E-Paper
Court directs suspension of X account busting ‘medical myths’
A local court in Bengaluru on Thursday asked the social media platform X (previously Twitter) to suspend the handle of Kerala-based hepatologist Cyriac Abby Philips, @theliverdr, which had garnered popularity for busting medical myths online.
A local court in Bengaluru on Thursday asked the social media platform X (previously Twitter) to suspend the handle of Kerala-based hepatologist Cyriac Abby Philips, @theliverdr, which had garnered popularity for busting medical myths online.
Bengaluru-based company Himalaya Wellness Corporation filed a defamation suit against him in a Bengaluru court for his posts on products sold by the company, arguing that he made defamatory allegations against company products due to which it lost substantial business.
In an ex-parte order on September 23 OR 24? The court issued a temporary injunction against the X handle of Philips, restraining him from posting anything defamatory against the complainant and asking X to withhold his account. The matter was next listed for hearing on January 5, 2024.
Himalaya Wellness approached the court after Philips, in a post on X in August last year, said that Liv 52, a product of the company that is used by liver disease patients, is harmful, quoting analysis of some patients.
The company said that the hepatologist’s statements and materials posted on X were false and unjustified. The company also said that the intention of the statements was to push the products of other companies.
“The urgency made out by the plaintiff company would show that an immediate order has to be passed as sought for in IA No.1 and 2 of 2023 before issuing notice against the defendants. In the facts and circumstances issue ad-interim ex-parte temporary injunction order restraining the defendant No.1(Dr Philips) from tweeting, making or publishing, re-tweeting and re-publishing defamatory remarks against the plaintiff company and / or the products of the plaintiff company till next date of hearing,” the civil court said.
“In the facts and circumstances issue ad-interim ex-parte mandatory injunction directing the defendant No.2(X) to suspend/block the social media handle of the defendant No.1..” it added.
Phillips is well known for countering claims made for the efficacy of alternative medicine and Ayurveda and frequently advocates for evidence-based medicine.
There was no immediate reaction from Philip on the court order.
The developments underline the importance of evidence-based science and the need to counter unscientific facts, which should not be allowed to be compromised.
