prescribe this to the public and publish articles recommending its effectiveness?"
The controversy began after Samantha promoted nebulizing hydrogen peroxide and distilled water as an alternative treatment for viral infections in a social media post. This drew sharp criticism from The Liver Doc, who accused Samantha of spreading health misinformation and suggested she could face legal consequences in a rational society.
In response to the criticism, Samantha clarified that her recommendations were based on personal experience and noted the efficacy she perceived from alternative treatments. However, she acknowledged the need for greater caution when offering medical advice in public forums.
Several celebrities including Varun Dhawan, Rhea Chakraborty and Manchu Lakshmi voiced their support for Samantha, while musician Ricky Kej agreed with The Liver Doc's concerns while critiquing his approach.