Fact Check: Video of Arnab Goswami endorsing diabetes supplement is doctored

Hyderabad: A video showing Arnab Ranjan Goswami, an Indian news anchor and journalist, endorsing a 'diabetes-curing supplement', is being widely shared on social media.

In the viral video, you can see the Republic TV anchor advising diabetic patients to rely on a tablet that can potentially cure diabetes completely.

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases describes diabetes as a disease that occurs when your blood glucose, also called blood sugar, is too high. Glucose is your body’s main source of energy. Your body can make glucose, but glucose also comes from the food you eat. Diabetes raises the risk of damage to the eyes, kidneys, nerves, and heart. Diabetes is also linked to some types of cancer. Taking steps to prevent or manage diabetes may lower your risk of developing diabetes health problems.

Fact Check

NewsMeter found that the audio in the viral video was tampered with.

We found that there was a mismatch in the audio and the movements of the lips in the video hinting that the original audio has been replaced.

We further performed a reverse image search and found the original version of the video on the YouTube channel of the Republic World. The video was titled, “Arnab’s debate: Pak Prime Minister reads China’s script, calls Indian Diaspora ‘sleeper cell’” published November 16, 2023. The video is a debate about the international diplomatic relations between India, China and Pakistan.

In the video, Arnab is wearing the same clothes as seen in the viral video. From the 2:26-minute mark in the original, one can see the section of the video that was used in the viral video.

Also, on analyzing the viral post, we found that the link attached to the video to access the supplement was inaccessible.

Through our search, we also came across similar videos of journalists ‘endorsing’ anonymous diabetes supplements. Click here, here and here to view the posts.

Although it is not clear if the audio of the journalists has been cloned using software or was performed by a voice artist, the audio in all three videos doesn’t match their respective videos, showing that the original audio was replaced with the advertisement for the diabetes supplements.

Is diabetes curable?

No, it is not curable. According to HealthMatch, “There is no cure for diabetes. However, by consistently monitoring your blood sugar levels and keeping them in a healthy range, it’s possible to prevent the long-term effects of diabetes. Many people can manage their diabetes through diet and exercise.”

According to Medical News Today, “No cure for diabetes currently exists, but the disease can go into remission. When diabetes goes into remission, it means that the body does not show any signs of diabetes, although the disease is technically still present.”

It further said that even if a person maintains regular blood sugar levels for 20 years, a doctor would still consider their diabetes to be in remission rather than cured. Always remember that switching between types of insulin should be done in consultation with a physician and requires medical supervision, and if possible, close monitoring of blood glucose.

Beware of fake drugs

Moreover, the FDA further said, that as the number of people diagnosed with diabetes continues to grow, illegally marketed products promising to prevent, treat, and even cure diabetes are flooding the marketplace.

“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is advising consumers not to use such products—for many reasons. For example, they may contain harmful ingredients or may improperly be marketed as over-the-counter (OTC) products when they should be marketed as prescription products. Illegally marketed products carry an additional risk if they cause people to delay or discontinue effective treatments for diabetes. Without proper disease management, people with diabetes are at a greater risk for developing serious health complications," it added.