Gwyneth Paltrow’s “The Goop Lab” made its Netflix debut earlier this month, and it already has its detractors.
While delivering a speech at the Sheldonian Theatre in Oxford, U.K. on Thursday, National Health Service chief executive Simon Steven slammed the “dubious wellness products and dodgy procedures” showcased in the program, which features the actress exploring alternatives for a healthy lifestyle.
“Her brand peddles psychic vampire repellent, says chemical sunscreen is a bad idea, and promotes colonic irrigation and DIY coffee enema machines, despite them carrying considerable risks to health,” he stated.
The Goop brand has raised eyebrows in the past with its unusual items and treatments — often at an exorbitant price — which Steven pointed out.
“Fresh from controversies over jade eggs and unusually scented candles, Goop has just popped up with a new TV series, in which Gwyneth Paltrow and her team test vampire facials and back a ‘bodyworker’ who claims to cure both acute psychological trauma and side effects by simply moving his hands two inches above a customer’s body,” he said.
Steven noted his concerns over “myths and misinformation” being spread more rapidly now with the internet, which is a breeding ground for “fake news.”
“People’s natural concern for their health, and particularly that of their loved ones, makes this particularly fertile ground for quacks, charlatans, and cranks,” he explained.
In a statement sent to The Independent, the company said it “takes efficacy and product claims very seriously.”
“We are transparent when we cover emerging topics that may be unsupported by science or may be in early stages of review,” read the statement.
Paltrow’s business — valued at an estimated $250 million — said it appreciates the NHS’s research, but pushed back on Steven’s criticism of the sunscreen they promote.
“We applaud the important work that NHS does, and often take our cues from the UK standard. For example, in the case of chemical sunscreens that the NHS cited in their speech, the US bans only 11 personal care ingredients while over 1,000 are banned in the UK. It’s for that reason we recommend non-toxic sunscreens.”
In 2018, Goop agreed to pay a settlement of $145,000 “after making unscientific claims about the health benefits of vaginal egg,” according to the outlet.
Meanwhile, the Netflix program has taken precautions to avoid more litigation.
Each episode opens with a medical advisory card stating, “The series is designed to entertain and inform — not provide medical advice. You should always consult your doctor when it comes to personal health and before you start treatment.”
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Gwyneth Paltrow’s Famous Friends Joined Her at The Goop Lab Screening