[Sportschosun Lee Ge-eun] Kim Hyung-bae, an Oriental medicine doctor and the boyfriend of influencer A-ol-i, came under fire after saying that adults can endure a fever of up to 39.4 C, while children can tolerate up to 38.5 C.
On the 25th, the Association of Physicians for a Fair Society issued a statement condemning Kim Hyung-bae's remarks.
The group said, "This was a statement made from a position where public recognition formed through entertainment coverage is combined with the status of a medical professional, which makes it part of the public sphere. As the remarks spread among doctors, criticism emerged that 'an Oriental medicine doctor is pretending to be a physician and putting people at risk.'"
It added, "A fever of 39.4 C is a condition that calls for suspicion of a serious illness and rapid diagnosis. The causes of fever range widely, from a simple upper respiratory infection to pneumonia, pancreatitis, encephalitis, and sepsis. Many of these diseases can see complications and mortality rise sharply if diagnosis is delayed. Kim said it was fine to observe the condition until 39.4 C, but the reason that advice is dangerous is not because the temperature itself is harmful. It is because it wastes time that should be used to find the cause."
The group continued, "Any doctor who graduated from a proper medical school would find that number strange. We want him to explain where he got it from. Even a temperature above 38 C usually causes chills and pain severe enough to make people consider going to the emergency room. A doctor who has actually seen patients in that condition would not write that it is okay to endure it until 39.4 C. In addition, temperatures measured at home often read lower than the actual body temperature depending on the measurement site and device. That is why doctors are baffled by the claim that people can simply endure a fever up to 39.4 C."
It also warned, "This appears to be an incident in which an Oriental medicine doctor without medical training simply repeated material from the literature. It is a case of someone trained in Oriental medicine, not medicine, using the name doctor to give advice on how to respond to fever." The group demanded that he delete the post and apologize.
Earlier, Kim Hyung-bae posted replies on his social media account saying, "For adults, it is fine to try to endure it until 39.4 C. Temperatures above that can cause brain damage, so be careful. A proper rise in body temperature helps activate our immune system," and "For children aged 4 to 5, I recommend trying to endure temperatures up to about 38.5 C. If the temperature goes higher and they show signs of dehydration, such as headaches, muscle pain, fatigue, or listlessness, take medicine or visit a nearby hospital for treatment."
joyjoy90@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
