Across the span of a few decades, we’ve gone from the horrific sound of dial-up internet and the stress of tying up our phone lines in order to get online, to needing to be reminded that we must take breaks from our phones at night to improve our sleep hygiene. Advances in technology have fundamentally changed how we interact and experience the world, and democratized information – making medical info more readily available to the general public. Through different platforms and social media channels, people with varying degrees of health and scientific literacy can access and share information at an unprecedented pace. Simultaneously, we are seeing the rapid spread of health-related misinformation – claims of fact that are misleading or inaccurate based on current scientific consensus. We are experiencing in real time, the challenges our communities face when what is real and what is fake news continues to dominate our discourse.
In healthcare, misinformation can have serious consequences. It can lead to a lack of trust between providers and patients. Misinformation can also promote unhealthy/harmful practices, that in some cases may lead to an individual’s death. In oncology, the patients and families we work with are facing potentially life-threatening illnesses. The vulnerability people may experience in those moments can lead to them being more susceptible to misinformation. It can be challenging for people to determine legitimate sources and because sometimes misinformation has some basis in reality, distinguishing fact from fiction becomes even more complicated.
We need to take a step back from blaming people who are victims of misinformation. They may need hope or something to believe in. We need to take a new approach by further exploring what is causing the rise of fake news and by highlighting areas where health professionals can take action. It’s a complicated topic. Health literacy can influence someone’s ability to distinguish between real health science and fake news, but at the same time, media articles can inaccurately represent academic journal publications. In addition to this, social media algorithms are highlighting content that has misinformation while true science communication may be struggling to get engagement. There are many opportunities for research to be conducted in this area, including the exploration of how the internet has changed our engagement with health content online. We are truly just beginning to understand how misinformation is being spread now.
Our recent review article highlighted what we know on this subject in oncology. One thing our review references is that healthcare professionals continue to be viewed as the most trusted sources of medical information. So, what can healthcare professionals do to combat health misinformation online? Let’s lean in to challenging misinformation with compassion for our community. We are a global community of scientists, researchers, and clinicians, who have the education and the privilege to use our knowledge to help other people. Within a limit of time, resources and energy, here are a few tasks from which health care professionals can choose:
- Work together! Partner with other stakeholders to share trusted scientific information through multiple channels.
- Monitor and flag misinformation! In addition to sharing accurate information, help fight the spread of misinformation by monitoring and flagging the fake news you come across.
- Cultivate scientific literacy! Sharing and explaining health information in plain language can help to make accurate scientific information more accessible.
- Advocate for support! Healthcare professionals need training in science communication and social media to help disseminate health information and resources.
- Point people in the right direction! Use your online channels and in-person conversations as opportunities to point people to credible resources (e.g., non-profit organizations, patient advocacy groups, federal websites).
- Call it out! When you see people promoting misinformation for secondary gain, introduce skepticism and call it out!
