There can be benefits to discussing healthcare on social media

Stokel-Walker’s article on medical misinformation on social media raises many important matters.1 The online environment has hugely accelerated the spread of medical information, whether it be accurate and well researched or a biased representation. As social media use becomes more prevalent and new platforms develop, the online medical environment is something we need to be aware of, as our consultations with patients may be affected by preconceptions from their online research. Two of the topics covered in recent BMJ editorials provide good examples: the use of weight loss drugs, and the rise in measles cases and the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine.23As well as acknowledging the risks of medical misinformation it is also important to consider the benefits of discussing healthcare on social media platforms. One example is patient advocates who document their healthcare journeys online. Many of these patients raise awareness while providing valuable support to others with their…
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