Dr. Oz has misled the public on medical issues for years. Now he's running for Senate.

[AZProgressive]

After spreading COVID-19 misinformation on Fox News since early in the pandemic, talk show host Dr. Mehmet Oz this week announced his run to represent Pennsylvania in the Senate. Fox News host Sean Hannity teased a big announcement from Oz on his Monday night show, telling his audience, “Hint: Think midterm election.” Oz has promoted unproven treatments for COVID-19, downplayed the severity of the virus, and undermined public health officials since at least January 2020.

Oz's history of medical misinformation started before the pandemic; while hosting daytime talk show The Dr. Oz Show, he repeatedly pushed weight loss pills that he later admitted to Congress lacked “scientific muster.” The British Medical Journal conducted a 2014 study that found that the majority of the medical claims on The Dr. Oz Show were not supported by medical evidence and 11% were in fact contradicted by medical evidence. Despite his history of spreading medical misinformation, Oz became a Fox News regular to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic, making at least 81 weekday appearances on the network in 2020, according to Media Matters' internal database.

Oz’s advocacy for alternative therapies and unproven treatments for COVID-19 not only misinformed the public in the early days of the pandemic, but also led to the Trump White House seeking the surgeon’s advice on the pandemic despite his inexperience with epidemiology. And his advice underscored the Trump/Fox News feedback loop, with Trump touting the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine -- unproven to treat COVID-19 -- after Oz had promoted it on the air. A Media Matters study showed Oz was Fox News’ strongest advocate for the treatment, promoting it over 40 times in a two-week period on Fox programs.

From promoting studies that have not been peer reviewed to supporting the reopening of schools in April 2020, here are some of the moments that highlight Oz’s pattern of dishonesty and distortion on the pandemic.

https://www.mediamatters.org/dr-mehmet-oz/dr-oz-has-misled-public-medical-issues-years-now-hes-running-senate

[Doodley]

1. He has the name recognition. He's batshit crazy. He could become president.

[PortTack]

2. Well..then he fits right in with the rest of the crazies! Let's make sure he goes down

[kwolf68]

3. Fetterman should win this Please

But this goofy nation likes celebs and Dr. Oz is....what is he again?

[MiniMe]

4. And he is a New Jersey resident, not a Pennsylvania resident

[Stinky The Clown]

5. Good people should go to his campaign events and just chant loudly

QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK

Until he goes away