A US-based naturopath’s defamation case against a Melbourne GP has been pared back after a pre-trial hearing concluded many of the allegedly defamatory imputations were the GP’s opinion or based on misinterpretations of his posts on YouTube.

Farrah Augustin-Bunch, who markets self-branded alternative medicine products to around four million followers, had alleged Dr Adam Smith made 96 defamatory imputations about her across 10 social media videos.

But ahead of the trial, which is scheduled for April next year, Justice John Dixon has decided that many of the allegations were wrongly drawn from Dr Smith’s presenting style and production techniques.

He reviewed 10 of Dr Smith’s videos, in which the GP warned patients not to take health advice from Ms Augustin-Bunch or buy her products, such as ‘Pixie Dust’ (magnesium) and ‘Mega Vitamin C’ for treating serious conditions such as cancer and diabetes.