After facing backlash from hepatologist Dr. Cyriac Abby Philips for sharing that naturopathy helped in her cancer battle, actress Sonali Bendre on Monday issued a statement, saying that her post about autophagy being a helpful treatment came from her personal experience.
“I have never claimed to be a doctor, but I am certainly not a quack either. I am a cancer survivor, someone who has lived through the fear, pain, uncertainty, and rebuilding that the disease brings,” the 50-year-old actress wrote on her Instagram stories.
Pointing out that her post was based on her personal experience, Sonali added, “Everything I have ever spoken has been my experience and my learning. As I've repeatedly said, no two cancers are the same, and no treatment path is identical.”
“One of the many protocols I personally explored, after thorough research and medical guidance, was autophagy. It made a difference for me then and continues to do so today, for me,” she further explained.
Sonali highlighted the need for open discussion and respect towards different perspectives. “What truly matters is open, respectful dialogue. We don't all have to agree, but we should avoid dismissing one another simply because we lean toward different approaches. Each person must choose what feels right, safe, and empowering for them. I will always share my journey with honesty and humility, never as a prescription, but as a lived experience,” she signed off.
The actress opened up about her naturopath treatment in an Instagram post last week. “Back in 2018, when I was diagnosed with cancer, my naturopath introduced me to a study called Autophagy. It played a huge role in my recovery. So I read, learned, experimented… and slowly built it into my routine. And I’ve continued to follow it ever since,” she wrote.
However, it prompted a strong reaction from hepatologist Dr. Cyriac Abby Philips, who questioned the promotion of naturopathy in the context of cancer recovery.
Responding on X, Philips, known by his handle The Liver Doc, said, “Dear Ms. Bendre… I expected better from you.” He called celebrity cancer survivors an “important asset” for patients and families, adding, “You are not helping here, by promoting quackery.”
The Liver Doc has engaged in a similar public debate with actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu earlier this year. In July, he called her “health and science illiterate” for recommending hydrogen peroxide nebulisation, arguing that it is “dangerous for health.”
Samantha, in turn, defended her post, saying she shared the treatment “with good intention,” and criticised the tone of his comments.