Deepinder Goyal defends Temple wearable against doctor criticism

Zomato and Eternal founder Deepinder Goyal defended his Rs 85,000 brain-monitoring wearable, Temple, on November 5, 2026, after facing sharp backlash from medical professionals over the device’s scientific claims. Pre-orders for the gadget opened on November 1, with deliveries promised within three months. Critics, including hepatologist Dr. Cyriac Abby Philips—widely known as The LiverDoc—and gastroenterologist Dr. Zubin Sharma, dismissed the device on social media as a health scam lacking peer-reviewed clinical validation.

In a seven-point open letter posted to X on November 5, 2026, Goyal pushed back against allegations that the wellness product is fraudulent. He stated that he has spent $30 million developing Temple, with $20 million coming from his own personal funds. He argued that selling a few thousand units would recover only a fraction of that investment, making a scam financially irrational. “If Temple were a scam, and any of what we said weren’t true, people would know it in just a few days of using Temple,” Goyal wrote, pointing to a 14-day, no-questions-asked return policy. He also cited industry precedent, noting that fitness band maker Whoop shipped its hardware in 2015 years before publishing its first validation study, adding that Temple’s own pre-prints are forthcoming.

Medical Critics Dispute Brain-Flow Metrics and Scientific Methodology

Writing on X, Dr. Cyriac Abby Philips labeled the device a wellness fraud, asserting that it can only measure blood flow and flushing to the face and has nothing to do with the brain as claimed. Dr. Philips claimed that Temple’s own science lead, Avi Roy, conceded that the hardware is not yet proven to measure brain flow or entropy, while failing to address concerns regarding methodology and data falsification in preprint papers. Dr. Zubin Sharma also wrote online, thanking Goyal for confirming that the device ships without peer-reviewed clinical outcome research.

Technical Specifications and General Wellness Positioning

Priced at Rs 85,000, Temple comes in six colors—True Gold, Rose Gold, Black Mirror, Real Jade, Deep Blue, and Purple Funk—and relies on light-based sensing technology to track metrics. The device monitors cerebral blood flow and oxygenation under the marketing term BrainFlow, while also calculating a biological entropy score from 1 to 250 to indicate physiological strain from stress, poor sleep, or caffeine. Goyal has maintained that Temple is a fitness tracker and wellness device, not a medical device.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Temple Wearable

What metrics does the Temple device claim to track?

The device tracks real-time cerebral blood flow, oxygenation, heart rate, and a biological entropy score ranging from 1 to 250 to evaluate physiological strain.

Is Temple approved by medical regulatory bodies?

No. Goyal has clarified that Temple is a fitness tracker and wellness device, not a medical device.

What is the return policy for pre-orders?

The company offers a 14-day, no-questions-asked return policy for buyers, which pre-orders initiated on November 1 are subject to ahead of deliveries scheduled within three months.