Actor and cancer survivor Sonali Bendre has issued a clarification after facing backlash from medical professionals for crediting naturopathy and autophagy in her cancer recovery journey. Doctors criticised her earlier social media post, calling the therapies “unproven” and warning that such claims could mislead patients.
What Sonali Bendre Said
https://t.co/zvurHrdE6G pic.twitter.com/oble5wQomC
— Sonali Bendre Behl (@iamsonalibendre) November 24, 2025
On Monday evening, Sonali shared a statement on X, asserting that she was simply speaking from personal experience.
“I have never claimed to be a doctor, but I am certainly not a quack either. I am a cancer survivor, someone who has lived through the fear, pain, uncertainty, and rebuilding that the disease brings,” she wrote.
She emphasised that every cancer journey is different, adding:
“One of the many protocols I personally explored, after thorough research and medical guidance, was autophagy. It made a difference for me then and continues to do so today.”
Sonali said her intention is to foster respectful dialogue, not offer medical advice.
“We don’t all have to agree, but we should avoid dismissing one another simply because we lean toward different approaches. I will always share my journey with honesty and humility, never as a prescription, but as a lived experience,” she stated.
Why Doctors Pushed Back
The controversy began after Sonali’s post praising autophagy—often associated with fasting and alternative medicine—triggered criticism from several medical experts.
Prominent hepatologist Dr Cyriac Abby Philips (The Liver Doc) responded, pointing out that Sonali’s successful treatment was due to modern, evidence-based medicine, not naturopathy.
“Naturopathy is quackery,” he said, warning that fraudulent cancer treatments disguised as naturopathy often delay patients from receiving effective care. He also noted that the FDA has repeatedly issued warnings about illegally marketed cancer treatments.
Several doctors echoed his concerns, cautioning that celebrity claims can inadvertently influence vulnerable patients.
Background
Sonali Bendre was diagnosed with stage four metastatic cancer in 2018. She underwent treatment at a New York hospital and was declared cancer-free in 2021. Since then, she has been vocal about cancer awareness and survivor support.