Fighting fake medical advice on internet
Annual health authority showcase includes panel on misinformation
In an era of fake news finding the truth is important.
It’s even more critical when your health is on the line.
But as a patient, how do you know what’s what in a world where so much information — and misinformation — is at your finger tips?
“The anecdote is very powerful,” said Tom Mcintosh, a professor and researcher at the University of Regina.
It’s a powerful way to convey a message because it’s human and personal in a way that a graph, chart or table isn’t, he adds.
“It’s the anecdote in the absence of the data that is problematic, and the data in the absence of the anecdote just sort of leaves the patient kind of cold,” he said. “It’s a complicated relationship.”
A challenge with social media is that it’s not a very effective way to share complex data, but it is an easy way to share an anecdote, said Mcintosh.
In that context, it’s easy to see how misinformation can spread like wildfire as it’s tweeted and posted on Instagram and Facebook, places where providing context and delving into an issue from all angles isn’t easily done.
So how do health-care providers ensure their patients are getting the legitimate information they need to make important decisions about their health? And how do patients do the same?
A panel discussion hosted by the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) on Friday as part of their 2018 research showcase attempted to find some of those answers.
Mcintosh, along with family physician Dr. Megan Clark, former Leader-post health reporter Pamela Cowan and Ray Van Dusen, an SHA patient and family adviser, gave their perspectives on fake news and advice to combat it during the discussion.
“I believe time and trust are two key words in the fight against fake news,” said Cowan. “Time is a luxury (neither) you nor news organizations have and yet need to best serve the public. Trust is built on relationships and that takes time, something few of us have as we’re all being asked to do more with less.”
To help get the right information to reputable news outlets so they can inform the public, Cowan urged health-care providers to avoid using unnecessary complex medical terminology and consider giving trusted reporters embargoed copies of reports or interviews. Doing so gives the reporter more time to digest the information and get it right by deadline.
For patients, ask your doctor questions.
“Ask your doctor. What are my other treatment options? What are the side effects? How many people get that side effect?” said Clark.
She said the questions help keep doctors on their toes and make sure they are in touch with the latest research and data.
All four panellists agreed that accessing credible sources when doing your own research is critical.
“Organizations such as Choosing Wisely Canada ... are really working to create these resources for physicians,” said Clark, adding they often have resources for patients as well.
With so many online resources out there, she said an organization that rates the credibility of websites and published a “safe list” would also be a very valuable way to ensure patients are getting legitimate information.
“When I think about fake news in general, as scientists, as researchers, we suffer from that lack of celebrity and that celebrity endorsement,” said researcher Jason Vanstone during the Q and A portion of the discussion. “I think that’s part of the problem, too. We’re lacking that PR campaign to make the real information accessible.”
Vanstone questioned how researchers can make their voices heard over popular TV personalities like Dr. Oz and celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow.
“The closest I think we have on that is Tim Caulfield at the University of Alberta who has become just an incredible person in terms of going after the fake news in the health side,” said Mcintosh. “He has been relentless and he now has a television show.”
If there’s one thing the discussion made clear, it’s that there is no single solution to fake news in the context of health care.
It’s up to patients, doctors, news consumers and newsmakers to do their part to ensure legitimate information is available and accessible for those who need it, and it’s up to advocates like Caulfield to point out when something isn’t right.