Clinical practice in an age of medical misinformation and conspiracy theories.

Abstract

Medical misinformation (false health or medical-related information) has seen a rapid increase in volume recently, with the global surge in social media usage and further exacerbation by the COVID-19 pandemic. This may put more lives at stake, as misinformation is an often-cited reason that people make dangerous health choices, engage in harmful practices and reject beneficial health treatments. In this article, we explore the drivers and consequences, as well as suggest several strategies at the personal, educational and systemic level, for physicians to guide and communicate with patients who subscribe to medical misinformation.