Jeopardy! Apologizes for 'Outdated and Inaccurate Term' Used in Health Clue About POTS

CBS

The Jeopardy! team is apologizing for the wording on one of their clues after criticism of an "outdated" term.

On Monday's episode of the quiz show, guest-hosted by Savannah Guthrie, a health-related clue was presented to contestants: "Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome is also know as Grinch syndrome because this organ is too small."

The answer here was heart, and viewers took issue with the reference to the Dr. Seuss story in which the Grinch's heart was "two sizes too small," calling it a nickname for the condition that is no longer used because it's inaccurate to the actual disorder.

"Yesterday's program included a clue about postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). After hearing from the community, we found we used an outdated and inaccurate term for this disorder, and we apologize," the official Jeopardy! Twitter account wrote on Tuesday.

POTS affects blood flow, according to the Cleveland Clinic, and common symptoms include lightheadedness, fainting and an uncomfortable, rapid increase in heartbeat. It does not mean the structure or size of the heart is abnormal.

Jeopardy/Instagram

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Dysautonomia International, which is a nonprofit that raises funds and awareness of autonomic nervous system disorders, was outspoken about the Jeopardy! clue on Twitter, explaining that "no one with any credibility calls POTS 'Grinch Syndrome.' "

Lauren Stiles, the president and co-founder of the organization, told Parade magazine, "POTS is an autonomic nervous system disorder that impacts an estimated 1 to 3 million Americans. When the autonomic nerves aren't working properly, this can cause symptoms like lightheadedness, brain fog, fainting, an abnormally fast heart rate when standing up, gastrointestinal problems, and more. About 85 percent of POTS patients are female and the most common age of onset is age 14. Although adults can develop it too. There are no FDA approved treatments for POTS, so patients struggle to find effective treatments."

"We're glad Jeopardy! was willing to listen to our patient community," added Stiles. "We've all learned something by watching Jeopardy for years, and this time Jeopardy! learned something from its audience. We love Jeopardy!. Who doesn't?"

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Matilda and Mrs. Doubtfire actress Mara Wilson was among those speaking out on Twitter about POTS misinformation. "It's also just not true!" Wilson, 33, tweeted about the "Grinch syndrome" term. "It was based on one doctor's contentious theory proposed more than ten years ago. There's no scientific consensus. Disappointed to see @Jeopardy spreading medical misinformation."

"Thinking back to all the EKGs, ECGs, stress tests, and heart monitors I've had over the years, all of which have shown my heart to be totally normal, while my autonomic nervous system remains a mess," Wilson added.

Tara Ziemba/Getty Mara Wilson

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In 2019, Wilson opened about living with dysautonomia and being tested for POTS at the time, explaining to Lifehacker that "basically, it's like you stand up, and your heart rate speeds up, because your blood pressure is low, and your heart rate speeds up to overcompensate for it."

"I've had this for a couple of years," she continued. "It got particularly bad the past year and a half. It's triggered by things like caffeine. ... But it's a really common thing and it's very commonly misunderstood. And it's also very common in young women. I've had personal experience, and a lot of my friends have shared anecdotal experience with being young women whose health is not taken very seriously. So it took years for them to finally figure out what was going on."