“It was never the intention.”
The Happy Pear have addressed backlash after their podcast guest claimed depression was linked to antibiotics.
Writing on their Instagram page, the brothers shared a clip of a podcast interview with American physician Dr Zach Bush.
Dr Bush stated during the episode: “One course of antibiotics, my risk of major depression in the next 12 months goes up by 24%. Two courses of antibiotics in a year is a 45% increase in anxiety disorders, 52% in depression.
“Your inability to be joyful, your inability to have pleasure [is harmed] because you took an antibiotic,’ he added. Writing on Instagram, the twins said that while ‘antibiotics can be wonderful, life-saving medicines’ the interview ‘highlights some of the negative affects they can also have’ and raised questions ‘over usage/prescription.”
Doctors have since claimed that there is no scientific evidence to back his claims up and that should not derail people from seeking this medication.
I’ve hated the Happy Pear twins ever since they suggested that people could avoid breast cancer by eating mushrooms so whatever their latest medical misinformation incident is, they can shove it up their arse.
— Ronzo (@ronronzo) April 20, 2023
In the past, Dr Bush has made claims that link gut health to autism.
Dr Denis McCauley, GP and vice-president of the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) said that the claims made were “nonsense” and that promoting information like this can potentially stop someone from getting the much-needed medication.
He said: “There is absolutely no scientific research behind this. There is absolutely no association between antibiotics and depression.”
Other doctors have also spoken out on social media, with Dr Niamh Lynch, a paediatric doctor from Cork, saying: “When your product is “wellness” and you have a huge following then there is a sort of social contract there, that you wouldn’t do anything to put your followers in harm’s way.
“You wouldn’t do that, because you know amongst your half a million or so followers, there are bound to be some vulnerable people. People who would hate to fall back into depression. People who might refuse a necessary antibiotic because of the fear you may just have activated.”
The brothers have now issued a statement following the backlash, saying: “The Happy Pear acknowledges that some of the content in a recent reel post across some of our social media platforms in relation to a podcast with US-based Dr Zach Bush MD, has caused offence, with some statements not given the appropriate qualification or context.
“It was never the intention to mislead or to misinform and we sincerely apologise for any offence caused… We will endeavour to ensure that this does not happen again.”
