PRAXIS 2026
Dr Cyriac Abby Philips, Hepatologist, Author & Public Health Activist
Facts not Fear: Communication with Courage in the Age of Misinformation
Dr Cyriac Abby Philips, Hepatologist, Author & Public Health Activist, made a case for communicating with facts, courage and conviction – even when the price is being both loved and loathed at #PRAXIS2026.
Moving past online feuds, Dr Cyriac Abby Philips, Hepatologist, Author & Public Health Activist, popularly known as ‘The Liver Doc’, delivered a keynote on “Facts not Fear: Communication with Courage in the Age of Misinformation.” We listened as he spoke about communication, his new book and the power of storytelling in medicine – and voiced his hope that at least ‘a fraction of readers’ manage to identify their fatty liver.
“I remember every patient I have lost and I have always put myself in their position, swapped their families with mine and visualized how they would react in similar conditions. And, each of them has taught me more than just science – humanism,” said the hepatologist. In fact, few doctors in India inspire as much admiration and irritation in equal measure as his case!
Misinformation has a global effect, he pointed out, and it continues even after COVID. As a scientific communicator, the experience has taught him a great deal, he shared.
So, should a doctor be on social media? After a number of researches, he underlined several harsh realities. On social media, he has built a formidable reputation as a crusader of scientific medicine – dismantling wellness fads, calling out dubious supplements, and questioning Ayurveda’s unchecked claims and homeopathic medicines. In doing so, he has taken on an industry far larger than himself, with the solidity of a data analyst and the aggression of a street fighter.
Often considered a ‘maverick’, Dr Philips said: “On social media, you need to be loud to be heard so that real science has an audience. It’s sad that what I say is what any doctor and man of science would say.”
Recalling the aftermath of COVID, when immune boosters were promoted by Ministries, he stated that one out of 10 patients became unstable and 42% even died. “This is what we deal with, and why doctors need to use social media,” he shared.
The system is aggressive and we have to be aggressive too, he suggested, adding that “what we have to do is understand the ecosystem we deal with.”
He was firm about where communicators fit in: “This is where PR can help with the negative aspect of healthcare.” Even data, he confided with confidence, is 30-35% fake, especially in healthcare, and there is abuse happening too. “We can see all these tactics in politics too,” he observed.
Strongly backing the need to speak up, he asked: what are the consequences of speaking up? He has faced them personally – harassment that can even lead to paranoia. In a candid moment, he declared:
- “We have been gaslighted and there are cases and FIRs filed against me.”
- “We are living in a chaotic world and saying the truth actually makes me a revolutionary!”
Yet there are good things too, he said – protecting people at personal cost. Solutions must be found, but rarely are. So the cost of courage, he summed up, is being loved & loathed!
What is the reality we face? People demonize doctors on social media, he said, while the origin of the word ‘doctor’ is to educate – not to be demonized. On AI, he was upbeat, feeling it is one of the best things that has happened.
Should the services of PR professionals be taken in such situations? His take was that it helps, but his case was unique. “I worked with PR, who wanted to manage me!” he said – and ultimately, he had to drop them.
In an age of misinformation, the Liver Doc’s message was unambiguous: facts, not fear.
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