Gwyneth Paltrow is responding to backlash after sharing a post on Goop last month about battling COVID-19 early on in the pandemic. Her post included a list of products recommended by the 48-year-old actor as remedies for inflammation she linked to the coronavirus.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the “Shakespeare in Love” star addressed the criticism that arose after publishing the post with her recommendations for feeling better. According to BBC, Stephen Powis, the National Medical Director of National Health Services (NHS) England, said that Paltrow’s suggestions were “really not the solutions we’d recommend.”
"In the last few days I see Gwyneth Paltrow is unfortunately suffering from the effects of COVID,” he said. "We need to take long COVID seriously and apply serious science. All influencers who use social media have a duty of responsibility and a duty of care around that.”
When asked if the criticism of her suggestions, including those from Powis, reach her, she replied, “Sometimes, but it's usually that I always find it's for their own amplification.”
“We really are not to say at Goop that we have never made mistakes because of course we have in the past, but we're very much in integrity and we're careful about what we say,” she continued. “We always feel like we understand why a lot of that (criticism) becomes clickbait for people."
Representatives for Paltrow declined TODAY's request for further comment on this matter.
In her original post on Goop, Paltrow revealed that she had tests done in January that showed she had "really high levels of inflammation in my body." She said that the virus left her with “long-tail fatigue and brain fog.”
Paltrow consulted Dr. Will Cole, who gave her a “version of protocol” that is outlined in his book, “Intuitive Fasting,” which included a keto and plant-based flexible diet. The actor also began cooking more often, sans sugar and alcohol. In her post, she promoted 16 other products, that the company "may collect a share of sales or other compensation" if readers purchase through the links on her site.
An editor's note at the top of the article does read, "This is one person’s story and recounts an individual experience. It is not meant to be a diagnosis for healing or treating any specific disease, symptoms, or side effects," while a disclaimer at the end adds, "This article is for informational purposes only. It is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and should never be relied upon for specific medical advice."
But this isn’t the first time Paltrow and Goop have faced backlash in recent years for their wellness suggestions. Back in 2017, a complaint was filed with two California district attorneys by the group Truth In Advertising (TINA), who urged regulators to take action over the Goop's alleged use of "unsubstantiated, and therefore deceptive, health and disease-treatment claims to market many of its products."
The group catalogued 50 instances in which it stated the lifestyle company claimed products "can treat, cure, prevent, alleviate the symptoms of, or reduce the risk of developing a number of ailments ..."
One year later, Goop settled and agreed to pay $145,000 in civil penalties for "unsubstantiated" and misleading claims about the effectiveness of three of their products. Products included its advertisement that jade and quartz "eggs" can be used to maintain vaginal health and an "energy sticker" spray meant to “protect” individuals from psychological and emotional harm. Despite the settlement, a spokesperson for the company urged it did not “indicate any liability on Goop’s part."
Then, in January 2020, ahead of the debut of the Netflix series, “The Goop Lab,” the show faced criticism for its contents. In the initial trailer, the series teased psychedelics, psychic mediums, energy healing and exorcisms as well as promising a focus on sexual health.
"The most horrifying thing (about) this is the word 'lab' which implies some sort of science which goop has NOTHING to do with!!" Amanda Rosenberg wrote in a now-deleted tweet. "Also the boldness of gwynnie coming to us from a vagina — a place she told us to stick jade eggs!!! this whole show is a danger to our health!!"
Another Twitter used tweeted, "Yay, I love encouraging and promoting pseudoscience in a time when parents are increasingly endangering their children by listening to influencers over doctors.”
At the time, Paltrow told Variety: “I will never understand the level of fascination and projection. But we don’t want to not change the conversation just to please everybody.
"We do what we do in total integrity, and we love what we do. It doesn’t even matter, really, that some are trying to get attention for writing about us.”