‘Misinterpreted’: Hepatologist criticizes findings of IIT-BHU cow urine study

Liver specialist Dr. Cyriac Abby Philips, who is known as “The Liver Doc” on the Internet, on Tuesday said, asked Springer Nature to investigate a July 2025 study by researchers from IIT-BHU and BITS Pilani who analyzed the urine of cows from eight natural species. In a series of posts on X, Philips said it had asked Springer Nature to review a July 2025 paper published in Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology. A study, conducted by researchers from IIT-BHU and BITS Pilani, analyzed urine samples from eight cows and said that there are drugs that can be used in health, construction and technology.According to Philips, the project received Rs 31.04 lakh under Scientific Utilization Through Research Augmentation-Prime Products from Indigenous Cows (SUTRA-PIC).Calling the paper a “third-party publication”, Philips said the researchers did not identify laboratory contaminants such as natural chemicals found in cow urine. He said the study revealed the presence of synthetic drugs, including illegal drugs, narcotics and toxic substances, which he said should not occur naturally.“These researchers mistook lab pollutants, such as plastic chemicals and solvents, for natural chemicals in cow urine,” he wrote. He added that the authors reported health effects on several drugs even though those factors were not found in their literature.Philips also cited inconsistencies between paper records and data tables, poor referencing, lack of statistical analysis and concerns about the graphs used in the study. According to him, some figures looked suspiciously similar and should be thoroughly investigated. He said he had written to Springer Nature’s ethics committee and the journal’s editors to investigate the credibility of the paper.He said that the Research Integrity team at Springer Nature was interested and will soon start an investigation.In an earlier statement, he had written, “I have been spending most of my non-clinical time looking at the studies the Modi government is offering in a series of research papers on cow by-products published in medical journals. I am very disappointed to see that many of these books have not been properly reviewed by their peers. I don’t know how they got through such popular magazines. “Philips is no stranger to controversy. Recently, the Ministry of Ayush issued a memorandum seeking action on media articles where they described Ayurveda as a pseudoscience. The ministry said it had received complaints that the comments were defamatory and defamatory of Ayush’s medical practices.In response to the move, Philips said it was being targeted to discuss science. Regarding the memorial, he wrote that the authorities want to close his social media. Citing Article 51A(h) of the Constitution, he said citizens have a responsibility to develop scientific temper and spirit of inquiry.