A TikTok dispute between two medical professionals has drawn massive attention online, after a pharmacist raised ethical concerns about a neurosurgeon’s paid partnership with a GLP-1 company.
Dr. Betsy Grunch, known on TikTok as Ladyspinedoc, announced a partnership with a company called Noom, which promotes GLP-1 micro dosing. In her promotional video, she stated: “GLP-1 support appetite regulation, metabolism, and how the body uses energy. Clinically guided micro dosing can support consistency, metabolic health, and how people feel day to day, even for individuals who are already at a healthy weight.”
Savannah Sparks, a doctor of pharmacy, responded with a video questioning the appropriateness of the partnership. “Tell me why a neurosurgeon is partnering with a company promoting online GLP-1s,” she said. “Steering patients toward a d**g that’s not in your specialty for financial gain is crazy.”
Her video caption read: “Please talk with your provider, not your neurosurgeon, for all your GLP-1 concerns.”
Savannah then posted a more detailed follow-up, referencing the Open Payments database, a public record where d**g and medical device companies are legally required to report payments made to physicians.
The data showed Betsy’s earnings significantly above both the specialty mean and the U.S. mean. One company in particular, Spinology Inc., a spinal implant company, reportedly made $177,000 worth of payments to Betsy since 2018.
Savannah also highlighted that in August 2025, a merger involving the clinic where Betsy was employed was paused following confirmation of a Department of Justice investigation. According to Savannah, the investigation concerned “allegations that Dr. Betsy Grunch and or others received illegal remuneration from medical device companies in violation of the anti-kickback statute in connection with products or services that may not have been medically necessary.” The merger later resumed, and Betsy subsequently left the clinic to open a private practice.
Rather than addressing these claims directly, Betsy responded in comment sections by referring to Savannah as “the Only F*ns star,” a reference to Savannah’s presence on that platform.
Savannah responded by saying: “That video contained zero personal attacks. None. I stuck with facts and professional ethics.”
Betsy’s friend and fellow physician, known as doctorbrainbarbie, came to her defense, arguing that physicians working with companies is common practice and that online speculation was being presented as fact without verifiable sources.
A creator known as the.legal.np also weighed in, noting that a DOJ investigation does not indicate guilt, stating: “Simply the government gathering information to see if there was any healthcare fraud or laws that were violated. These investigations are extremely complex and extremely confidential.”
