The Guardian: Diaa Al-Awadi's ideas continue to claim victims after his death
The Guardian reported that Dr. Diaa Al-Awady, an Egyptian physician known for promoting scientifically unproven treatments, continues to influence thousands of people even after his death. He had urged patients with diabetes and others to abandon certain conventional therapies, claiming that the body could heal itself through a diet he called “Al-Tayyibat.” The newspaper added that Al-Awady also promoted claims including that insulin is a “scam,” that smoking is harmless, and that chemotherapy is unnecessary, despite lacking any scientific research or clinical trials to support these assertions, before the Egyptian Medical Syndicate permanently revoked his license.
The Guardian highlighted the case of Egyptian writer Fatma Adel, who stopped taking type 2 diabetes medications in early 2024 and followed the diet advocated by Al-Awady after becoming disillusioned with her previous treatment experiences. She reported feeling better during the first few months, but her condition gradually deteriorated until she was diagnosed with diabetic foot due to uncontrolled blood sugar levels, ultimately requiring repeated surgeries to remove infected tissue in an attempt to avoid amputation.
The newspaper also noted that Shimaa Al-Badawi, a patient with lupus, died months after stopping her medication based on Al-Awady’s advice. Meanwhile, Egypt’s National Council for Childhood and Motherhood was forced to take legal action against parents who had stopped administering insulin doses to their children with diabetes in response to his recommendations, resulting in some children suffering serious complications.
The Guardian clarified that Al-Awady’s death in a Dubai hotel last April did not diminish his influence; rather, it bolstered his presence on social media, as conspiracy theories circulated among his followers claiming he had been “silenced.” Thousands attended his funeral in Cairo. The newspaper added that Egyptian authorities’ decisions to ban the distribution of his content, shut down his clinics, and revoke his medical license led many to seek out and widely share his videos, while dedicated groups promoting his ideas continue to amass large followings.
