When news broke that Dr. Younan Nowzaradan of "My 600-lb Life" faced a malpractice suit for a botched gastric bypass surgery, fans wondered what was going on. Dr. Now, as he's affectionately called, posted an update about the situation on Facebook.
According to Radar Online, the bariatric specialist was accused of leaving a piece of 6.69 inch tubing inside a weight loss surgery patient. Dr. Now defended the claims and then turned his ire against the celebrity gossip site.
Dr. Now sued for malpractice?
That's what Radar Online wants "My 600-lb Life" fans to believe when they reported that Dr.
Now was being sued over a 2012 bariatric surgery. The patient, Michelle Park, allegedly sued the doctor because she had to have part of her colon removed due to the tubing allegedly puncturing it after her gastric sleeve surgery.
Apparently. Radar didn't get their facts straight. The surgeon's Facebook post said he was contacted by Radar Online for comment on a law suit filed by Melissa Cronin. He said it was dismissed because he wasn't the surgeon who left the tube behind.
Conspiracy against "My 600-lb Life" doc?
Dr. Now's success in the field of gastric sleeve surgery is legendary. His reality television show popularity is growing in epic proportions. The bariatric surgeon's diet draws hordes of readers.
Did Radar Online capitalize on his popularity for views? It would seem so given the that malpractice lawsuit dated back five years and was dropped a year later. The discrepancy in names suggests either two separate lawsuits were filed in 2012 (which would be ironic to say the least) or that the reporting was faulty.
The TLC doc is opting for the latter.
Loyal fans see a third option: a conspiracy against the obesity physician. Bariatric surgery gets plenty of bad PR. It was suggested that Radar Online tried to discredit Dr. Now and the work he does on "My 600-lb Life."
Is Dr. Now angrier over fake news than malpractice?
Using President Donald Trump's tag, "fake news," the reality TV doctor accused the news media of making up stories when they have none to report.
The beloved surgeon has a cult following among those he's helped. He's a leader in the field and even helped coined the term "morbid obesity" to describe his extremely overweight patients.
"My 600-lb Life" fans and patients were quick to defend him. Many agreed that Radar Online does have a reputation for this type of dubious reporting. The company is currently clashing with LGBT weight loss guru Richard Simmons on transgender misrepresentation.
