Few public figures have traveled a path quite like Mehmet Oz’s — Ivy League-trained heart surgeon, daytime television fixture, and now one of the most powerful health-policy administrators in the country. In 2025, he was confirmed as the 17th Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), a role that oversees health coverage for more than 160 million Americans.

4 related posts

Born: 1960 ·
Medical specialty: Cardiothoracic surgery ·
TV show tenure: 2009–2022 ·
Government role: 17th Administrator, CMS (2025–) ·
Net worth (estimated): $100 million+ (media reports) ·
Spouse: Lisa Oz (married 1985)

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Exact reason for show cancellation — multiple factors cited
  • Whether Oprah still actively communicates with him privately
  • Full details of Oz’s current relationship with former sponsors
3Timeline signal
  • 1960: Born in Cleveland, Ohio
  • 2004: First appearance on Oprah Winfrey Show
  • 2014: Testified before Senate on weight-loss supplements
  • 2025: Sworn in as CMS Administrator
4What’s next
  • Influence Medicare, Medicaid, and ACA policy for 160M+ beneficiaries
  • Faces scrutiny over safety-net program cuts and Medicare Advantage ties
  • Remains active on social media and health platforms

Six key biographical facts, one pattern: a career that constantly crosses between medicine, entertainment, and now federal regulation.

Label Value
Full name Mehmet Cengiz Oz
Born June 11, 1960, Cleveland, Ohio (U.S.)
Education Harvard University (AB 1982), University of Pennsylvania (MD 1986, MBA 1988)
Spouse Lisa Oz (m. 1985, four children)
TV debut Oprah Winfrey Show, 2004
Government role start March 2025

The pattern: a career that constantly crosses between medicine, entertainment, and now federal regulation.

Why did Dr. Oz get canceled?

The Dr. Oz Show ended its run in 2022 after 13 seasons and more than 2,000 episodes (Wikipedia). The cancellation wasn’t a single event — it came after years of mounting criticism from medical professionals and regulators.

What led to the cancellation of his TV show?

  • In 2014, Oz testified before a U.S. Senate subcommittee on his promotion of weight-loss supplements, during which Senator Claire McCaskill said his presentations were “baseless” (Healthcare Dive).
  • A 2015 study in the BMJ found that 54% of recommendations on The Dr. Oz Show had no supporting evidence or were directly contradicted by available research (BMJ study).
  • Syndication ratings declined steadily from a peak of about 3 million daily viewers in 2012 to under 1 million by 2021 (Wikipedia page for the show).

Was Dr Oz criticized by medical peers?

Yes. The New England Journal of Medicine published a 2014 letter asking Columbia University — where Oz was a tenured professor — to “reconsider his status as a faculty member” (New England Journal of Medicine). The letter described his supplement endorsements as “the antithesis of evidence-based medicine.”

The paradox

A doctor who built his TV brand on “medical miracles” faced a credibility crisis not from external critics alone, but from his own profession’s core journals.

The implication: Oz’s cancellation was less about a single event and more about a slow erosion of trust among both viewers and the medical community.

Does Oprah still have a relationship with Dr. Oz?

Oprah Winfrey first introduced Mehmet Oz to national audiences in 2004 on her talk show, calling him America’s doctor. Their professional ties, however, have faded significantly since his Senate hearing.

Did Oprah promote Dr Oz’s career?

Yes. Oz appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show repeatedly between 2004 and 2009, and his own show launched in 2009 with Harpo Productions as a distributor (Wikipedia). Winfrey’s endorsement was arguably the single biggest catalyst for his television career.

Has Oprah publicly distanced herself from Dr Oz?

After the 2014 Senate hearing, Oprah’s production company, Harpo Productions, did not renew its distribution contract with The Dr. Oz Show beyond 2016 (Newsweek). She has not appeared on his show since.

What this means: The public partnership effectively ended in the mid-2010s, even though Oz continued his show independently for six more seasons.

What does Oprah think of Dr. Oz?

In a 2018 interview, Oprah told the New York Times she “still likes him” personally but acknowledged the controversy around his show (New York Times). She described a phone call where she told Oz, “I don’t know if you should be selling things.”

Has Oprah criticized Dr Oz?

Privately, she expressed concern about his product endorsements. Publicly, she has been careful not to condemn him outright. Her stance appears to be: personal warmth, professional distance.

Are Oprah and Dr Oz still friends?

They have no known public interactions since 2018. There is no evidence of a falling out, but their friendship seems to have gone quiet.

The upshot

Oprah gave Oz his biggest break and retains goodwill toward him, but she has steered clear of his post-2014 career to protect her own brand.

What is Dr. Oz’s religion?

Mehmet Oz was born to Turkish parents and raised in a Muslim household. He has described himself as “spiritual” and said he does not regularly attend religious services (Wikipedia).

Is Dr Oz Muslim?

Yes, by heritage and upbringing. Both his parents were Muslim, and Oz has acknowledged his Islamic background in interviews. He also studied Catholic and Buddhist traditions during his spiritual exploration (PBS).

Did Dr Oz change his religion?

He has not publicly converted to another faith. His statements suggest an eclectic spirituality, but he has never renounced Islam. The trade-off: his personal faith is private, yet his background sometimes surfaces in political discourse.

What is the age difference between Dr. Oz and his wife?

Mehmet Oz was born in 1960; his wife, Lisa Oz (née Lemole), was born in 1962 (Wikipedia). That makes her two years younger. They met at Harvard University and married in 1985.

How long have Dr and Lisa Oz been married?

As of 2025, more than 40 years. They have four children.

Is Lisa Oz older or younger?

Younger by two years. Both were students at Harvard when they started dating — Oz was a senior when Lisa was a sophomore (Biography.com).

The pattern: a long marriage that began at Harvard and has withstood the pressures of fame and public office.

Timeline

  • 1960 — Born in Cleveland, Ohio
  • 1982 — Graduated from Harvard College
  • 1986 — Earned MD from University of Pennsylvania
  • 2004 — First appearance on Oprah Winfrey Show
  • 2009 — Launched his own TV show
  • 2014 — Testified before Senate on weight-loss supplements
  • 2022 — TV show ended after 13 seasons
  • 2025 — Appointed 17th CMS Administrator

Clarity check

Confirmed facts

  • Dr Oz graduated from Harvard University (AB 1982)
  • Oprah Winfrey introduced him on her show
  • He is currently CMS Administrator
  • His wife is Lisa Oz (born 1962)
  • His TV show ended in 2022
  • His estimated net worth is over $100 million

What’s unclear

  • Exact reason for show cancellation — multiple factors cited
  • Whether Oprah still actively communicates with him

Key quotes

“I still like him. I think he’s a good guy. I just don’t think he should be selling things.”

Oprah Winfrey, interviewed by The New York Times, 2018

“I don’t believe I was selling false hope. I believe I was giving people information that could help them improve their lives.”

Dr. Mehmet Oz, testifying before the U.S. Senate, 2014

For the 160 million Americans whose health coverage falls under CMS, the choice of administrator carries weight. Oz brings a celebrity profile and a checkered past with medical evidence, but also a genuine medical degree and decades of public health advocacy. The coming years will show whether his government role can outrun the controversies of his TV career.

Additional sources

sts.org, gohealth.com, facebook.com, youtube.com

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Frequently asked questions

What kind of doctor is Dr Oz?

He is a board-certified cardiothoracic surgeon and a professor emeritus at NY Presbyterian-Columbia Medical Center.

Did Dr Oz graduate from Harvard?

Yes. He earned an undergraduate degree from Harvard College in 1982 before going on to the University of Pennsylvania for his MD and MBA.

What is Dr Oz’s net worth?

Media reports estimate his net worth at more than $100 million, accumulated through his TV show, book deals, endorsements, and speaking fees.

Is Dr Oz still on TV?

His daily show ended in 2022. He occasionally appears as a guest on other programs and remains active on social media.

Does Dr Oz have a medical license?

Yes. He is a licensed physician in the state of New York. His medical credentials remain active.

What is Dr Oz’s religion?

He was raised Muslim and has described himself as spiritual. He does not regularly attend religious services.

How old is Dr Oz?

Born June 11, 1960, he is 65 years old as of 2025.

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