Viral but misleading: Celebrity health claims doctors debunked in 2025

From urine 'cures' to vaccine myths and anti-ageing pills, 2025 saw celebrity health claims go viral. Doctors break down what the science says, and why evidence must lead health choices

In 2025, several prominent Indian celebrities made headlines not for their latest films, but for bold health claims, often lacking scientific merit. From urine therapy to anti-ageing supplements, these statements went viral, garnering public attention and sharp criticism from doctors. Here’s a rundown of four high-profile cases that sparked controversy.

 

Did Paresh Rawal’s urine therapy claim have any medical basis?

 

In April 2025, veteran actor Paresh Rawal stunned many when he revealed that he drank his own urine, “sipping it like beer” for 15 days to treat a knee injury. He reportedly said the idea came from a veteran stunt director during his hospital stay.

 

 

Health experts were quick to respond. According to Dr Vikram Kalra, consultant nephrologist at CK Birla Hospital, Delhi, there is no scientific evidence that drinking urine can heal injuries. On the contrary, urine contains waste products like urea, salts, and other toxins that the body has discarded. Reintroducing them can raise the risk of infection, kidney stress, and dangerous imbalances.

 

Dr Deepak Krishnamurthy, cardiologist at Whitefield Hospital in Bengaluru, also emphasised, “One should not consume their own or another person’s urine.”

 

Can autophagy treat cancer, as Sonali Bendre suggested?

 

In November 2025, actress Sonali Bendre posted that she believed the biological process known as autophagy helped her during her cancer treatment. Autophagy, which literally means “self-eating”, is a natural cellular housekeeping process where cells break down and recycle their own damaged components to maintain normal function.

 

Bendre clarified she was sharing what helped her personally and was not prescribing it as medical advice. Nevertheless, many oncologists raised concerns, saying that while autophagy may contribute to general cell maintenance or prevention, there is no evidence it can treat or cure cancer. Some experts even warn that once cancer exists, autophagy can help cancer cells survive and resist therapy, rather than destroy them.

 

Dr Nishith Vaddeboina, medical oncologist at Renova Century Hospitals in Hyderabad, noted on X that he often sees patients turn to alternative therapies in the early stages of cancer and eventually return only when the disease has progressed to stage 3 or 4.  Dr Dipshikha Ghosh from Apollo Gleneagles Hospital in Kolkata added that posts without medical context can easily mislead patients, reminding them that Bendre’s recovery was driven by chemotherapy and surgery, while everything else was supplementary and guided by doctors.

 

Do vaccines cause autism, as Sridhar Vembu implied?

 

In October 2025, Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu suggested that too many infant vaccinations in India might be contributing to rising autism rates, reviving a deeply debunked theory. Medical professionals reacted strongly. According to neurologists and child-development psychiatrists, there is no scientific proof connecting vaccines to autism.

 

US President Donald Trump also reignited the vaccine-autism debate when he suggested during a White House press conference that vaccines might be linked to a higher risk of autism, a claim widely rejected by global health authorities.

 

Global bodies, including the World Health Organization (WHO), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), along with decades of research, have repeatedly confirmed that vaccines are safe, effective, and crucial to public health.

 

“There is absolutely no scientific proof that vaccines are connected to autism. Decades of research and large-scale studies have shown that vaccines are safe, effective, and protect children from life-threatening diseases. Linking them to autism is not just incorrect, it risks undermining public trust in vaccination,” said Dr Praveen Gupta, Chairman of the Marengo Asia International Institute of Neuro & Spine in Gurugram.

 

Can NMN supplements reverse ageing, as Samantha Ruth Prabhu claimed?

 

There was a fresh wave of debate when the actor endorsed a health supplement containing nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), claiming it could reverse age-related decline by raising NAD⁺ levels, improving energy, focus, and recovery.

 

Doctors also explained why NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide) supplements remain scientifically unproven. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) is a key molecule involved in energy production, DNA repair, cell survival, and healthy ageing. NAD levels naturally decline with age, and NMN, its direct precursor, is marketed as a way to boost them.

 

However, Dr Tushar Tayal, Associate Director, Internal Medicine at CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram, clarified that most of the promising anti-ageing results come from animal studies, not people.

 

“As of now, no strong human clinical evidence shows that NMN can reverse ageing or meaningfully reverse age-related decline,” he said, noting that human trials so far have involved only small groups for short durations and have shown, at best, modest increases in NAD levels and mild improvements in fatigue.

 

Dr Tayal warned that promoting NAD-boosters as anti-ageing therapies carries risks because long-term safety is still unknown. He added that although no human study has shown cancer risk, the theoretical concern remains since NAD also supports the survival of damaged or pre-cancerous cells. Overuse is another issue, with many people self-prescribing high doses or combining it with other supplements.

 

Why celebrity health claims can be dangerous for public trust

 

Influential personalities enjoy vast reach and public trust; their statements can sway health behaviours overnight. When those statements are based on anecdote or pseudoscience, the consequences can be dangerous: people may abandon proven treatments, delay seeking medical care, or adopt harmful practices.

 

In all the cases above, doctors emphasise a consistent message: there is no substitute for evidence-based medicine, and health decisions must rest on scientific consensus, not celebrity anecdotes. When celebrities speak, millions may listen. Experts urge them to wield that voice with responsibility.   

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This report is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.