PR Wins & Woes: TikTok Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Roxy
A cautionary tale on what happens when social media goes too far
Toni Harrison
If you’re joining us from social, welcome! This summer, Etched launched a new content series entitled: PR Wins & Woes. This weekly dish on the best (wins) and worst (woes) PR moments from brands, headlines, and pop culture, dives into the fascinating and fretful world of PR. Wins & Woes aims to provide a delightful blend of PR insights and entertainment as we dissect key moments from our cultural narrative.
You can catch the weekly series on Instagram (@etchedeffect) every Friday. For the stories that deserve a deeper dive, you can find us here at Medium, unpacking all the dos and don'ts. Up first, meet the TikTok plastic surgeon Dr. Katharine Roxanne Grawe, or as patients once called her, “Dr. Roxy.”
As a public relations CEO with extensive experience in crisis management, I can confidently assert that while Dr. Grawe’s predicament is unique, the underlying issues are not. It serves as a cautionary tale of the perils that arise when professionals, regardless of their field, lose sight of ethical boundaries in the allure of online fame.
Where Things Went South
The most glaring lapse was Dr. Grawe’s brazen disregard for patient privacy. In an era where the importance of data privacy and protection is more pronounced than ever, it’s alarming that a seasoned medical professional would livestream surgeries on a platform like TikTok. One can argue that these actions stem from a genuine desire to educate the public, but even the noblest intentions cannot supersede the foundational tenets of medical ethics. Regardless of the purpose, obtaining informed consent and ensuring privacy is non-negotiable.
The board’s concerns surrounding the lack of informed consent and ethical concerns related to privacy and social media were, by all appearances, ignored or inadequately addressed. Receiving warnings, reprimands, and then continuing with the very behavior that drew criticism shows a lack of introspection. It’s not just a failure of one individual but points to a broader issue: the societal pressure of maintaining a brand image sometimes blinds professionals to their core responsibilities.
The sheer volume of surgeries performed by Dr. Grawe, as highlighted by her testimony, raises an eyebrow. Two to five surgeries a day, every day, might make one question if the quality of care was always optimal. Here, the blurred lines between professional responsibility and the pursuit of online fame come into sharp focus. It’s not hard to imagine a scenario where the pressure to generate more content for followers may have inadvertently influenced medical decisions.
It’s worth noting, however, that the nuances of this situation shouldn’t be oversimplified. One can sympathize with the impulse to showcase and educate the world about the intricacies of plastic surgery. But therein lies a vital distinction between showcasing one’s work and commodifying medical procedures for viral fame.
In the grand tapestry of digital-age crisis, there’s a recurring thread: the lure of the limelight often compels even the most judicious of us to bypass ethical considerations, consciously or otherwise. The challenge isn’t just navigating the aftermath but proactively establishing and upholding standards that remain invulnerable to the whims of online trends.
In this context, the decision of the State Medical Board of Ohio isn’t just about Dr. Grawe. It’s a message to all professionals that the pursuit of online popularity cannot and should not come at the cost of compromising ethics, integrity, and the trust placed in us by the public.
The bottom line is that in an age where content is king, ethical standards must remain the bedrock upon which all else is built. It’s not just about avoiding crises; it’s about ensuring that our digital age doesn’t erode the very principles that define our professions.
Etched Ruling
Without a doubt, this is a major PR woe.
