Samantha Ruth Prabhu recalls being trolled for asking questions |
Actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu recently opened up about the time when she received online trolling after she began questioning established narratives around healthcare. She addressed the issue during a panel discussion at the 1 Billion Followers Summit 2026 in Dubai.
‘Ask questions’
“Why women are still afraid to question their doctors,” Samantha Ruth Prabhu asked, as reported by Gulf News. She was discussing how many women hesitate to get clarity on their questions or seek second opinions.“Every woman should feel enabled to ask questions and demand equality from their healthcare providers,” the actress said. She further spoke aout the power imbalance that’s prevalent in medical spaces, which leads to silence rather than clarity for women.
Her personal journey into health advocacy
She recalled the time being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease. “For context, I started because of my autoimmune disease and eventually quit my job for two years so that I could process all this fragmented knowledge,” Samantha said.“When I started my podcast, there was a lot of guilt I had to overcome for asking certain questions,” she added.
About the online trolling
During the conversation, Samantha Ruth Prabhu also looked back at the time when she was criticized and trolled. “I know firsthand because of all the trolling I faced with the pivot to healthcare, how shaky this ground is when you start to ask questions.”In 2024, Samantha Ruth Prabhu faced significant backlash online for promoting hydrogen peroxide nebulization as a healthcare remedy for viral infections. A medical expert, Dr. Cyriac Abby Philips (known as the TheLiverDoc), criticised he for making dangerous misinformation, and also made disparaging comments. He referred to Samantha as ‘health and science illiterate’. The doctor later issues apology for the inappropriate comments; however, added that his aim “was for her to leave behind medical misinformation-peddling ‘doctors’ who are using her vulnerability and catering to her anecdotal experiences for their gain.“Following the backlash, Samantha stated that she was merely suggesting it as an option, and not advocating the treatment. “I am not naive enough to go about strongly advocating a treatment. I merely suggested with good intention because of all that I have faced and learned in the last couple of years. Especially that treatments can be financially draining and many may not be able to afford them. At the end of the day, we all depend on educated doctors to guide us. This treatment was suggested to me by a highly qualified doctor who is an MD, who has served DRDO for 25 years. He, after all his education in conventional medicine, chose to advocate an alternate therapy.”Meanwhile, on the work front, Samantha Ruth Prabhu will be next seen in ‘Maa Inti Bangaaram’.
