Medicine is No Stranger to Fake News

Fake news is something we all have worried about politically, but what about medically? Articles have warned that not everything you see on the internet is true about medicine, and often genuine research studies are summarized incorrectly by third party sources, which can risk the lives of many ordinary people who blindly trust these sources. The American Council on Science and Health has a list of signs that a source is not credible in order to help people stay safe. The FDA works hard to find companies lying about their products’ abilities as well. For example, the FDA has sent "warning letters to companies illegally marketing pills and capsules labeled as dietary supplements that make unproven drug claims” that their drugs can replace sunscreen. While it may be obvious to some that this isn’t true, some people still believe these companies and the fake news of medicine has made searching for medical information dangerous. This is why many suggest that one goes straight to their doctor if they want medical advice.

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