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Massachusetts medical board reprimands Indian American psychiatrist’s license
In response to a 2022 complaint, Dr. K's medical license has been revoked by the Board of Registration in Medicine for his participation in six live-streamed chats with Reckful
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Dr. Alok Kanojia / Photo Courtesy: dr_alokkanojia/X
The Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine recently took disciplinary action against Indian American psychiatrist Dr. Alok Kanojia, popularly known as Dr. K, by reprimanding his medical license.
The board found that Kanojia’s live-streamed conversations on Twitch, a popular gaming platform, with one individual about his mental health undermined the public confidence in the integrity of the medical profession.
“Physicians involved in the media environment should be aware of their ethical obligations to patients, the public, and the medical profession,” the board noted in the complaint filed against Kanojia in 2022.
It is to be noted that reprimanded does not mean revoked. Kanojia will still be able to continue his practice both offline and online.
He has around 2.37 million followers on Twitch and 2.47 million subscribers on YouTube.
Who is Kanojia?
Kanojia began his career in the entertainment industry predominantly on Twitch and YouTube after earning his medical degree in 2014. He rose to fame as Dr.K in the streaming realm, thanks to several interviews with top names in the gaming industry.
To help addicted gamers, Dr. K founded the Healthy Gamer business as a "way to provide resources to a generation struggling with mental health and struggling to be understood by traditional resources.”
Listener’s death and controversy
Starting in 2019, Reckful, one of the most popular gamers at the time, interacted with Kanojia on Twitch six times live. The two talked about Reckful's drug use, mental health, and his brother's suicide during their interviews. However, on July 2, 2020, Reckful took his own life.
Some psychologists and YouTubers criticized Kanojia for providing therapy in his live sessions. In a video following Reckful’s passing, Kanojia emphasized to his audience that his livestreams and material should never be used in place of professional counseling by experienced therapists.
Nevertheless, due to perceived damage to reputation, the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine reprimanded his license because Kanojia’s “conduct can affect medical colleagues, other health care professionals, as well as institutions with which they are affiliated.”
Following the public release of the board's censure, Healthy Gamer released a lengthy statement regarding the situation and its continued association with Dr. K.
"We took self-corrective measures to address the most problematic aspects of guest interviews while still allowing for meaningful discussion around mental health, long before this complaint was filed."
"A Scientific Advisory Board that advises on policies/procedures for content, coaching, and other core activities" has also been developed by the company.
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