Mehmet Oz

Mehmet Oz
Oz in 2022
Born
Mehmet Cengiz Öz

(1960-06-11) June 11, 1960 (age 63)
Citizenship
  • United States
  • Turkey
EducationHarvard University (BA)
University of Pennsylvania (MD, MBA)
Occupations
  • Television presenter
  • physician
  • author
  • educator
Years active1986–present
Organization(s)HealthCorps, Sharecare
TelevisionThe Dr. Oz Show
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
(m. 1985)
Children4, including Daphne
AwardsFull list
Military career
AllegianceTurkey
Service/branchTurkish Land Forces
Years of serviceEarly 1980s for 60 days
Websitedoctoroz.com

Mehmet Cengiz Öz (Turkish: [mehˈmet dʒeɲˈɟiz øz]; born June 11, 1960), also known as Dr. Oz (/ɒz/), is an American television personality, physician, author, professor emeritus of cardiothoracic surgery at Columbia University, and former political candidate.

The son of Turkish immigrants, Oz was raised in Wilmington, Delaware, and graduated from Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania. A dual citizen of the U.S. and Turkey, Oz served in the Turkish Army during the 1980s for 60 days of mandatory training, specifically for citizens who reside in foreign countries, to maintain his Turkish citizenship. He subsequently began his residency in surgery at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in 1986. In 2001, Oz became a professor of surgery at Columbia University, and later retired to professor emeritus in 2018.

In 2003, Oprah Winfrey was the first guest on the Discovery Channel series Second Opinion with Dr. Oz, and he was a regular guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show, making more than sixty appearances. In 2009, The Dr. Oz Show, a daily television program about medical matters and health, was launched by Winfrey's Harpo Productions and Sony Pictures Television, running for 13 seasons. Oz's promotion of pseudoscience, including on the topics of alternative medicine, faith healing, and various paranormal beliefs, has earned him criticism from a number of medical publications and physicians.

Oz ran in the 2022 U.S. Senate election in Pennsylvania as a conservative Republican. He was the first Muslim candidate to be nominated by either major party for U.S. Senate. Oz lost the election to the Democratic nominee Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman.

Early life and education

Mehmet Oz was born in 1960 in Cleveland, Ohio, to Suna and Mustafa Öz, who had emigrated from Konya Province, Turkey. Oz has said that he was named after Mehmed the Conqueror, the Ottoman sultan who conquered Constantinople in 1453. Mustafa was born in Bozkır, a small town in southern Turkey, and graduated at the top of his class at Cerrahpaşa Medical School in 1950 and moved to the United States to join the general residency program at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, where Mehmet was born. Mustafa trained in cardiothoracic surgery at Emory University in Atlanta and was chief of thoracic surgery at the Medical Center of Delaware for several years before moving back to Turkey. Suna (née Atabay), who comes from a wealthy Istanbul family, is the daughter of a pharmacist with Circassian (Shapsug) descent on her mother's side. Oz has said, "My mother is Circassian, her great grandmother was brought from the Caucasus to Istanbul as a concubine in Sultan Mahmud II's harem". After Mahmud died, she married an imam. Oz has two sisters, Seval Öz and Nazlim Öz. Oz grew up in a mixed Muslim environment where his father's family practiced more traditional Islam, while his mother's family were more secular Muslims.

As a child, he spent summers in Turkey and served in the Turkish Army for 60 days after college to maintain his dual citizenship.

Oz was educated at Tower Hill School in Wilmington, Delaware. In 1982, he received his undergraduate degree in biology magna cum laude at Harvard University. He played safety on Harvard's football team and was a goalkeeper on the men's varsity water polo team. In 1986, he obtained MD and MBA degrees from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and Penn's Wharton School. He was awarded the Captain's Athletic Award for leadership in college and was class president and then student body president during medical school.

Medical career

Oz at ServiceNation in 2008

Oz began his medical career with a residency at the Presbyterian Hospital in New York City, then affiliated with Columbia University, in 1986 after being hired by Eric Rose. In April 1995, Oz and his colleague Jerry Whitworth founded the Cardiac Complementary Care Center to provide various types of alternative medicine to heart disease patients. The publicity of Oz's work created tension with hospital administration, who expressed alarm at Oz's use of therapeutic touch, which he dropped in response to their objections.

In 1996, Oz and Rose received media publicity following their work on a successful heart transplant for Frank Torre, brother of New York Yankees manager Joe Torre, during the 1996 World Series, which the Yankees won. Rose later remarked that while he did not enjoy the media attention, Oz "loved it". Meanwhile, Oz and Whitworth's professional relationship grew strained due to the attention Oz was receiving; Whitworth later recounted in an interview with Vox that he asked Oz to "stop the media circus". In 2000, Whitworth departed the Cardiac Complementary Care Center, which Oz reopened that same year as the Cardiovascular Institute and Integrative Medicine Program at the NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, where he served as director.

Oz became a professor at the Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons in 2001, a title he held until 2018, when his current title changed to professor emeritus.

He has helped develop numerous devices and procedures related to heart surgery, including the MitraClip and the left ventricular assist device (LVAD), and by 2015 held a number of patents related to heart surgery.

In 2003, Oz was scheduled to present medical research regarding heart bypass surgery and heart-lung machines to the yearly conference of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery, but the presentation was withdrawn and for two years he was banned from further presentations to the association or publishing work in the association's medical journal. Association officials said that the ban was not due to academic dishonesty, but in part due to Oz's team having changed the methodology of the study from what was agreed upon for presentation. Oz's 2022 political campaign said that the incident was due to Oz's team having extended "the scope of the work with more patients". Anonymous sources cited by The Washington Post said that another reason for the rejection was due to having data from too few test subjects to reach a strong conclusion.

In 2010, Oz joined Jeff Arnold as co-founder of Sharecare, Inc. In 2015, a group of 10 physicians demanded Columbia remove Oz from the faculty for his alleged "disdain for science and for evidence-based medicine". Columbia defended Oz and dismissed calls for his termination, saying that they are "committed to the principle of academic freedom and to upholding faculty members' freedom of expression". Oz responded to the call, saying "I bring the public information that will help them on their path to be their best selves" and that his show provides "multiple points of view, including mine, which is offered without conflict of interest."

Television career

Oz at the 2016 Voice Awards

Oz appeared as a health expert on The Oprah Winfrey Show for five seasons. In 2009, Winfrey offered to produce a syndicated series hosted by him through her company, Harpo Productions. The Dr. Oz Show debuted on September 14, 2009, distributed by Sony Pictures Television.

On the show, Oz addressed issues like Type 2 diabetes and promoted resveratrol supplements, which he claimed were anti-aging. His Transplant! television series won both a Freddie and a Silver Telly award. He was a consultant on heart transplantation for Denzel Washington's John Q.

In January 2011, Oz premiered as part of a weekly show on OWN called "Oprah's Allstars". In each episode, he, Suze Orman, and Dr. Phil answer various questions about life, health and finance. In the 2010s he also did a health segment on 1010 WINS titled "Your Daily Dose".

On October 23, 2014, Surgeon Oz, showing Oz's career as a surgeon, debuted on OWN.

In September 2016, during his presidential campaign, Donald Trump appeared on The Dr. Oz Show. In the lead-up to the show's taping, Oz promoted Trump's appearance with a claim that Oz would assess medical records submitted to the show by Trump and reveal his assessment on the show. CNN speculated that Trump's appearance aimed to appeal to The Dr. Oz Show's large female viewership. Oz would later be appointed to the President's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition in 2018 during Trump's administration.

Beginning on March 22, 2021, Oz guest-hosted the trivia television game show Jeopardy! for two weeks. The decision to make him a guest host was met with criticism from Jeopardy! fans and former contestants.

The Dr. Oz Show aired its final episode on January 14, 2022, after over a decade on the air.

Medical claims and controversies

Oz was heavily criticized by Senator Claire McCaskill in a hearing on consumer fraud in diet product advertising.

Oz's image and quotes have been exploited by many weight loss product scammers. While he himself has not been found to be involved in these scams, he has made statements that were exploited by scammers. During a 2014 Senate hearing on consumer protection, Senator Claire McCaskill said that "the scientific community is almost monolithic against you" for airing segments on weight loss products that are later cited in advertisements, concluding that Oz plays a role, intentional or not, in perpetuating these scams, and that she is "concerned that you are melding medical advice, news, and entertainment in a way that harms consumers." He has been a spokesman and advisor for the website RealAge.com, which The New York Times has criticized for its pharmaceutical marketing practices.

Oz in 2016

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Oz's television appearances influenced Trump's decision-making, and he became an informal advisor to the Trump administration. Oz had promoted the use of hydroxychloroquine, an antimalarial drug, as a cure for COVID-19 on more than 25 Fox News broadcasts in March and April 2020. Trump claimed to be taking the drug in May 2020. In June 2020, the Food and Drug Administration revoked emergency use authorization of hydroxychloroquine, saying that it was "no longer reasonable to believe" that the drug was effective against COVID-19 or that its benefits outweighed "known and potential risks". Oz also owns at least $630,000 of stock in two companies that manufacture or distribute hydroxychloroquine, Thermo Fisher and McKesson Corporation.

In April 2020, Oz appeared on Fox News with Sean Hannity and said that reopening schools in the United States might be worth the increased number of deaths it would cause. Referencing an article published in the medical journal The Lancet, Oz said, "I just saw a nice piece in The Lancet [medical journal] arguing that the opening of schools may only cost us 2–3% in terms of total mortality." Oz's comments provoked a backlash online, and he apologized, saying he had misspoken and that his goal was "to get our children safely back to school."

Political career

In 2007, it was reported that Oz had been active in his local chapter of the Republican Party of New Jersey for several years, and had donated to Republicans John McCain and Bill Frist. He supported the re-election campaign of President George W. Bush in 2004 and the candidacy of Shmuley Boteach, a rabbi who ran for Congress as a Republican in New Jersey in 2012.

Official HHS portrait, 2018

In 2018, Oz was appointed to the President's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition by President Donald Trump; he was removed from the position by President Joe Biden in 2022, after Oz was asked to resign.

2022 U.S. Senate campaign

The logo for Oz's 2022 Senate campaign was based on the logo used for his TV show.

On November 30, 2021, Oz announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for the United States Senate seat in Pennsylvania in 2022. After Oz announced his candidacy, a number of TV stations in Philadelphia, New York City, and Cleveland said that they would remove his show from the air, compelled by the FCC's equal-time rule that provide an equivalent air time to any opposing political candidates who request it. In his campaign, he called for immunologist Anthony Fauci, the Chief Medical Advisor to the President, to be fired and also opposed vaccine requirements. In March 2022, Oz was fired from the President's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition due to his candidacy for public office. Conservatives cast doubt on Oz's early candidacy due to concerns about his views and whether he was really conservative.

On April 9, 2022, Oz's campaign was endorsed by former president Donald Trump. Oz's ties to Turkey, including his dual citizenship, were criticized by his Republican primary opponents. Oz called these issues a "distraction" and said that he would renounce his Turkish citizenship if elected, while his campaign called the attacks "pathetic and xenophobic". Senate Republicans, including Lindsey Graham and Kevin Cramer, defended Oz over the issue.

An electronic campaign sign supporting Oz's candidacy along U.S. Route 30 in Pennsylvania
Oz campaigning in Chester County in October 2022

In May 2022, Columbia University cut ties with Oz and removed his presence from their website. The Republican primary was held on May 17. A day after the election, Oz narrowly led his main opponent David McCormick by a difference of just 0.1% of the vote, triggering a mandatory statewide recount. When the election was still too close to call and the mail-in ballots had not yet been counted, Trump urged Oz to declare victory. On May 27, before the recount started, Oz prematurely declared victory, calling himself the presumptive nominee and opposing counting certain mailed ballots. On June 3, Oz became the Republican nominee after McCormick conceded that the recount would not make up the deficit in votes. Oz was subsequently endorsed by three out of four major Republican candidates from the primary, including McCormick, with only Kathy Barnette initially declining to endorse him. Barnette later stated that she would vote for Oz, while still declining to explicitly endorse him.

During the race, Oz's opponents accused him of carpetbagging, as he did not live in Pennsylvania prior to 2020. Oz denied these accusations, noting that he owns a home within the state. A representative of Oz's campaign also pushed back on the claims, stating "Dr. Oz lives in Pennsylvania, votes in Pennsylvania, and has his medical license in Pennsylvania. Dr. Oz grew up in the Greater Philadelphia region, less than 5 miles from the PA border. He went to school in Pennsylvania, met his wife and got married in Pennsylvania, and 2 of his children were born in Pennsylvania. He currently resides in Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania, where his wife's family has lived for a hundred years."

On August 15, a campaign video from April of Oz shopping in a grocery store went viral. In the video, Oz says that he is shopping for produce to make crudités, and says that the perceived high prices are the fault of President Joe Biden. The video was widely ridiculed on social media and became the subject of media coverage. It was filmed at a Redner's Warehouse market, which Oz mistakenly identifies as a "Wegner's". Oz responded to criticism over the video, noting that when creating it, "I was exhausted. When you're campaigning 18 hours a day, I've gotten my kids' names wrong, as well. I don't think that's a measure of someone's ability to lead the commonwealth."

Oz's rival candidate John Fetterman suffered a stroke in May 2022 and needed time during the campaign to recover. In late August 2022, the Oz campaign released a list of mock debate concessions it would be willing to make, saying they would "pay for any additional medical personnel [Fetterman] might need to have on standby", that Oz "promises not to intentionally hurt John's feelings", and that "at any point, John Fetterman can raise his hand and say, 'Bathroom break!'". The next day, Fetterman announced that due to his recovery, he would "not be participating in a debate the first week of September"; in response, the Oz campaign said in a statement that "if John Fetterman had ever eaten a vegetable in his life, then maybe he wouldn't have had a major stroke and wouldn't be in the position of having to lie about it constantly", adding that Fetterman's statement was "whiny". Fetterman replied, "Today's statement from Dr. Oz's team made it abundantly clear that they think it is funny to mock a stroke survivor. I chose not to participate in this farce. My recovery may be a joke to Dr. Oz and his team, but it's real for me."

In September 2022, Oz called on Fetterman to participate in a debate against him before early voting begins in Pennsylvania on September 19. Fetterman agreed to debate Oz in "the middle to end of October" but would not commit to an exact date or to a debate in September. Fetterman's approach to the debate was criticized by Oz and Senator Pat Toomey. On September 15, Oz and Fetterman agreed to a single debate, which was held on October 25.

Oz lost to Fetterman in the Senate election, conceding defeat on November 9, 2022, and further urging "everyone to put down their partisan swords and focus on getting the job done". Had he been elected, Oz would have been the first Muslim to serve in the U.S. Senate, the first Muslim to serve in the United States Congress as a Republican, and one of the wealthiest members of Congress.

Political positions

Oz with First Lady Michelle Obama in 2012 to promote her Let's Move! initiative. He has praised Obama for her focus on health and nutrition policies.
Oz speaking at the Mall in Columbia in Columbia, Maryland, August 2015

Making his 2022 Senate campaign announcement in late 2021, Oz identified himself as a "conservative Republican". In 2022, after his primary win, Oz described himself as "a moderate leader, but not passive."

In 2007, Oz had described himself as a "moderate Republican" and cited Arnold Schwarzenegger and Theodore Roosevelt as inspirations.

Abortion

In 2022, Oz announced that he supported overturning the 1973 Supreme Court Roe v. Wade decision and was against abortion, except for when the mother's life is in danger or in cases of rape or incest. In June 2022, he said he was "relieved" by the Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. During a telephone town hall in May 2022, Oz said: "I do believe life starts at conception, and I've said that multiple times.... If life starts at conception, why do you care what stage our hearts starts beating at? It's, you know, it's still murder."

Prior to 2019, Oz had supported abortion rights, although he said that he disliked abortion on "a personal level". He said that when he was in medical school at the University of Pennsylvania, he saw the results of "traumatic... coat hanger events" in which women had been "harmed for life" before Roe. He also noted at the time that he was opposed to six-week abortion bans.

In October 2022, Oz said that "women, doctors, local political leaders" should put "ideas forward so states can decide for themselves" how to regulate abortions, but also clarified that "I don't want the federal government involved with that, at all".

COVID-19

In March 2020, Oz suggested that hydroxychloroquine, a drug typically used to treat rheumatological conditions and as an anti-malarial, could be used to treat COVID-19 as well. In April 2020, he called for the reopening of schools. Oz has however promoted the efficacy of wearing masks and of getting vaccinated against the virus.

He initially praised Anthony Fauci as a "pro" and lauded his role in combating the pandemic in 2020 and 2021. Upon running for the Senate, however, Oz changed his tone on Fauci and referred to him as a "tyrant". Oz said in 2022 when running for the Senate that "it's time we get back to normal".

Death penalty

In an October 2022 interview with NBC, Oz said that he would "potentially" support the death penalty for dealers of fentanyl.

Education

Oz is a supporter of school choice and charter schools. He has criticized the power of teachers' unions and their close relationship with the Democratic Party.

Environment and climate change

In 2017, Oz co-authored an article that highlighted the threats of climate change including extreme heat, wildfires and floods. When running for the Senate, he downplayed the risk that carbon dioxide poses when contributing to the role of the greenhouse effect in contributing to climate change. In a March 2022 campaign event, Oz claimed that carbon dioxide is "not the problem"—overlooking the fact that carbon dioxide levels are higher than they have been in at least 3 million years, and that 0.04% of the atmosphere constitutes billions of tons of heat-trapping gas.

In 2022, Oz said that he supports the process of hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") and believes that natural gas can help the United States become energy independent and reduce gasoline prices. In keeping with this view, he says he supports reducing environmental regulations on fracking. However, in 2014, Oz had called for more regulations on fracking, including halting the practice until the environmental impact had been researched more, because of the possible connection between fracking and the pollution of air and waterways.

Foreign policy

Oz has ties to Turkey's authoritarian Justice and Development Party that include foreign agents and proxies.

China

In 2013, Oz had celebrated a partnership with Neusoft Xikang, the health technology subsidiary of Chinese tech company Neusoft, serving as their chief health officer in the process. Neusoft CEO Liu Jiren said that his company's partnership with Oz "marks a perfect combination of leading health management methodologies and innovative technology platform."

After declaring his senate campaign, Oz took a "tough on China" stance similar to the Trump wing of the Republican Party. A key part of his campaign during the primaries was attacking rival David McCormick's business ties to mainland China.

Israel

In 2022, Oz said that Israel is "an ally and a vibrant democracy in the world's most troubled region" and that he opposes the BDS Movement, supports keeping the US Embassy in Jerusalem and supports continued military aid to Israel. Oz has long been a supporter of Israel and visited the country in 2013. When speaking about the Israeli–Palestinian conflict in an interview with The Forward, Oz said "It's not black and white. The ultimate solution will be driven by financial means. Peace is an imperative for that. When people love their children so much, they'll do whatever it takes to make their future brighter."

Ukraine

Oz condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine, calling it "horrible" and "preventable".

Gun policy

Oz has said that he supports the constitutional right to bear arms under the Second Amendment. At a campaign event in February 2022, Oz said that he supports red flag-style laws for those expressing dangerous behavior, but opposes a national red flag law registry. Previously, in 2017, Oz had expressed support for waiting periods before someone can acquire a gun, and in 2019 he co-wrote a column that called for the United States to ban assault rifles altogether.

Healthcare

In 2022, Oz said that he would vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act if he were elected to the Senate, and backed Medicare Advantage Plus.

By contrast, in 2009, Oz said "It should be mandatory that everybody in America have healthcare coverage. If you can't afford it, we have to give it to you..." And in 2010, Oz supported a government-backed healthcare system and was featured in an advertisement that promoted The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. Oz has said that the healthcare systems that he thinks work the best are Germany and Switzerland, which are both universal healthcare systems.

Regarding those without healthcare coverage, Oz said they "don't have a right to health, but they have a right to access, to get that health."

LGBTQ rights

In 2010, Oz hosted and offered support to transgender youth and their families on his television show. In 2012, after facing criticism for hosting a guest who supported pseudoscientific reparative or conversion therapy on his show, he announced that he is opposed to conversion therapy and called conversion therapy "dangerous". Oz also had guests from GLAAD on his show who spoke out against conversion therapy.

As a Senate candidate, Oz endorsed enacting federal protections of same-sex marriage. In April 2022, Oz supported legislation to prohibit transgender people from participating in sports that are divided by gender-based categories rather than sex-based categories. In May 2022, he said that a transgender youth movement is based on "false science", while not supporting a ban on hormone blockers, adding that the doctor and family should decide, rather than politicians.

Marijuana

In 2014, Oz said on Larry King Live that "marijuana is hugely beneficial when used correctly for medicinal purposes" and in 2017 criticized the federal government for classifying marijuana as a Schedule I drug, which prevents more scientific research on marijuana. While running for the Senate in 2022, Oz said he opposes the legalization of recreational cannabis, but was not against it for medical purposes. In an interview with NBC News, Oz expressed support for President Joe Biden's effort to pardon those convicted of simple marijuana possession at the federal level.

Personal life

Oz is fluent in English and Turkish. His net worth is between $76 million and $500 million.

In August 2010, Oz was diagnosed with a pre-cancerous polyp in the colon during a routine colonoscopy which was performed as part of his show. Oz said that the procedure likely saved his life.

In 2019, Oz played for the Home roster during the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game at the Bojangles' Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina. The roster was made up of celebrities with Carolina roots. He previously played in the 2010 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game. Also in 2019, Oz played for Team Cleveland in Major League Baseball's All-Star Legends & Celebrity Softball Game at Progressive Field in Cleveland.

Residency

Oz was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and raised in Wilmington, Delaware. He lived with his wife, Lisa, in Cliffside Park, New Jersey, for several decades, and holds his medical license within Pennsylvania.

In late 2020, Oz moved to Pennsylvania and changed his voter registration to his in-laws' home in Bryn Athyn, where he says he pays market price rent. He has since voted twice in Pennsylvania and acquired a Pennsylvanian driver's license and a Pennsylvania concealed carry permit.

Oz and his wife own at least ten properties throughout the United States and Turkey, including an estate in Palm Beach, Florida valued between $5 million and $25 million, and a cattle farm in Okeechobee, Florida.

Citizenship

Oz is a dual citizen of the U.S. and Turkey. He has said that he maintains his Turkish citizenship to care for his ailing mother with Alzheimer's, but Oz expressed he would renounce it before being sworn in if he was ultimately elected to the Senate. There is no U.S. law which forbids members of Congress from being dual citizens.

Family

Oz and his wife Lisa Lemole at Time 100 gala (May 2010)

Oz married his wife, Lisa Oz, an author and television personality, in 1985. The two met in Philadelphia through their fathers, while Oz was attending the University of Pennsylvania. According to Oz, he proposed to her on a city street corner, using a tab from a discarded soda can as a makeshift ring. The couple have four children together: including eldest daughter Daphne, who is also an author and television host. Oz and his wife founded HealthCorps, a non-profit organization for health education and peer mentoring.

In November 2020, Oz was sued by his sister Nazlim Öz. Nazlim alleged that he was withholding her rental income from apartments owned by their late father Mustafa Öz. Oz said that he was forced to hold payments from the apartments in escrow, as their mother and other relatives were suing Nazlim in Turkish probate court over the distribution of Mustafa Öz's estate.

Religion

As of 2022, Oz identifies as "secular Muslim" and, according to the Associated Press, "has said that the spiritual side of Islam resonates with him more than the religious law side of it." Oz aligns his personal Muslim religious views with Sufism. Oz has expressed to CBN News his opposition to Sharia law in the US. Noting that his wife and children are Christians, Oz told CBN that he believes that the U.S. was founded on Judeo-Christian values. His wife Lisa introduced Oz to the teachings of the 18th-century Swedish theologian Emanuel Swedenborg as well as to alternative medicines or Eastern mysticisms such as reiki and transcendental meditation.

In a 2012 interview with Henry Louis Gates Jr., Oz said that his father strictly followed Islam, while his mother was a secular Kemalist.

Public reception

Oz at the World Economic Forum in 2012

Oz has faced criticism for his promotion of pseudoscience, including homeopathy, and alternative medicine. Popular Science and The New Yorker have published critical articles on Oz for giving non-scientific advice. HuffPost has accused Oz of promoting quackery.

A 2014 study published in the British Medical Journal found that medical talk shows such as The Dr. Oz Show and The Doctors often lack adequate information on the specific benefits or evidence of their claims. Forty episodes of each program from early 2013 were evaluated, determining that evidence supported 46 percent, contradicted 15 percent, and was not found for 39 percent of the recommendations on The Dr Oz Show. Unfounded claims included saying apple juice had unsafe levels of arsenic and cell phones could cause breast cancer.

Oz was awarded the James Randi Educational Foundation's Pigasus Award 2009 for his promotion of Reiki. However, he used Reiki as a moral support to patients in operating room, not for replacing any medical procedure and pointed out that he was unfairly attacked.

Oz has been criticized for the guests he has invited onto The Dr. Oz Show, including psychics, faith healers, peddlers of unproven or disproven medical treatments, and anti-vaccination activists, including Joseph Mercola, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Christiane Northrup.

From 1999 to 2004, Oz was named a "Global Leader of Tomorrow" by the World Economic Forum and was listed on Time Magazine's "100 Most Influential People" of 2008. He was nominated for ten Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Talk Show Host with The Dr. Oz Show which aired from 2009 to 2022, and won the award four times (in 2010, 2011, 2014 and 2016).

Awards and honors

Emmy Awards

Year Award Category Result
2010 Daytime Emmy Awards Outstanding Informative Talk Show Host Won
Outstanding Talk Show Informative Nominated
2011 Daytime Emmy Awards Outstanding Informative Talk Show Host Won
Outstanding Talk Show Informative Won
2012 Daytime Emmy Awards Outstanding Informative Talk Show Host Nominated
Outstanding Talk Show Informative Won
2013 Daytime Emmy Awards Outstanding Informative Talk Show Host Nominated
Outstanding Talk Show Informative Won
2014 Daytime Emmy Awards Outstanding Informative Talk Show Host Won
Outstanding Talk Show Informative Nominated
2015 Daytime Emmy Awards Outstanding Informative Talk Show Host Nominated
Outstanding Talk Show Informative Nominated
2016 Daytime Emmy Awards Outstanding Informative Talk Show Host Won
Outstanding Talk Show Informative Nominated
2017 Daytime Emmy Awards Outstanding Informative Talk Show Host Nominated
Outstanding Talk Show Informative Won
2018 Daytime Emmy Awards Outstanding Informative Talk Show Host Nominated
Outstanding Talk Show Informative Won
2019 Daytime Emmy Awards Outstanding Informative Talk Show Host Nominated
Outstanding Talk Show Informative Nominated

People's Choice Awards

Year Award Category Result
2016 People's Choice Awards Favorite Daytime TV Host Nominated

Other

Year Award Notes
1999–2004 Global Leader of Tomorrow Awarded by the World Economic Forum
2022 Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

Writings

Eight of Oz's books have been New York Times bestsellers; seven were written with Michael F. Roizen. He has a regular column in Esquire magazine and O, The Oprah Magazine and his article "Retool, Reboot, and Rebuild" was awarded the 2009 National Magazine Award for Personal Service. Oz and the Hearst Corporation launched the bi-monthly magazine Dr. Oz The Good Life on February 4, 2014.

Bibliography

  • Healing from the Heart: A Leading Surgeon Combines Eastern and Western Traditions to Create the Medicine of the Future, by Mehmet Oz, Ron Arias, Dean Ornish, 1999, ISBN 0452279550.
  • Complementary and Alternative Cardiovascular Medicine: Clinical Handbook, by Richard A. Stein (Editor), Mehmet, M.D. Oz (Editor), 2004, ISBN 1588291863.
  • YOU: The Owner's Manual: An Insider's Guide to the Body that Will Make You Healthier and Younger, by Michael F. Roizen, Mehmet C. Oz, 2005, ISBN 0060765313.
  • YOU: On a Diet: The Owner's Manual for Waist Management, by Michael F. Roizen, Mehmet C. Oz, 2006, ISBN 0743292545.
  • YOU: The Smart Patient: An Insider's Handbook for Getting the Best Treatment, by Michael F. Roizen, Mehmet C. Oz, 2006, ISBN 0743293010.
  • YOU: Staying Young: The Owner's Manual for Extending Your Warranty, by Michael F. Roizen, Mehmet C. Oz, 2007, ISBN 0743292561.
  • YOU: Being Beautiful: The Owner's Manual to Inner and Outer Beauty, by Michael F. Roizen, Mehmet C. Oz, 2008, ISBN 1416572341.
  • YOU: Breathing Easy: Meditation and Breathing Techniques to Help You Relax, Refresh, and Revitalize, by Michael F. Roizen, Mehmet C. Oz, 2008.
  • YOU: Having a Baby: The Owner's Manual from Conception to Delivery and More, by Michael F. Roizen, Mehmet C. Oz, 2009.
  • Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery, by Mehmet C. Oz, 2010, ISBN 1617374008.
  • Oz, Mehmet (2017). Food Can Fix It: The Superfood Switch to Fight Fat, Defy Aging, and Eat Your Way Healthy. New York. ISBN 978-1501158155.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  • Roizen, Michael F.; Oz, Mehmet (2013). YOU(R) Teen: Losing Weight: The Owner's Manual to Simple and Healthy Weight Management at Any Age (1st Free Press trade paperback ed.). New York: Free Press. ISBN 978-1476713571.
  • Roizen, Michael F.; Oz, Mehmet (2011). YOU: The Owner's Manual for Teens: A Guide to a Healthy Body and Happy Life (1st Free Press hardcover ed.). New York: Free Press. ISBN 978-0743292580.

Filmography

Film

Year Film Credited as Notes
Actor Consultant
2002 John Q. No Yes Consultant: Heart Transplantation
2017 Mom and Dad Yes No Self
TBA Trouble Down Under Yes No Doc the Cattle Dog (voice)

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2001 60 Minutes Self Episode: "The U.S. Border Patrol/The Pump/Kuwait: Ten Years Later"
2003–2004 Second Opinion with Dr. Oz Self 5 episodes
2005 You: The Owner's Manual Self
2006–2011 The Oprah Winfrey Show Self 9 episodes
2007–2008 Live with Kelly and Ryan Self 3 episodes
2007–2009 Larry King Live Self 7 episodes
2008–2021 Good Morning America Self 8 episodes
2008–2020 The View Self 11 episodes
2008; 2016 The Insider Self 2 episodes
2008 The Colbert Report Self Episode: "Dr. Mehmet Oz"
2009 The Early Show Self Episode: "26 September 2009"
2009–2022 The Dr. Oz Show Self 1,681 episodes
2009–2021 Jeopardy! Guest host/video clue presenter 23 episodes
2009–2021 Entertainment Tonight Self 12 episodes
2009–2019 Jimmy Kimmel Live! Self 8 episodes
2009 20/20 Self Episode: "Amanda Knox Verdict/Chris Brown/D.I.Y. Cosmetic Procedures/Indoor Tanning Salons"
2009–2011 Late Show with David Letterman Self 3 episodes
2009–2011 Late Night with Jimmy Fallon Self 4 episodes
2010 Faces of America with Henry Louis Gates Jr. Self 4 episodes
2010 Saturday Night Live Self; uncredited Episode: "Zach Galifianakis/Vampire Weekend"
2010 Stand Up to Cancer Self TV special
2010 The Lisa Oz & Kim Coles Show Self
2010–2012 The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson Self 2 episodes
2010–2018 Rachael Ray Self 15 episodes
2011 Oprah's Guide to OWN Self TV special
2011 The Nate Berkus Show Self Episode: "Dr. Oz's Must Haves for Every Home"
2011–2018 Daytime Emmy Awards Self Awards show; 4 years
2011 Ask Oprah's All-Stars Self 6 episodes
2011 Hollywood Icons and Innovators Self Episode 1.4
2011–2012 The Soup Self 2 episodes
2011–2019 The Wendy Williams Show Self 9 episodes
2011–2020 Today Self 68 episodes
2012 Chelsea Lately Self Episode #6.35
2012 The Hour Self Episode #8.147
2012 Citizen Hearst Self Documentary
2012 Mankind: The Story of All of Us Self 7 episodes
2012 Erin Burnett OutFront Self Episode: December 18, 2012
2012–2014 NY Med Self 6 episodes
2012–2018 Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen Self 5 episodes
2013 The Doctors Self Episode: "High-Tech Treatments: Can They Help You?"
2013 Secret History of Humans Self 6 episodes
2013 Big Morning Buzz Live Self Episode: "Dr. Oz/David Arquette/Betty Who"
2013 Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Contestant 2 episodes
2013 2013 Soul Train Music Awards Self
2013; 2016 Tavis Smiley Self 2 episodes
2013–2021 Inside Edition Self 13 episodes
2013–2020 Fox & Friends Self 43 episodes
2014 The Dr. Tess Show Self Episode: "Guesting on the Dr. Oz Show"
2014 The Queen Latifah Show Self Episode: "Dr. Oz/Tim Conway/Tyrese Gibson/World-Renowned ChefWolfgang Puck"
2014 Finding Thin Self Documentary
2014 Late Night with Seth Meyers Self Episode: "Dr. Mehmet Oz/Norman Reedus/American Authors"
2014 Larry King Now Self Episode: "Dr. Oz"
2014 Geraldo Rivera Reports Self Episode: "Remembering Joan Rivers"
2014 TMZ on TV Self Episode: October 4, 2014
2014 Talk Stoop Self Episode: "Hosting the Hosts"
2014 Surgeon Oz Self 10-episode documentary
2014–2017 The Chew Self 6 episodes
2015; 2019 Weekend Today Self 2 episodes
2016 Access Daily Self 2 episodes
2016–2020 Extra Self 10 episodes
2016 Dr. Ken Self Episode: "Delayed in Honolulu"
2017 Sunrise Self Episode: September 1, 2017
2017 Daily Pop Self Episode: September 19, 2017
2017 Springfield of Dreams: The Legend of Homer Simpson Self TV movie documentary
2017 Hollywood Christmas Parade Self Grand Marshal
2017 Nightcap Self 4 episodes
2017–2018 Megyn Kelly Today Self 4 episodes
2017; 2020 The Strip Live Self 2 episodes
2017–2020 Access Hollywood Self 3 episodes
2017; 2021 The $100,000 Pyramid Self 2 episodes
2018 Morfi, todos a la mesa Self Episode: May 15, 2018
2018 Wheel of Fortune Self Episode: "Gone Fishing 1"
2018 The Marilyn Denis Show Self Episode: 9.18
2018 Tanked Self Episode: "The Wonderful Dr. Oz Tank"
2018 Crashing Self Episode: "Pete and Leif"
2018–2019 Celebrity Page Self 2 episodes
2019 NBA on ESPN Self Episode: "2019 Celebrity Game"
2019 Race Against Time Self Documentary
2019 The Ellen DeGeneres Show Self Episode: "Ali Wong and Dr. Mehmet Oz"
2020 Mastercast Live Self Episode: "Mehmet Oz (showcase) on MASTERCAST LIVE"
2020 Fox Files Self Episode: "America vs. Virus"
2020 The Ingraham Angle Self Episode: March 23, 2020
2020 Good Day New York Self 2 episodes
2020 Match Game Self Episode: "James Van Der Beek, Cheryl Hines, Thomas Lennon, Sherri Shepherd, Dr. Oz, Laura Benanti"
2020 The Issue Is Self 3 episodes
2020–2021 Hannity Self 13 episodes
2021 Dr. Phil Self Episode: "Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz Fight Fraudsters!"
2021 Inside Edition Weekend Self 2 episodes
2021 The Drew Barrymore Show Self Episode: "Dr. Oz"
2021 Dish Nation Self Episode: 10.62

Electoral history

2022 U.S. Senate Republican primary in Pennsylvania
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mehmet Oz 420,122 31.2
Republican David McCormick 419,182 31.1
Republican Kathy Barnette 331,874 24.7
Republican Carla Sands 73,345 5.4
Republican Jeff Bartos 66,660 5.0
Republican Sean Gale 20,262 1.5
Republican George Bochetto 14,484 1.1
Total votes 1,345,922 100.0
2022 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Fetterman 2,751,012 51.2
Republican Mehmet Oz 2,487,260 46.3
Libertarian Erik Gerhardt 72,887 1.3
Green Richard L. Weiss 30,434 0.5
Keystone Dan Wassmer 26,428 0.4
Total votes 5,368,021 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican

See also


This page was last updated at 2024-03-14 00:02 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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