By: Henrietta Afful
A recent study has found that influencers’ posts about medical tests are often “misleading,” raising concerns about the potential risk of overdiagnosis.
Researchers examined over 900 Instagram and TikTok posts about controversial medical tests, focusing on users with more than 1,000 followers. More than 80% of these posts had a “promotional” tone, while only 6% provided any evidence supporting the effectiveness of the tests.
A research fellow at the University of Sydney and the lead author of the study, Dr. Brooke Nickel, stated that these posts are often framed as early screening methods, promising individuals the ability to take control of their health.
However, she pointed out that many of these tests are unnecessary for most people, and in some cases, their scientific backing is questionable.
“The vast majority of these posts were overwhelmingly misleading,” Dr Brooke Nickel, a research fellow at the University of Sydney who led the study, said in a statement.
“They are being promoted under the guise of early screening, as a way to take control of your own health. The problem is they are unnecessary for most people and, in some cases, the science backing their efficacy is shaky,” she added.
The study focused on five specific tests, including full-body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), genetic tests for early detection of 50 cancers, as well as tests for gut health, testosterone levels, and women’s egg count. One of the main concerns with these tests is the risk of overdiagnosis—where healthy individuals are diagnosed with conditions that would never harm them.
The authors of the study emphasized that only 6% of the social media posts mentioned the risk of overdiagnosis, while more than half encouraged viewers to take the tests.
“These findings suggest social media is an open sewer of medical misinformation,” said Dr Ray Moynihan, an assistant professor at Bond University in Australia and one of the study’s authors.
“This is a public health crisis that exacerbates overdiagnosis and threatens the sustainability of health systems,” he added.
Among the influencers promoting these tests, 68% had financial interests, such as discount codes or paid partnerships.
Dr. Brooke Nickel highlighted that one of the key tactics used by influencers is framing these tests with the message that “knowledge is power.”
However, she pointed out that much of the information shared is selectively chosen, creating a misleading narrative.
“When it comes to health, getting the full picture is so important, and half-truths are often lies,” Nickel said, emphasizing the potential risks of patients undergoing unnecessary medical treatments due to incomplete or deceptive information.
Interestingly, posts from physicians, which made up around 15% of the total, were less likely to adopt a promotional tone and were more likely to mention the potential harms of such tests.
The researchers concluded that the findings highlight the urgent need for stronger regulation to curb the spread of misleading medical information on social media platforms.
