Medical Misinformation

Part of being an informed patient or caregiver is learning as much as you can about your condition and treatment options. Even if you’re well and don’t have any current medical issues, you probably read online articles and posts about tips to improve your health, lose weight, or lower your risk of developing health problems. But there’s a potential problem. Not all information, both online and in the media, is created equal.

Medical misinformation isn’t new, but it’s spreading faster and farther thanks to the Internet and social media, and becoming more sophisticated and harder to identify. The issue has become so significant that the Kaiser Family Foundation recently launched an online tool, Health Misinformation Monitor, to help the public better spot medical misinformation.

One study, led by researchers from NYU School of Medicine and NYU Langone’s Perlmutter Cancer Center and published in European Urology, highlights the potential issues surrounding inaccurate health information online. The researchers examined the 150 most frequently viewed videos about prostate cancer on YouTube and discovered that 77% of those videos had either factual errors or biased information in the video or the comments on the video. In addition, 19% of the videos recommended alternative or complementary approaches to care that were largely unproven, some of which had the potential to harm the patient. These videos reached a wide audience, from an average of 45,000 views to a high of 1.3 million views.

The impact of Tik Tok and X

TikTok, which is especially popular with younger people, is also a significant source of medical misinformation. A study published in the journal Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, examined videos related to sinusitis on the platform. The researchers found that 44% of the videos contained non-factual information. They also examined the sources of these videos and discovered that almost half were created by non-medical influencers, that is people who did not identify themselves as medical professionals. Another study noted high levels of medical misinformation on X, formerly Twitter. There was a significant amount of misinformation in posts about smoking, drugs, and vaccines.

How to vet medical information and avoid misinformation

Getting inaccurate, misleading, or biased information can not only cause undue worry, it can also delay a visit to the healthcare provider, slowing down the process of getting an accurate diagnosis, or, in some cases, even harming your health. Learning how to differentiate between reliable, evidence-based medical and health information online and information that’s inaccurate or designed to sell you something, is a key step in becoming an educated consumer of health information.

To help determine whether a source provides reliable, unbiased health information, ask these questions:

• Who runs the site? Look for an “About Us” or “About Our Organization” section on the site and find out who runs it, why they created the site (often described as the organization’s mission or goals), and who is paying for or sponsoring the site. For example, if the site is sponsored or run by a pharmaceutical company, the information may be focused on getting you to use their medication. Sites with a domain of .com are usually run by for-profit companies, so check the information for bias or conflict of interest. If the site has ads or sponsored content, is it clearly labeled as such?
• Is the information accurate and current? Does the website cite its sources and include current scientific literature? What are the medical credentials of the people who have prepared the information? Does the material or website include a date when the information was last updated? Does it say if the information provided has been reviewed by experts and if so, who those experts are and what their medical credentials are?
• Does the source use exaggerated or inflammatory language? Social media posts that contain inaccurate medical information often use overblown language designed to attract views. Common words of this sort include breakthrough, revolutionary, and secret. These types of posts often also use conspiratorial language, like, “The cure they don’t want you to know about.”
• If studies are cited, are they peer-reviewed? Check to see if you can find the original study online and look to see if it was published in a reputable, peer-reviewed medical or scientific journal. If possible, find out who funded the study to determine if the funding has biased the researchers’ approach or conclusions.
• What information does the site collect about you and why? If the site asks for information, such as your name, age, email address, and so on, it should clearly tell you how this information will be used. For example, does the site share or sell any of this information to companies that may want to solicit you? Look for and carefully read the site’s privacy policy before providing any information.
• Can you contact the site’s owners with questions or concerns? Be wary of any site where you cannot contact the person or organization that runs the site. There should be a contact us section on the site that includes how you can contact the site owner. Some sites only have an email address for contact, but many also include a physical address and/or phone number.

Sources to help you find reliable medical information online

Websites with the domains .org, .edu, and .gov are often a good place to start your search for health information, although you should still ask yourself the questions above to vet the reliability of the information.

Here are some sites you may want to visit next time you’re looking for health information:

• Healthfinder: gov
• Medline Plus: gov
• FamilyDoctor: org
• National Library of Medicine: nih.gov
• National Institutes of Health Information page: nih.gov
• CDC Health Topics: gov
• National Cancer Institute: gov
• Sites for major academic medical centers

Get expert support, information, and advice

Have you asked a trusted medical source for input? If you have questions about health information you’ve seen online, talk with your healthcare provider and get their opinion about the reliability and accuracy of the information, especially as it relates to your specific health needs. Having the support and guidance of a personal PinnacleCare Health Advisor is another trusted source for evidence-based, unbiased health information.