The Physicians Foundation, a nonprofit research organization, has released a new study highlighting the growing spread of medical misinformation—not just online, but also inside doctors’ offices and exam rooms, where direct conversations between patients and physicians take place.
According to the survey, 61% of physicians said they frequently or significantly encountered patients influenced by false or misleading medical information over the past year. Meanwhile, 86% reported that misinformation has increased noticeably over the past five years—a period that includes much of the COVID-19 pandemic—with nearly half saying the rise has been “very significant.”
The study, which surveyed nearly one thousand physicians from a variety of specialties and career stages across urban and rural areas, highlights the growing challenges doctors face in dealing with false information and how it is changing the nature of their work. This is occurring in an environment where medical rumors can spread rapidly, sometimes even with support from official figures.
Dr. Gary Price, president of the Physicians Foundation, said the survey aimed to understand how misinformation affects doctors. He described the situation as “frustrating and demoralizing,” striking at the heart of the medical profession and physicians’ commitment to helping patients. “When doctors have little control over treatment outcomes because of these false beliefs, it...
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