Follow the Money: Peter Attia’s Lawsuit against Oura Ring

Summary

In this video, Scott Carney explores a lawsuit filed by longevity doctor Peter Attia against the fitness tracking company Aura Ring, revealing the intricate relationships between medical influencers and companies. The lawsuit exposes how Attia was paid to promote Aura and influence scientific studies. Despite Attia's respected reputation, Carney highlights the conflict of interest in such sponsorships and questions the integrity of health influencers who accept money from companies. The video underscores the importance of transparency and independence in scientific communication.

Takeaways

• 📚 The lawsuit between Dr. Peter Attia and Aura ring reveals the complex relationships between medical companies and influencers, highlighting the financial ties that can subtly influence health information communicated to the public.
• 💼 Dr. Attia is suing Aura ring for $1.3 million in unallocated stock options, but the lawsuit also exposes the broader issue of financial conflicts of interest in the field of health and science communication.
• 🤔 The script questions the independence of health influencers like Dr. Attia, who may be influenced by corporate sponsors, despite their seemingly credible and independent health advice.
• 🔍 The lawsuit details how Dr. Attia was supposed to be paid, how he took direction from Aura to influence media stories, and his role in placing the fitness tracker into scientific studies for marketing purposes.
• 👨‍⚕️ Dr. Attia is described as an inspiring figure in the field of longevity, known for his measured approach and intellectual flexibility, which makes the revelations about his corporate arrangements particularly striking.
• 💡 The script suggests that the business arrangements exposed by the lawsuit are not unique to Dr. Attia and could be the norm for many public health influencers, raising concerns about the integrity of the science they communicate.
• 💰 The financial incentives for influencers to promote certain products or ideas are highlighted, showing how these incentives can potentially corrupt the scientific process and the advice given to the public.
• 📈 The lawsuit shows that Dr. Attia's role with Aura included not only providing scientific advice but also promoting the product through his social media channels and introducing potential influencers and investors to the company.
• 📊 The script discusses the potential impact of influencers on scientific studies, suggesting that their involvement can lend undue credibility to products and potentially skew research outcomes.
• 🏆 Despite the concerns raised, the script acknowledges Dr. Attia's reputation and the value he brings to his field, but also emphasizes the need for transparency and independence in health communication.

Q & A

What is the main subject of the lawsuit involving Dr. Peter Atia and the fitness tracking company Aura Ring?

The lawsuit involves Dr. Peter Atia suing Aura Ring for $1.3 million in unallocated stock options.

Why is this lawsuit significant beyond the financial dispute?

The lawsuit provides a detailed blueprint of the relationships between medical companies and medical influencers, revealing how money and influence can affect the communication of health information to the public.

How did Peter Atia contribute to Aura Ring according to the lawsuit?

Peter Atia was brought on as a scientific adviser, helped raise funds, made recommendations on product development, and promoted Aura Ring through his social media channels and personal connections in the scientific community.

What conflict of interest is highlighted in the script regarding Peter Atia's involvement with Aura Ring?

Peter Atia was financially compensated by Aura Ring, which raises concerns about the independence and credibility of his scientific recommendations and promotions of the product.

How does the script's author view Peter Atia's influence in the health and longevity field?

The author acknowledges Peter Atia as an inspiring and credible science influencer but expresses disappointment over the conflicts of interest revealed by his financial ties to various companies.

What other companies and products is Peter Atia associated with according to the script?

Peter Atia has been associated with various companies, including Biograph, Magic Spoon, Fu Kitchen, Virta Health, Doc Parsley, Dexcom, Supercast, Moonwalk Bio, Athletic Greens, and Frontier Acquisitions Corporation.

What broader issue does the script raise about the relationships between health influencers and corporate sponsors?

The script raises concerns about the pervasive conflicts of interest in the health influencer industry, where financial ties to companies can compromise the integrity of scientific recommendations and public trust.

What does the script suggest about the impact of influencer endorsements on scientific studies and journal publications?

The script suggests that influencer endorsements can corrupt the scientific process by turning journal articles into advertisements for products, thus undermining the credibility of scientific research.

What is the author's stance on accepting sponsorships as a public figure?

The author is strongly against accepting sponsorships, emphasizing the importance of maintaining independence to avoid conflicts of interest and ensure credibility.

How does the script conclude regarding the overall impact of financial incentives on health influencers like Peter Atia?

The script concludes that financial incentives can significantly compromise the trustworthiness of health influencers, making it difficult to discern their true motivations and the reliability of their recommendations.

Outlines

00:00

📚 The Hidden Network Behind Medical Influencers

This paragraph discusses a lawsuit filed by longevity doctor Peter AA against fitness tracking company Aura Ring in July 2023, claiming unpaid stock options worth $1.3 million. The lawsuit reveals the intricate relationships between medical companies and influencers, shedding light on how these arrangements subtly influence the communication of health information to the public. The speaker admires Peter AA's approach to fitness and longevity, noting his intellectual flexibility and measured recommendations. However, the speaker also expresses concern about the potential impact of corporate sponsorships on the scientific integrity of health influencers.

05:03

🤝 The Business Arrangements of Medical Influencers

The second paragraph delves into the specifics of the lawsuit, highlighting how Peter AA's value was recognized not only for his medical expertise but also for his influence among other influencers. The speaker outlines the various roles AA was expected to play, including contributing to the design and analysis of medical studies, promoting Aura Ring through his social media channels, and introducing potential investors and partners. The paragraph also touches on the broader implications of such sponsorships on the scientific process, suggesting that they can lead to a perversion of scientific integrity.

10:06

💼 The Financial Incentives of Health Influencers

This paragraph continues the discussion on the financial arrangements between health influencers and companies, focusing on the case of Peter AA and Aura Ring. The speaker details the specific services AA was expected to provide in exchange for stock options, including marketing services, scientific advice, and promoting the company on his social media platforms. The paragraph also mentions the effectiveness of AA's influence, as evidenced by the sales of Aura Rings following his mentions, and the broader issue of influencers using their credibility to promote products without sufficient scientific evidence.

15:07

🔍 The Independence of Health Influencers Questioned

The final paragraph addresses the broader implications of the lawsuit and the financial relationships between health influencers and companies. The speaker questions the independence of health influencers like Peter AA, given their financial ties to companies in the health industry. The paragraph also highlights the potential conflict of interest that arises when influencers promote products and ideas without sufficient scientific backing. The speaker concludes by emphasizing the importance of following the money to understand the true motivations behind influencers' recommendations and the need for transparency in these relationships.

Keywords

💡Lawsuit

A lawsuit is a legal action taken by an individual or entity against another to resolve a dispute. In the context of the video, the lawsuit is between Dr. Peter Attia and the fitness tracking company Aura Ring. The lawsuit is significant as it reveals the financial and professional relationships between medical influencers and companies, which can affect the way health information is communicated to the public.

💡Stock Options

Stock options are a form of employee benefit that gives the holder the right to buy a certain number of shares in a company at a set price within a certain time frame. In the video, Dr. Attia claims that Aura Ring owes him $1.3 million in unallocated stock options, which is a central point of the dispute and highlights the financial incentives involved in such relationships.

💡Medical Influencers

Medical influencers are individuals who have significant influence over public health perceptions and behaviors, often through social media or other platforms. The video discusses the role of medical influencers like Dr. Attia in promoting health products and how their financial ties to companies can potentially compromise their objectivity and the integrity of the health information they disseminate.

💡Conflict of Interest

A conflict of interest arises when a person's private interests could potentially compromise their professional judgment or actions. The video emphasizes the potential conflicts of interest when medical influencers like Dr. Attia receive financial compensation from companies whose products they promote, which can undermine the credibility of their health advice.

💡Scientific Studies

Scientific studies are systematic investigations designed to answer specific questions about the natural world. The video script mentions that Dr. Attia's role included placing the fitness tracker into scientific studies, which suggests that his influence extended beyond mere promotion to potentially shaping the scientific narrative around the product.

💡Health Information

Health information refers to data or knowledge that informs decisions about health and wellness. The video discusses how the relationships between medical companies and influencers can subtly or overtly affect the health information that reaches the public, potentially leading to biased or misleading health advice.

💡Intellectual Flexibility

Intellectual flexibility is the ability to change one's beliefs or ideas in light of new evidence. The video praises Dr. Attia for his intellectual flexibility, as he has been willing to change his stance on certain health practices, such as intermittent fasting, when new data contradicts his initial views.

💡Corporate Sponsorships

Corporate sponsorships involve financial or other forms of support provided by companies to individuals or organizations in exchange for promotion or endorsement. The video explores the implications of corporate sponsorships on the independence and credibility of health influencers, suggesting that such arrangements can lead to conflicts of interest.

💡Health Authority

A health authority is an individual or organization that is recognized as a reliable source of health information. The video questions the independence and credibility of health authorities like Dr. Attia when they have financial ties to companies in the health industry, potentially compromising their objectivity.

💡Longevity

Longevity refers to the characteristic of living a long life. Dr. Attia is known for his focus on longevity and his recommendations on fitness and health practices that can extend life. The video script discusses how his scientific credibility and recommendations might be influenced by his financial relationships with companies in the health and wellness sector.

💡Follow the Money

The phrase 'follow the money' is a journalistic adage that suggests tracing financial transactions can reveal underlying motives or conflicts. The video concludes with this advice, emphasizing the importance of understanding the financial relationships between health influencers and companies to assess the credibility of their health advice.

Highlights

A lawsuit in July 2023 reveals the relationship dynamics between medical companies and influencers, shedding light on how money subtly affects health information communication.

Dr. Peter AA sued fitness tracking company Aura Ring for $1.3 million in unallocated stock options, highlighting the financial ties between influencers and corporate sponsors.

The lawsuit details how much money AA was supposed to be paid and his role in promoting Aura Ring through mainstream media and scientific studies.

Peter AA is described as an inspiring figure in the science influencer space, known for his measured approach to fitness and longevity.

AA's intellectual flexibility, such as changing his stance on intermittent fasting when new data emerged, is commended as rare in the influencer community.

The lawsuit exposes the business arrangements between AA and corporate sponsors, raising questions about the independence of health influencers.

In April 2016, Carl Cavel, an Aura founder, and Harprit Singh, an investor and AA's friend, discussed bringing AA in as a scientific advisor, emphasizing AA's influence in medicine and among influencers.

AA's role included influencing the output of medical studies on behalf of Aura, which could potentially corrupt the scientific process.

The lawsuit shows that AA was involved in various aspects of promoting Aura, including raising funds and directly selling products to his audience.

By 2018, AA had not been paid as promised, leading to tensions and the eventual lawsuit.

The complaint reveals that AA's agreement with Aura included providing marketing services, participating in medical strategy, and promoting Aura on his social media channels.

AA's effectiveness in promoting Aura is demonstrated by his single newsletter mention leading to the sale of 1,000 rings.

AA also made introductions to sleep scientist Matt Walker, who later became a medical advisor for Aura, suggesting similar contractual arrangements.

Aura's website lists 10 scientific advisors, all with significant social media following, indicating a preference for influencers over traditional scientific credentials.

The lawsuit raises concerns about the independence of health influencers who are paid by companies in the same space they are promoting.

AA's recommendations, while appealing, often lack the evidence to back them up, leading to skepticism about the credibility of health influencers.

The speaker emphasizes the importance of being wary of health influencers who may be influenced by financial ties to companies.

The speaker discloses that unlike AA and other influencers, they do not take money from sponsors, maintaining independence in their work.

Transcripts

my friends we have a lawsuit which means

that things that big companies and

famous people wanted to keep HED are

dropping into the public record and this

one is a doozy in July 2023 the

longevity Doctor Peter AA sued the

fitness Tracking Company Aura ring

claiming that it owes him $1.3 million

in unallocated stock options but this is

not a run of the-mill lawsuit to collect

on an overdue bill it is a blueprint for

the relationships between medical

companies and medical influencers and

offers us a rare Peak into the money

that moves around behind the scenes that

subtly and sometimes overtly affects the

way that all of these people communicate

human health information it details how

much money AA was supposed to be paid

how and when he took direction from Aura

to land stories and the mainstream media

and most importantly at least to me his

role in placing the fitness tracker into

scientific studies in order to market

the product in this video I'm going to

explain how the hidden network of

sponsors behind aa's very well-respected

brand affects the science that he

communicates to the public now none of

this to my knowledge is illegal and well

that might be the problem the things

that pop out to me in this lawsuit might

sound like I'm going after a te

specifically but my larger point is that

the sorts of business Arrangements that

AA exposed by filing this lawsuit have

become the norm for how most of the

public consumes science

communication now before I go into the

sorted details I want to State outright

that I think Peter Atia is a really

inspiring guy and maybe the best science

influencer out there I read his book out

live last month and was impressed by his

measured approach to Fitness and

Longevity he doesn't jump onto every

biohacking bandwagon that comes along

and boils down his recommendations on

longevity to paying attention to just a

few major admittedly addressable factors

it's not going to be malleable based on

one pill one magic workout one fruit

smoothie shake or any such Elixir it's

going to come down to a lot of hard work

a lot of understanding a lot of

sacrifice and a lot of strategy he is

sensible where other influential

scientists Dazzle you with Cutting Edge

and ultimately usually unproven

scientific treatments most admirably he

is one of the few Mega influencers who

is capable of changing his mind on

things when new evidence comes out for

example he started out as a major

proponent of intermittent fasting but

eventually changed his position when the

data mounted against it that sort of

intellectual flexibility is rare on the

internet and I commend him for it and

this is why it is just so fascinating to

read this legal complaint that he filed

against Aura because despite his

demeanor and logical mind I find it Well

I guess I find it depressing what his

arrangements with corporate sponsors

actually look like if AA is the best of

the scientific influencer lot then my

guess is that the cont tracks that other

influencers sign with their sponsors

look sort of similar or maybe they're

even worse what is true for Atia is

going to be in the same ballpark as any

deals involving Andrew huberman David

Sinclair Andy Gulpin Lex fredman Dave

asprey Mark Heyman rungan chattery Tim

Ferris and the list just keeps going on

you get the idea if you

are making your reputation by being some

kind of health authority some kind of

reputable um credentialed authority

figure but you are taking money from a

company in the exact space that you are

making your content then that is a

absolute direct Financial conflict of

interest that's Rohan Francis a

cardiologist from the UK who is also

YouTube famous but notably does not at

least to my knowledge take any

sponsorships so so if you want to know

exactly what AA was doing for the money

will his lawsuit points the way the gist

of the complaint goes like this in April

2016 Carl cavella one of the founders of

Aura ran into harprit sing Ry an

investor and one of Peter Tia's friends

at Whole Foods and Ry decided to invest

in the company and join the board of

directors a few months later in 2017 Ry

became president of Aura and wanted to

bring Atia in as a scientific adviser Ry

was an enormous champion of Atia and

wrote to the board saying quote Dr AA is

very well connected not just in medicine

but with all types of influencers as

well which is a clear indication that

from the very beginning aa's value was

at least half because he was influential

no real surprise there they sent Atia a

free aing and AA said that he would love

to contribute his expertise as quote a

physician focused on the science of

longevity more importantly because he

understood the capabilities of competing

devices on the market quote AA could

bring members of the scientific

community and relevant researchers in

the academic space together to help

design develop or analyze medical

studies and this this was the first

mention in the suit that aa's role would

also include him influencing the output

of medical studies on behalf of aora and

it's followed directly by this statement

Dr Atia could provide awareness in the

US market through social media to

hundreds of thousands of people

specifically interested in products of

this nature Dr AA could also introduce

Mr R to potential high-profile us

influencers partners or investors

interested in wearable technology now AA

was going to be involved in all sorts of

things getting Aura off the ground uh

including raising funds and directly

selling products to his longevity

focused audience now they all signed

ndas and AA was brought on board during

a beta test AA made some recommendations

on how the device detects heart rate

variability and they all agreed to work

together offering Atia some sort of

equity in the company which was the

ultimately basis for the lawsuit but by

2018 AA hadn't gotten paid so he told

IIA that a bunch of aura's competitors

were chomping at the bit to work with

him on their devices and my guess this

was probably hoop and maybe Fitbit

anyway other companies were similarly

promising at the time now I think it's

important to remember that in 2018 there

was no clear market leader in the

fitness tracking space and it could have

turned into a win or take all situation

where the recommendations of influencers

in the medical field really really

mattered I don't think journals really

you know have encountered this this

before where you have celebrity

individuals people like Peter AER or

hubman who have huge uh

audiences to get them to talk about your

product but also then give it the

additional credentials where they you

know are not going to just run a trial

or or contribute to a trial they're

going to talk about that trial on their

podcast that's the you know that's the

purpose and then it gives the company

huge scientific credibility in my mind

this is a huge corrup uption of the

scientific process one that scientific

journals are just not ready for well

peerreview is almost always unpaid work

May no maybe it is always unpaid work

scientists also don't get paid for

publishing in journals but product

sponsorships like AAS were specifically

designed to inject Capital into that

process creating a conflict of interest

Journal articles on any number of

subjects became advertisements for or

Aura ring now this same sort of

perversion of the scientific process

also seems to have happened in the case

of Andrew huberman with his articles in

cell reports medicine on behalf of whoop

which was his sponsor AA had Aura uh

huberman had whooop and it also may have

influenced Susanna silberg's piece and

it is a whole can of worms so check out

the video right here uh if you just need

more context anyway the complaint states

that Atia and Aura were were successful

in their efforts to raise the profile of

Aura and by the end of 2021 the company

was worth

$40 million and that is a lot of money

for his Services Ry ultimately agreed to

give AA 20,000 uh stock options which

were worth about €1 1.76 EUR a share at

the time and have since Rosen to that

$1.3 million figure now the complaint

says that the agreement between them was

explicit to quote the stock option

agreement stated that Dr would be

concurrently awarded stock options for

committing to provide certain marketing

services including participating in

medical strategy and providing a

scientific and medical perspective and

and this part's important here helping

make introductions to help Aura ring be

used in medical studies committing at

least 10 hours a year in advisory work

to the CEO of the board and other

medical board members promoting Aura in

Dr Ortiz owned and operated social media

channels including his newsletter and

podcast

and including defendants and the aura

ring to other influencers partners and

potential

investors now that is not a bad gig for

10 hours of advisory work a year plus

like you know glad handing with friends

but it was worth a lot of money after

they all agreed Atia shows how effective

he really was one mentioned in his

newsletter sold 1,000 Rings right off

the bat that's about

$300,000 of aura rings for just a

mention and then he documents how he

followed up on a request from Ry the CEO

to leave some kind words about Aura for

a CNBC reporter named Chrissy far now

then he actually points out the tweets

and the responses are really funny Dan

frer an editor at a consumer advocacy

publication um tweeted please be sure to

sort your replies by who is an angel

investor in the

company AA he was directly promoting

Aura ring and oh man the good old days

of Twitter when people actually called

out conflicts of interest still aa's

tweet was eventually picked up by Mega

podcaster and influencer Tom Bilu who

commended Aura for gamifying Sleep

everything was going according to plan

now AA along the way also made

introductions to The Sleep scientist

Matt Walker who is now also listed as a

medical adviser to the company possibly

with a sort of similar looking contract

now at this point it's worth noting that

aura's website lists 10 total scientific

advisors and AA is obviously no longer

on it all of them have significant

numbers of social media followers and it

seems that a follower count is a

necessary credential for Aura to take

your science seriously which is maybe a

little problematic like who's on their

research and development team anyway

that's the gist of what's happening in

the lawsuit overall I don't think that

the outcome will all be the that

interesting a will either get paid out

or will use some loophole and finish law

because it's a Finnish company to avoid

paying in full or there will be some

sort of settlement uh in between anyway

the rich people will continue being rich

but what really came out in the lawsuit

was that Atia who again is probably the

most credible of uh this lot of health

influencers is that the number of

companies that he had similar

arrangements with suffice it to say if

AA Was a Race car you'd barely be able

to see his paint here's my incomplete

list uh that I got through the various

biographies that he put out uh that list

him as a sponsor or an an advisory

position there's a health tracking

company called biograph a keto cereal

called Magic spoon a fancy chocolate bar

compan called Fu Kitchen which is

actually in my grocery store a diabetes

management software company called verta

Health a sleep supplement company called

doc parsley a continuous glucose

monitoring company called Dexcom a Kia

carard dealership in Hawaii the podcast

distributor supercast an intermittent

fasting program at in Boseman a company

called moonwalk bio which I can't I

can't really figure out what it does but

it appears to be in the quote cell

reprogramming space and of course then

there's athletic greens a daily

supplement company that sells vegal

powdered Health shakes uh where he is a

scientific adviser it's not called ag1

and the company is reportedly worth

$1.2 billion and spends a minimum of $2

million a month on podcast advertising

that's for a company that whose

supplements really don't do anything uh

there's no really great science behind

it in addition to all of that I also

found out that according to a filing

with the Securities and Exchange

Commission AA is also on the board of

directors of Frontier Acquisitions

corporation which is registered in the

Cayman Islands as something called a

blank check company which has roughly

$200 million in capital to dispose of I

don't really know what a blank check

company in the Cayman Islands does uh

but he's on the board with another

longevity influencer named David

Sinclair to invest in quote

transformative and disruptive Health

Care

opportunities whatever those are anyway

let's step back and take a look at the

huge and very big picture

people listen to the Peter AAS of the

world because they appear to offer

credible perspectives on human health

that go against the grain of whatever it

is you get from your doctor's office

they appear to offer you fresh Health

perspectives and even hacks that allow

you to outthink and even optimize

yourself above and beyond ordinary care

we want there to be Alternatives that

are truly independent to the

pharmaceutical industries that have

failed a lot of Americans who mostly

have terrible Health Care and have

witnessed a long history of medical

research

malpractice but just because big Pharma

has issues does not mean that aa's

revolutionary sounding recommendations

aren't influenced by the same sorts of

conflicts of interest that made big

Pharma so terrible in the first place

now there was just article that just

came out in the New Yorker like

yesterday like right before I recorded

this video uh about AA and it stated

that a his recommendations often look

great on paper the promises are awesome

but that he doesn't always have evidence

to go behind it uh to quote the article

Peter's theory of medicine 3.0 is that

you get all of this long life where

you're healthy and then you fall off a

cliff at the very end and it would be

great if that were true but there isn't

any evidence for it says cardiologist

Eric toppel to the New Yorkers I mean a

Tia's whole thing is that you want to

extend the quality of your life as long

as possible so that when you get to the

end of it you just sort of drop off a

cliff and just like die immediately this

is what it means to square the longevity

curve in an ideal world that red curve

would be a straight line here that would

drop vertically and instantaneously at

the end of a person's life and you don't

have to suffer that sort of wasting away

and that is a you know honestly it's so

appealing to me and to many other people

the problem is is that we don't have the

longevity science to back it all up so

he makes these recommendations uh on

what he says the evidence which is

appropriate for for medicine

3.0 which isn't evidence it's mostly

anecdotes because you can't do a

longevity study on a population that's

not dead yet you just don't know how the

outcomes all pan out anyway if Atia can

sell his scientific credibility to a

company like Aura ring for 1.3 million

and has 10 other companies lining up to

pay him for similar services and maybe

for similar amounts of money then how

independent is he really for that matter

how independent is any health influencer

at all who is on someone else's payroll

let me just end with one classic piece

of journalistic advice if you are

suspicious of someone's claims follow

the money because the money always leads

the way to what people's motivations

really are and I really want Atia to be

that Beacon of Health um Diagnostics he

said so many interesting things but once

you take money from one person and you

influence science sort of willy-nilly

and and and and on the

payroll then how do we we trust anything

that you do how do we trust any

influencer in the scientific space this

is why I think it's so important to be

very very wary as someone in the the

public sphere like myself of ever taking

any sponsorships whatsoever Peter Tia is

a doctor he gets paid I you know

somewhere around 100,000 to

$140,000 a year to be his personal um

you know for you to be his personal

patient that is a lot of concierge

medicine and I think that's probably

really good for the people who can

afford

it but on a larger scale when the money

is dictating your medical prac practices

there are some serious serious problems

and I think that influencers like AA

like hubman like that whole list that I

said in the first place they're selling

you hope with a veneer of medicine over

it and then they have all of these

relationships underneath that are

funneling money into their pockets in

ways that may not be totally

straightforward unless you get a lawsuit

put out where they are directly

squabbling over money in legal print

anyway if you found this podcast

interesting remember that unlike AA and

hubman and these others I don't take

money from sponsors I do not work with

Affiliates I do not sell ecourses my

work is completely independent and I

support myself mostly from YouTube

advertising but also from patreon

supporters who pay to get early access

to my content I also have occasional

gigs with mainstream media and of course

my book sales I appreciate everyone who

helps to keep me independent so that I

don't have to work with companies that

want to influence what I say from poke

bear LLC in Denver Colorado this was

Scott Carney investigates

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