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Altered video appears to show Dr. Mehmet Oz hawking diet pills. That’s not what actually happened.
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Altered footage of Dr. Mehmet Oz appears to show him hawking diet pills. In the original footage, posted on his TikTok account, he discusses mental health and urges people suffering from depression to get help.
Sitting outside in a checkered shirt, celebrity heart surgeon and onetime U.S. Senate candidate Dr. Mehmet Oz appears to promote diet pills to combat obesity in a video shared May 1 on Facebook.
"To address these issues, we developed this product," Oz appears to say. "It helps dissolve fat throughout the day, even while you sleep. No need for dieting or exercise."
The Facebook account sharing the video, "Keto Slimmer," wrote: "Dr. Oz’s exclusive pills is key to your success in shedding those extra pounds."
This post was flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram.)
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The video in the post is altered. PolitiFact found the original posted March 26 on Oz’s TikTok account.
"If you’re feeling down or depressed this time of year you’re not alone," Oz said in the original video. "It happens to everyone. Feelings like this are a sign to pay attention to something that’s just not working in your life. So, use it as a way to focus in on what needs to change in your life, like pain or sadness, anxiety — it’s a clue to find what’s not working so you can make a different choice. If you can’t change what’s bringing you down, that’s a time to ask your family, your friends, or even your health care team for help. There’s lots of people who want you to do your best and want you to succeed. So don’t hesitate to reach out."
Oz has been the target of altered videos before, including some that appeared to show him promoting a coffee weight loss supplement and hawking a diabetes cure,
We rate claims this video shows him promoting diet pills False.
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Altered video appears to show Dr. Mehmet Oz hawking diet pills. That’s not what actually happened.
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