Celebrity doctor resigns from CBS News over Epstein-linked emails

Dr. Peter Attia, a Canadian-American physician and prominent longevity expert, has resigned from his role as a CBS News contributor following the US Justice Department's release of files that include previously undisclosed emails between him and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The decision was disclosed Tuesday by two people familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity, as reported by the New York Times.

Neither Attia nor CBS News immediately responded to requests for comment.

"Dr. Attia's contributor role was newly established and had not yet meaningfully begun," a spokesman for Attia said in a statement. "As such, he stepped back to ensure his involvement didn't become a distraction from the important work being done at CBS. He wishes the network and its leadership well and has no further comment at this time."

CBS News reported in January that Epstein had met with Attia and had been a patient of his. The report noted that scheduling records included notations for blood draws and follow-up appointments over several years.

Recently released emails disclosed by the Justice Department suggest a notably friendly and more personal rapport between the two men. In a June 24, 2015 message, Attia wrote to Epstein: "You (know) the biggest problem with becoming friends with you? The life you lead is so outrageous, and yet I can't tell a soul."

A review by The Washington Post found that Attia's name appeared hundreds of times in the newly released documents. Attia has not been accused of any misconduct related to Epstein, who was charged with sex trafficking in 2019 and later died in federal custody the same year. Authorities ruled his death a suicide.

On Feb. 2, Attia shared a statement on the US social media company X's platform, writing: "You deserve a complete and honest account of what did and did not happen. I apologize that I did not get this out sooner, but I want to be thorough."

"The purpose of the DOJ releasing these documents is clear: to identify individuals who participated in criminal activity, enabled it, or witnessed it. I am not in any of those categories, and there is no evidence to the contrary," Attia said, adding his communications "had nothing to do with (Epstein's) sexual abuse or exploitation of anyone," that he was never on Epstein's plane or his island, and that he did not attend any of Epstein's "sex parties."

Attia runs a concierge-style medical practice dedicated to helping patients extend both their lifespan and health span. With over one million subscribers on YouTube, he has emerged as one of the most influential voices in the rapidly growing field of longevity medicine.