There is growing concern about some of the pseudoscientific programming that has made its way onto Netflix of late.

Dear Netflix,

I am a huge fan. I watch a lot of TV, and some of the best shows of the last few years have been Netflix originals. I love the diversity of talent in your programs, and the range of topics covered. But there is one area where I think you are letting your viewers down- and something needs to change.

When I watch a documentary, I assume the information in it is reliable, and I believe others do too. We trust you, Netflix. But it is clear that the documentaries on your site don’t undergo even the most preliminary fact-checking. While I’m sure there are some great, unbiased films available, many of them are little more than propaganda, pushing a one-sided agenda with no regard for the reality of the information. And it’s dangerous.

Take, for example, Root Cause- a ‘documentary’ about the health risks of root canals. It is a beautifully shot and scripted film, built around the personal story of a man with unexplained symptoms, searching for a cure. It’s very convincing; well designed to tug on the heart strings. And the stats given by the ‘doctors’ interviewed in the film are shocking. “98% of women with breast cancer have had a root canal on the same side as the cancer” they say. “The #1 cause of heart attack is root canal treated teeth”.  But when I searched for the evidence, I couldn’t find it. And in fact, some studies say the opposite. Their statements just aren’t true.

No, a root canal isn’t a leading cause of cancer despite what a Netflix documentary would have you believe.

This film, and others like it (‘Cure’ and ‘Stink’ come to mind) use just enough science to make their arguments sound plausible (at least in places). But the science is often wrong (the premise of Root Cause is based on research from the 1920s which has since been debunked), and always taken out of context. And the so-called ‘experts’ supplying it are ‘alternative practitioners’ with agendas to push, usually selling their services. In fact, one of these films featured and ‘expert’ calling himself a ‘Neuroacoustic Wizard’! I mean really Netflix! It’s one thing to expose your viewers to a range of opinions, but films like this never present the other side, the voice of real science. They call these people doctors, without making clear they are actually naturopaths or homeopaths. They quote decades old studies which have repeatedly been debunked as if they are scientific fact. And they scare people.

This scaremongering is particularly concerning when it is aimed at vulnerable groups, like those of us with chronic illnesses. I was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (also known as M.E. or ME/CFS) 9 years ago, after falling ill with a nasty virus. ME/CFS is a diagnosis of exclusion, and although there is building evidence for its mechanism, the research is very much at the fundamental stage, and hasn’t yet informed any treatments. So the only real advice and treatment I have had for my illness is symptom management. Because that’s all that can be done, based on the evidence (or lack of it!) and the current medical understanding of the disease.

This is where the ‘alternative medicine’ practitioners step in. They make bold claims about being able to treat the underlying cause of an illness, not just the symptoms. And it is so tempting to believe it. There have been days where I have thought that I would happily chop off a leg if it would give me back my old life… so pulling out a tooth is nothing!

I’m one of the lucky ones. I have only ever had a ‘moderate’ level of disability, and would now be classified as ‘mild’. Others are much worse- many bedridden, unable to participate in life at all. It’s so easy to see how desperate you could become, and how you could be sucked in by someone offering a ‘quick fix’. But of course, these ‘fixes’ come at a cost. I know people who have spent hundreds of pounds on supplements, or thousands on intensive retreats crammed with dubious treatments- many of which are pointless and some of which are downright dangerous. And films like these on Netflix only serve to make this problem worse.

With the announcement that Gwyneth Paltrow’s ‘wellness’ company Goop has signed a deal for a new series, it is clear that this problem isn’t going away. Goop promote dangerous practices- steam cleaning vaginas or sticking jade eggs in them, undergoing coffee enemas and detoxes, and have even hosted anti-vaccination advocates. It is completely irresponsible for a company like Netflix, a company which prides itself on its integrity and values, to bring these dangerous and unscientific ideas to a wider community.

So, dear Netflix, I am calling for you to take responsibility for what you broadcast. Think carefully before signing a deal, not just about whether people will watch a show, but about how much harm it could cause. You have an incredible platform, one that reaches millions of people around the world but, as the saying goes; with great power comes great responsibility. Use it more wisely- please.

Yours Sincerely,

Ginny Smith

Science writer and presenter and CFS/ME sufferer.

Ginny Smith is a science presenter and writer. A Natural Sciences and Psychology graduate of Cambridge, Ginny performs science shows all over the world and presents a wide range of science content for the likes of the Cosmic Shambles Network and the Naked Scientists. She is the co-author of three DK Publishing books looking at science, food and the human body. She is @GinnyFBSmith on Twitter.

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