Dhruv Pathak

24 | Medico.

[TheLiverDoc™ @theliverdoc]

PLEASE READ. THIS IS IMPORTANT. SEE HOW YOUR TAX MONEY IS WASTED ON FRAUD PSEUDOSCIENCE STUDIES BY THE BJP GOVERNMENT.

The study did not demonstrate added benefit, and its claim of prolonged safety is a lie.

No demonstrated benefit
Ashwagandha did not produce a statistically convincing improvement in antibody responses, COVID-19 prevention or quality of life. There were 27 infections among 598 Ashwagandha recipients and 20 among 602 placebo recipients. This does not demonstrate protection.

Some numbers are mathematically impossible
The same supplement reports a spread (standard deviation) of 13.8 for a questionnaire score that mathematically cannot have a spread larger than about 10.8–12 — like reporting that everyone in a room is between 5 and 6 feet tall, with an average variation of 2 feet. Elsewhere, the placebo group’s heights supposedly vary by 17–22 cm while every other group varies by 9–10 cm; the odds of that happening in a real randomized trial are about one in a trillion trillion trillion.

The one “positive” result is an illusion created by math
The abstract says the Ashwagandha group showed “persistently higher” antibody levels in one subgroup. The paper’s own Table 2 shows the opposite: that group’s actual antibody levels were lower at every single time point. The “20–40% higher” claim comes from measuring change from each group’s starting point — and the Ashwagandha group happened to start 25–34% lower, so its catch-up looks bigger as a percentage. It is like two runners: one starts 10 metres behind and both finish together; you then praise the trailing runner for “gaining more metres.” That is not a drug effect; it is an accounting artifact. The paper never tells readers this.

The safety story is a lie and the bad bits were left out
“Safe” in this paper means “no statistically proven difference in harms” - but the trial was not designed to detect rare or moderate harms, and every actual number tilts against the herb: more adverse events (337 vs 309), more serious adverse events (6 vs 2), more probably drug-related events (7 vs 2), and more dropouts (92 vs 76) in the Ashwagandha arm. Some numbers were simply misreported: serious reactions are listed as “0.08%” when the real figure is 0.67% - ten times higher. Significant differences in blood tests (including D-dimer, a clotting marker that matters after an adenovirus-based vaccine like Covishield) appear in the tables but are never mentioned in the text, which instead says all lab results stayed normal. And 168 people (14%) left the trial for “various reasons” that are never itemized, so the claim that “no one quit because of side effects” cannot be checked.

Basic numbers and statistical tests do not agree.
Nobody can say how many people were actually in the trial. The text reports 11 symptomatic COVID-19 infections, while the adverse-event table reports 22. Depending on which table you read, the same 1,200 participants split into subgroups four different, mutually contradictory ways (the totals come out as 1,200, 1,194, 1,019-labelled-as-919, and 1,025). One trial cannot have four different headcounts. Dropout rates also varied bizarrely between recruitment waves - 23.7% in one group versus 5.4% in another, with no explanation. Some statistical test results cannot be reproduced from the printed counts.

Some laboratory data require urgent verification. Some of the data were literally copied and pasted.
In the paper’s quality-of-life supplement, one column of numbers (baseline results for the Ashwagandha group) reappears — digit for digit, all eight values — as a completely different column (week-28 results for the placebo group). Two different groups of people, measured six months apart, do not produce identical results down to the second decimal place. This is a copy-paste job, and it means at least one of those columns is not real data. One table reports a very large difference in blood urea between groups, with small variation within each group, yet gives a statistical result suggesting little difference. The corresponding urea-nitrogen value also does not fit. In the quality-of-life supplement, four pairs of averages and measures of variation are repeated exactly across different groups and visits.

Ashwagandha's quality documents do not consistently support their own claims.
A raw-root test reports 0.048% total alkaloids against its stated minimum of 0.3%, while declaring compliance. Those statements cannot all be correct. The extract and finished-tablet measurements also do not reconcile on the obvious calculation. Chromatograms dated 2019 are supplied for a trial that began enrolling in late 2021, without showing their connection to the actual trial batches. This means the documentation is insufficient to verify what participants received.

The goalposts were moved after the results came in
When the trial was registered in 2021, its main question was whether Ashwagandha improves the immune response to the vaccine. The answer came back: no measurable effect. So the published paper re-centred itself on a secondary question — safety — and put “safe” in the title, while demoting the original main question to “exploratory.” That is called outcome switching, and trial registration exists precisely to prevent it. Along the way, the eligible age range quietly changed three times across documents (18–45, then 18–65, then 18–70), a planned interim analysis vanished, and the timeline described in the paper contradicts the registry.

The paper hid the fact that the two groups were not comparable
A fair trial needs the treated group and the placebo group to start out the same. At the start of this trial, 77.6% of the placebo group had signs of a past COVID infection, versus 70.9% of the Ashwagandha group — a real, statistically significant difference (the correct p-value is about 0.01). The paper’s own Table 1 says so. But the text of the paper claims the groups were “comparable” and quotes a p-value of 0.50 - wrong by a factor of fifty, and wrong in the direction that hides the problem. Why it matters: the group with fewer past infections (Ashwagandha) would be expected to look different on later antibody tests anyway, which muddies every comparison the paper makes about immunity and breakthrough infections.

The published paper contains fabricated-looking data blocks, impossible statistics, a fifty-fold misreported p-value that hides an unfair comparison, a main result replaced by a secondary one after the fact, and a headline “benefit” that its own tables disprove.
https://t.co/jXY9Q75PMM

A letter to the journal's Science Integrity Department WILL BE MAILED TODAY with the following concerns about this paper @FrontiersIn

[TheLiverDoc™ @theliverdoc]

People are asking why we withdrew our plea in the Supreme Court against prescrption of Homeopathy...for Covid-19 immunity.

This was not because we were threatened.
This was not because Ayush (Center or State) provided us proper evidence to shut us up.
This was not because Homeopathy works.

The response from the State and Center Ayush departments were idiotic, nauseating, ad-hominem and utterly rubbish, it was an insult to our intelligence.

We withdrew the case because we lost faith in the judiciary system and has understood that sometimes, justice is delayed, to deny it. This line of what happened during Covid-19 with Homeopathy just does not work anymore now, because we are way past it.

We worked hard to make this case, but the case was dragged on purposefully for years, the responses from the Center and State Governments came 3 years after we filed the petition and in between, a Homeopathy group from Kerala impleaded with the Center and State and, as a response, submitted an affidavit that was pure ad-hominem, to which responding was also beneath our status.

The case ultimately became "infructuous" as per legal terms - meaning unproductive, fruitless, or lacking any useful purpose or value - because it was for Covid-19 time and Covid-19 related interventions which the Court, at present, found no value in reasoning with. We were advised to start a fresh petition against the guidelines issued by Ayush - and not focus on what happened during Covid-19. We simply did not have the money or the legal power to do this afresh.

We feel horrible about this situation.
The question we asked Center and State was simple:
- why was arsenicum album homeopathy given on mass public scale even to children when there is no proof of studies and no evidence of safety?

The Ayush would say, it is safe, because there is nothing in it - so then why are they giving nothing?

Or they would claim arsenic in it is useful to boost immunity - so then why are you giving the king of poisons to children without evidence to show for boosting or safety?

Answering this core question would have thrown Homeopathy out of this country. But instead of getting to those answers quickly, delayed tactics, made us run on fumes and ultimately the case got cold.

But we dont want to stop. We want to start fresh a petition against Homeopathy use among children and for public health. We want the Government to stop funding Homeopathy. We need lawyers who can help us get this done with a fresh set of eyes and hands and want to push this as a Public Interest Litigation. We want citizens to pool in funds so that we can at least pay the people who will fight for us in the court.

So we are not backing out. We are taking a few steps back to gather energy and force to make sure the next cut, is the final cut.

We want to work on it...lay the strongest foundation and fight pseudoscience, not just through medical communication, but also through legal channels.

If you are a lawyer or a group of lawyers who want to take this up as a PIL, please email us: [email protected]
https://t.co/ifs3PUz2GB

@arifhussaintm @Lucythebiped @DrTonyPhilip @kaippally

[Dhruv Pathak @lunaticseverus]

@YatraOfficial what scam company are you running? booked tickets through your website - booking cancelled from your end, request initiated for refund. it has been 10 days (1 working week) and no refund + calls not being picked, no email response, website error. @jagograhakjago

[Satyam Singh Rajpoot @advsatyamrajput]

Rather than holding perpetrators accountable, the reported filing of a ₹125 Crore defamation lawsuit against a recovering resident doctor who attempted suicide due to extreme workplace toxicity exposes a alarming breakdown in institutional ethics and trainee protection. When young medical professionals face relentless psychological harassment, systemic overwork, and intimidation, regulatory authorities such as the National Medical Commission (NMC), Indian Medical Association (IMA), other Medical Associations and local law enforcement must step in to enforce anti-ragging mandates and conduct transparent investigations rather than allowing legal muscle to silence grievances. Weaponizing civil litigation against vulnerable students seeking help sets a dangerous precedent, making it clear that medical institutions must prioritize humane working conditions, mental health support, and statutory safety mechanisms over aggressive corporate self-preservation.

@NMC_BHARAT @asiyakhane3ba @VishnuRajgadia @medicopenia_155 @DrDhruvchauhan @IMAIndiaOrg @MumbaiPolice @FordaIndia @UDF_BHARAT @FAIMA_INDIA_ @drlakshyamittal @DrRohanKrishna3

[वरुण 🇮🇳 @varungrover]

Corruption is not an issue anymore because everyone understands (and even respects) this basic human urge to hoard, to make more money. We even celebrate the top 15-20 billionaires of the nation as some sort of beacons of our culture and pride.

But what gets missed in this razzle-dazzle is that corruption is not just someone making extra money by bending rules - it also means those bent rules KILL people. In building fires, collapses, fake cancer medicines, adulterated foods, drunk driving, and a hundred other ways.

Corruption actually means someone making money by murdering people, murdering us.

[DrSaranshVerma @DrSaranshverma]

🚨 𝗡𝗘𝗘𝗧-𝗣𝗚 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲: 𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗢𝗨𝗦 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗖𝗘𝗥𝗡𝗦

Not Just Jaipur — Bilaspur Too. How Many More?

In Bilaspur, the NEET-PG 2026 exam was affected for nearly 1 hour due to a server failure, causing serious disruption for candidates.

How can aspirants give their best when basic exam infrastructure itself fails?
#NEETPG2026 #NEETPG #NBEMS #NEETPGAspirants #NEETPGExam
#MedTwitter

[Dr.Dhruv Chauhan @DrDhruvchauhan]

Hello @NBEMS_Official
The technical glitch didn’t happen only in Jaipur but in countless many centres and here is the proof attached of the students claiming it under my post (more than 100 centres)

How can this exam be called “Successfully conducted” ?

[Nachiket Bhatia @bhatia_nachiket]

Issues faced in various #NEETPG centres as told by students
1. Absolute mismanagement, dirty centres
2. AC not working. Literal heat chambers
3. Biometrics not working at a single go. Multiple attempts were required, thus wasting a lot of exam time
4. A student has a fingerprint issue(informed beforehand). Officials did not believe him/ laughed at him and he was made to wait for 10 minutes or more at every biometric test.
5. Old computers , stopped working mid exam. Mouse was not working in many centres
6. Reports of system rebooting mid exam, deleting all the clicked answers and student has to redo everything

Add on what you have experienced and i missed

[Nachiket Bhatia @bhatia_nachiket]

NBE scammed FMG’s

This is not justice—it is damage control.
NBE IS THE TRUE WINNER. Their revenue increases with an add on exam.

After an allegedly irrational paper and disputed video-based questions, NBEMS gave FMGs:

❌ No compensation marks
❌ No relief for FMGE June 2026
❌ No question paper or answer key( question ID And answer ID is useless
❌ No immediate response-sheet transparency
❌ No accountability for the chaos

Instead, NBEMS announced three exams a year—meaning three opportunities to collect examination fees from already distressed students. Even the fee “reduction” has no amount or deadline. The promised 30:50:20 difficulty ratio, better centres, portal transparency and FMG representation are all future assurances without a concrete implementation mechanism.

They even claim there were “only 14” video-based questions, while the matter remains before the Delhi High Court.

Students demanded justice for the exam already conducted. NBEMS offered another paid attempt. You cannot convert institutional failure into a recurring revenue model and call it reform.

#FMGE #NBEMS #JusticeForFMGs

[Dhruv Pathak @lunaticseverus]

No action against NBEMS for fake news? It's 26th August IST and no admit card has been released yet.

[NBEMS @NBEMS_Official]

#neetpg2026

[Nachiket Bhatia @bhatia_nachiket]

What kind of cruel joke is NBEMS playing with NEET-PG candidates?

Admit cards were originally supposed to be released on August 27. Then NBEMS “preponed” the date to August 24 in the name of candidate convenience. Nothing was released. Candidates were then told to wait until August 25—and now it is almost August 26, yet there is still no admit card or proper communication!

What exactly was the benefit of preponing the date if the admit cards are released on the original date—or merely a few hours earlier?

Think about candidates from Assam, Meghalaya and other remote areas whose centres may be hundreds of kilometres away. They need to book flights or trains, arrange cabs and reserve hotels near their centres. Many must leave at least a day in advance. Last-minute bookings are expensive, stressful and sometimes simply unavailable.

An exam authority cannot demand punctuality and discipline from candidates while displaying complete disregard for their time, money and mental health.

Admit cards and centre details should be released at least one week before the examination. NBEMS must release them immediately, issue a clear explanation and ensure this harassment is never repeated.

Students deserve accountability—not endless uncertainty.
#NEETPG #NBEMS #ReleaseNEETPGAdmitCard

[Dhruv Pathak @lunaticseverus]

what about NBEMS that sent out wrong city centres at midnight to 2 lakh+ students? any action for that? or the delay in releasing admit cards when the entire day has passed AFTER a lapse in deadline? no action / accountability?

[NBEMS @NBEMS_Official]

@vsmaanx Please be advised to exercise due caution and refrain from posting or circulating any false, incorrect or misleading information regarding the NEET-PG 2026 on social media platforms. Any such act may attract appropriate action under the applicable provisions of law.

[Dr. Praveen Tripathi @drpraveenpsy]

Dear Indian Medical Students,
Your FMG colleagues are protesting at Gautam Nagar, Delhi, asking for accountability and transparency.
It's not only their issue. It's your issue as well.
Every year, after NEET PG, thousands of students are heartbroken as their scores are way below what they should have gotten. They never get to know what exactly happened, as the paper is not released and neither is the answer key released in a proper manner.
Today is the time to stand shoulder to shoulder with FMG students and ask for a transparent system.
Go and support them. Share it on social media. Raise your voice.
We are 'One'

[Dr Gunjan Deshpande MRCSEd, FICO (UK), FAICO, DNB @drgunjand]

Affordable healthcare is the duty of the state and not the doctor.

[Idiopathic Doctor @oshowed]

Sir @raghav_chadha requesting you to kindly ask all state and central run government hospitals and medical colleges to install MRI facility in hospital.
1.5T costs 2.5-4 Cr approx.

This way people would get it for not just discount but absolutely free. Rather than pouring money into Ayushman, a free diagnostic facility like MRI, PET SCAN is must.

Also please tell why governments outsource MRIs or run on PPP model when it costs penny to state or centre budget ?

TRUTH IS, blames are just to shift focus on inefficiency and gain browny points on social media. Most hospitals are run by non medical people but doctors are easy targets.

[Dr.Dhruv Chauhan @DrDhruvchauhan]

MBBS doctors don’t work in rural areas therefore they introduced Bridge course (CCMP) to convert homeopaths into Modern Medicine Doctors.

Okay, Now introduce A 6 month Bridge course to convert all Lawyers into Judges to clear 5 crore+ pending cases in India and lay down a law that stop them from going on strike since it delays justice !

[Maheshwer Peri @maheshperi]

Before we get into making a safe examination system, @NandanNilekani must examine the need for any entrance exam. Most exams are territorial power centres and business opportunities.

Take for example CUET. It is the most unnecessary examination Imposed on the hapless Delhi students that made the CBSE scores useless and killed school education. This was done to neutralise the AAP investment in government schools a waste. These kids cannot afford private coaching and a state topper is also denied a seat.

Similarly, NEET is useless for those who want to join a private medical college. The price differential (5 lacs and 1.5 crores) is so huge that at rank 30,000 all government colleges close their admission while even at rank 13 lac, private colleges are unable to fill seats. Private colleges are reserved for the rich 1% of India. If you indeed fighting against reservation and for meritocracy, shouldn’t you include this?

The TET, even JEE advanced, UGC NET etc can be modified to make it a test for those who don’t cross a certain level of education.

We must reduce the entrance exams. We must reduce the number of students who should take the exam. Increase the eligibility. For Ex: Make 80% in boards a qualification to get into all India institutions like AIIIMS, IITs etc. Make school education mandatory. Punish those in dummy schools. Hedge. De-risk. Spread.

Make sure that a 3 hour exam doesn’t become the life altering exam. It will reduce stress. Reduce suicides. The business of entrance exams has to be reformed before we reform the conduct of such exams.

[Roshan Rai @RoshanKrRaii]

You may hate him for your political reasons but Bro created a movement out of literally nothing.

One social media page, One trend , and one post changed everything.

Govt down on the knees, first forced resignation in 12 years.

Abhijit Dipke, You are a leader 👏

[TheLiverDoc™ @theliverdoc]

🇮🇳✊📚

[Korah Abraham @thekorahabraham]

Absolute rockstar statement by actor Jyotika. No mincing words. No unnecessary 'students are future' poetry. Straight to the point.