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‘Suspending accounts, suppressing voices not the solution for better healthcare’: TheLiverDoc gets supports from various quarters

This backing comes in response to the suspension of his X account, mandated by a court order on a lawsuit by Himalaya Wellness Corporation.

Sumit Jha

Published Sep 29, 2023 | 3:50 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 29, 2023 | 3:51 PM

‘Suspending accounts, suppressing voices not the solution for better healthcare’: TheLiverDoc gets supports from various quarters

Whether you hold a positive or negative view of him, whether you concur or differ with his arguments, whether you place faith in his discourse or choose to ignore it, Kerala-based hepatologist Dr Cyriac Abby Philips, known as “TheLiverDoc” on X (formerly Twitter) has received widespread support from various quarters of the medical community and society.

This backing comes in response to the suspension of his X account, mandated by an order from the Additional City Civil and Sessions Court VI judge in Bengaluru in an ex parte injunction in a defamation lawsuit brought forth by Bengaluru’s Himalaya Wellness Corporation.

“Irrespective of your ideology, @theliverdr should be supported in this issue. What he stood for is science and Evidence-Based Medicine(EBM), this will set a bad precedent. Tomorrow any company selling harmful drugs will start suing doctors for merely stating things that benefit the community at large,” said Dr Anuj Tiwari on X, tagging Philips’ handle.

“Suspending accounts and suppressing voices is not the solution for better healthcare. Blame should be on politicians who created a separate ministry and are promoting it without proper research and clinical trials to peddle nationalist politics,” said Hyderabad-based NIMS’ radiologist Dr Zeeshan Mohammed.

He added: “They have to realise that alternative medicine, which is next to quackery, will do more harm than good. Rather, governments should fund more clinical trials and research in modern medicine, which our country lacks,” he added.

“As doctors, not only do we treat but we also have a responsibility to teach and dispel misinformation. Dr Philips @theliverdr is amongst the loudest voices against misinformation and one of the bravest people on this platform. In solidarity with Dr Philips,” shared one of the users on X.

Also read: Dr Cyriac Abby Philips on his fight against alternative medicine

‘A serious misjudgment’

Former bureaucrat Dr PV Ramesh said that this was a serious misjudgment on the part of the session court judge.

“A mighty judge of Bengaluru seems to have made a serious misjudgment by ordering the suspension of @theliverdr who has been relentlessly disseminating scientific temper, evidence-based medicine & battling against mumbo-jumbo magical remedies on @X. @elonmusk please intervene,” he said on X.

“When @theliverdr is silenced, it’s not just his right to expression that is denied to him. We have been denied the right to read his arguments and possibly change our opinion. We shall remain slaves to our presently held opinion on matters of vital importance,” shared another user.

“A dark day against Freedom of Speech and most importantly Evidence Based Medicine. While politicians spewing hate through speeches remain scot free, the court of law decides to suspend the greatest voice against alternative medicine and pseudoscience!,” shared a doctor.

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Even dissenting voices shower support

Psychiatrist Dr Praveen Tripathi said that he muted Philips a couple of weeks ago primarily because he the hepatologist was becoming too confrontational and disrespectful.

“But in a country where the social media is full of blatant false claims on health, and modern medicine is often vilified, he was a voice of reason. And a forceful one Had he engaged better with people, especially with fellow doctors, it would have amplified his voice and he would have gotten much better support on medtwitter. But in this fight , I would still stand in support of @theliverdr His voice can’t be silenced. I am sure he will be back, hopefully in a better version,” he said on X.

“Don’t agree with him over almost everything, but if this case is about that Liv51 thing, then full support to him,” said another user.

“I was blocked by @theliverdr and I use two products by @HimalayaIndia Yet I unconditionally oppose the withholding of the doctor’s account. Himalaya should come clean by inviting a team of doctors & researchers including Dr.Cyriac Abby Philips to visit its production facility,” said journalist Swathi Vadlamudi

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The lawsuit

The lawsuit accused Philips of making defamatory statements against Himalaya. Philips used to go by the name TheLiverDoc and use the handle @theliverdr on X.

“In the facts and circumstances issue ad-interim ex parte mandatory injunction directing Defendant No 2 (X) to suspend/block the social media handle of Defendant No1 (Dr Phillips) till the next date of hearing. The plaintiff shall comply with the order 39 Rule 3A CPC,” read the judgment issued on 23 September.

An ex parte injunction is granted when the defendant has not yet been served a legal notice. Such injunctions are typically granted in cases of extreme urgency, and are usually for a limited duration. Ex-parte applications are reserved for exceptional circumstances.

Himalaya’s counsel Udaya Holla told the court that Phillips was posting derogatory statements and materials against the products of the company, which affected the firm’s business.

The lawyer argued that the hepatologist’s statements and materials posted on X were false and unjustified. He further submitted that the doctor made such posts to promote the products of two other pharmaceutical firms: Cipla and Alchem.

“There is a need to issue an ad-interim ex parte injunction directing the party who is posting such materials to remove them at the earliest so as to minimise the damage caused to the person who is affected by such postings in any manner like loss of reputation, loss of income in monetary terms and disservice to the consumers who are benefited by the products like Liv-52,” the advocate said.

The court said that the warranted notices should be issued to the defendants. “The urgency made out by the plaintiff company shows that an immediate order has to be passed before issuing notice against the defendants,” the court said while passing the injunction order.

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Doctor to challenge order

Philips said he was unaware of the case until his account was suspended. “I did not know any of this was happening until X suspended my account. I never knew that this was in the court and there was a hearing going on. It was all done behind my back,” he told South First.

He said he would challenge the order. “I’m going to appeal at the higher court. My lawyers are looking at it,” he said.

The hepatologist said Himalaya’s argument, that he had been making statements to promote the products of firms like Cipla and Alchem, was false. “I have never done it. There is evidence,” he stated.

“All my posts are completely backed by scientific research and scientific evidence, and based on the lack of scientific evidence for their products and practice,” he added.

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