File photo of Diaa Al-Awady
The move follows official requests from the Health Ministry and the Egyptian Medical Syndicate, which warned that widely shared material attributed to Al-Awady could endanger lives by promoting advice that contradicts established medical science.
Acting under Law No. 180 of 2018, the council ordered all media outlets, websites, and social media platforms subject to its jurisdiction to refrain from publishing, broadcasting, or re-sharing any of the doctor’s recorded or written content.
The council also tasked its monitoring unit with tracking compliance and documenting violations for legal action, while referring offending links and materials to the National Telecom Regulatory Authority for immediate removal and blocking.
The decision comes amid growing concern over the spread of unverified medical advice online and its impact on patients, particularly those with chronic conditions.
SCMR head Khaled Abdel-Aziz said the council is coordinating with the Health Ministry and the Medical Syndicate to issue new regulations governing doctors’ media appearances in line with professional and scientific standards, with guidelines expected later this month.
Egyptian Medical Syndicate Chief Osama Abdel-Hay said investigations into the late doctor found “serious violations of scientific constants,” including advising children with type 1 diabetes to stop taking insulin, which he described as a “grave error with catastrophic consequences.”
He added that recommending kidney transplant patients discontinue immunosuppressive drugs constitutes “a crime and a direct threat to life,” stressing that relying on diet alone instead of medication is a “dangerous illusion.”
The syndicate has removed Al-Awady from its registry and referred the case to the public prosecutor and the Health Ministry, Abdel-Hay said, adding that any doctor promoting unverified medical information would be barred from media appearances.
Moreover, the Egyptian Ministry of Health said it had revoked his licence to practise before his death. Health Ministry Spokesman Hossam Abdel Ghaffar said such action follows specialized scientific review and reflects practices that may endanger patients’ lives, adding that authorities are coordinating with regulators to curb the spread of unverified medical advice.
Separately, Senator Suzy Samir, a member of the Senate’s Health Committee, warned against social media campaigns promoting alternative dietary regimens or encouraging patients to abandon prescribed treatments, saying parliament is considering tougher penalties for those spreading misleading medical information.
She said such content can mislead patients, especially those with chronic illnesses, leading to serious complications that could have been avoided through proper medical care. Protecting public health, Samir emphasized, is a “red line.”
Al-Awady, who died of natural causes in the UAE, was an Egyptian doctor who gained wide visibility on social media platforms for promoting alternative treatment approaches centred on diet-based regimens, often referred to as the “tayyibat” (wholesome foods) system.
His content attracted a significant following but also drew mounting criticism from medical professionals, who said his advice frequently contradicted established scientific guidelines, particularly in relation to chronic and life-threatening conditions.
His case has since become a focal point in Egypt’s wider debate over medical misinformation, particularly the role of social media in amplifying unverified health advice to large audiences.
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