Reasons You Should Never Listen To The Doctors
At the outset, The Doctors seems like a pretty solid show for those interested in learning about health tips and tricks and the newest medical innovations. It's hosted by real doctors, after all, and they wouldn't tell you anything that could do you harm, right? While that's probably true, it's important to remember that anything on TV is meant as entertainment before anything else. So before you go try out that new fad diet you saw on last week's episode, here are a few reasons you should never listen to The Doctors.
Many of the recommendations lack supporting evidence
As with any talk show, it's important for the writers to keep all content relevant. Viewers are interested in how medical information relates to their everyday lives. Unfortunately, true medical research takes years to complete, so it's possible much of what your favorite TV doctors report isn't based on solid truth — heartbreaking, I know! While The Doctors might not have much supporting evidence, we do: a 2014 study found that 24 percent of the recommendations made by The Doctors had zero evidence to support the show's claims.
Science contradicts information discussed on The Doctors
Not only is a decent portion of what's discussed on The Doctors completely missing factual evidence, there's a chance that modern medical science actually contradicts what you're hearing from the show. The same 2014 study revealed that true medical evidence contradicted 14 percent of what The Doctors recommended to the audience.
The show rarely addresses potential outcomes of their advice
Every new health trick, diet, and so-called miracle cure has its pros and cons. Whenever you visit your actual doctor (no, not the cute one on TV), it's likely he follows the list of pros of whatever you're discussing with potential cons. However, researchers found that only 40 percent of the segments on The Doctors mentioned the benefits of their advice. Surprising, right? Even worse, the hosts only discussed potential harms for less than 10 percent of their recommendations. Yikes!
What works for someone else might not work for you
Nurse anesthetist Nick Angelis, CRNA, MSN, tells Nicki Swift, "Medicine is based on research, which investigates what works for the majority of people." As any diehard Grey's Anatomy fan knows, that means everyone reacts differently to clinical trials and medical treatments, and the final product is what works best for the majority of people.
Dr. Donnica Moore, President of Sapphire Women's Health Group, reminds us that just because The Doctors are "in your living room, doesn't mean you're in their examining room."
It's meant to entertain
If something is on TV, its main goal is entertainment. It doesn't matter if it's that decidedly awful reality show we all can't stop watching, a documentary, or, let's say, a daytime talk show offering medical advice. No matter what you're watching, it has to be interesting. Otherwise, you wouldn't watch it and the advertisers wouldn't pay for airtime and the show would get canceled.
That's why The Doctors chose medical professionals like really, really ridiculously good-looking Dr. Travis Stork of Bachelor fame and TV veteran Dr. Andrew Orden as hosts, and why they aim for airing the most fun and often shocking segments they can. "Medical information on television is for background information," Dr. Donnica Moore, President of Sapphire Women's Health Group, explains, "to raise awareness, and to increase understanding of a topic in general."
They literally tell you not to listen to them
If you're really just hellbent on believing everything Dr. Travis has to say (it's those dimples... they are very convincing) despite all we've just told you, keep in mind that the most common recommendation on The Doctors is to consult your own doctor before adopting any practices you see on the show. That's right — 33 percent of the time, the hosts urge you to meet with a medical professional before making any lifestyle changes. The show's website also includes a disclaimer page which notes, "The opinions expressed on the site and by The Doctors are published for educational and informational purposes only, and are not intended as a diagnosis, treatment or as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis and treatment." So, yes, this is the one time actually acting on the doctors' advice is in your best interest.
The show is scripted
It's important to remember that The Doctors is scripted. Though the hosts certainly are real doctors, while hosting the show they are entertainers reciting information supplied by writers and producers. We're not saying you should boycott the show and pen angry letters to Dr. Travis. Instead, tread lightly with the show's advice. If you're really convinced by the life-changing capabilities of their latest recommendations, just "consult a local physician or other health care professional for your specific health care and/or medical needs or concerns," as The Doctors' site says.