- Hepatologist Cyriac Abby Philips accused Deepinder Goyal of false claims about Temple's science
- Philips urged regulators to verify Temple's claims before it gains wider attention
- Doctors question if Temple can measure brain circulation from sensors outside the skull
Hepatologist Cyriac Abby Philips, who posts as TheLiverDoc, has accused Eternal founder Deepinder Goyal of lying about the science behind Temple, the Rs 85,000 wearable Goyal launched after stepping down as CEO.
In a post on X on Monday, Philips urged government regulators to assess the device's claims. Goyal has said Temple is a fitness and AI product and that the company has made no medical claims.
-
Indian Markets Turning Corner After Two Tough Years, Says Sandeep Tandon -
NDTV Profit Ignite 2026: Experts See Opportunity In Equities, Stay Bullish For Long-Term -
Buy Right, Sit Tight Does Not Work for Individual Stocks, Says Dinshaw Irani -
'Worst Is Behind': Quant MF Sees Market Bottom, Flags 'Extreme Euphoria' In Midcaps -
India's Mutual Fund Industry Could Become A $1 Trillion Opportunity, Say Fund Managers -
'Foreign Investors Are Baraatis': Raamdeo Agrawal's Take On LTCG Tax -
Stay Invested Through Market Cycles: Raamdeo Agrawal at NDTV Profit Ignite -
Ramesh Damani Remains Bullish On India For Next 20-30 Years, Sees Bargains Amid Market Weakness -
CAS Came After A Long Consultation Process: SEBI Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey AT NDTV PROFIT IGNITE -
Aim To Cut FPI Onboarding Time From Mth To Five Days: SEBI Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey AT NDTV PROFI
What Philips Has Alleged
Philips wrote that Temple was "always about the brain", even though Goyal now says it is not, and that no working device-based evidence of its "Entropy" measure has been shown.
He said he and other clinical scientists had gone through the science published on Temple's website and found nothing proving the device measures what it claims. In his view, it can capture only heart rate and blood flow to the scalp from the temporal artery.
"Government regulators must assess the claims made before this becomes a circus show for the West," he wrote. He shared a side-by-side graphic of Goyal's posts from January to May and from November, and said Temple's promotions still mention the brain. These are Philips's allegations and Goyal disputes them.
ALSO READ | Temple Not Made For India, But For World: Deepinder Goyal Expects Just 1% Sales From India
What Is Temple?
Temple is a head-worn wearable that sits on the side of the forehead. Its two headline metrics are BrainFlow, which tracks relative changes in brain circulation, and Entropy, a 1-250 score meant to show how hard the body is working.
Pre-orders opened on 1 November, with deliveries expected in about three months. Goyal led a $54 million funding round for the startup.
Health Concerns Raised By Doctors
Doctors have questioned whether Temple can do what its marketing suggests. Philips argues there is a gap between detecting blood flow near the temple and proving a sensor outside the skull can measure circulation inside the brain.
He has said the device can only measure blood flow and flushing to the face. He also says customer experiences cannot replace independent validation. Goyal has said Temple is a fitness and wellness device, not a medical one.
ALSO READ | 'Disclose Your Interests': The Liver Doc Questions Ranveer Allahbadia Over Temple
How Goyal Has Responded
On 8 November, Goyal posted that Temple is "strictly a fitness + AI device" and that the company has made no medical claims. He said BrainFlow is not Temple's main point and that Entropy is, adding that the company has not yet published anything on Entropy.
He said proof moves from white paper to pre-print to peer review, and that buyers can wait for it. On 5 November he had told critics Temple is "not a medical device".
Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.