The Doctor is In

Q: Can I learn anything real about my body from the internet or is it all nightmarishly untrue. How do I tell the difference between good and fake medical news?

Absolutely!

With the proliferation of “fake news” being discussed so often in the media regarding our political situation, does this carry over to medicine as well? Almost on a daily basis, I have patients who come to me with medical concerns that they read about online. “Will the Lipitor I take cause dementia?” “Will the birth control pill make me fat?” “Will human growth hormone make me young again?” “Will that vaccine give my child autism?” “Can I lose weight with green tea extract?”

It is estimated that 44 percent of Americans get their news from Facebook, but Facebook is just a social media tool that can be used to spread false information, which looks exactly like real legitimate medical news. There is no scientific evidence that childhood vaccines cause autism, for example, but if this claim shows up repeatedly and “goes viral,” this could lead to many parents leaving their kids vulnerable to a plethora of deadly but otherwise preventable illnesses.

It is often difficult for the average layperson to figure out what is real medical news and what is fake. That’s because the intention of the fake stuff is to deceive (and incidentally often will try to sell some homeopathic product with no scientific claims at the end of the medical story). A lot of these fake sites will prey upon the most vulnerable patients looking for cancer cures or rapid weight loss. Some of these sites truly look legitimate.

So how do you tell real from fake medical news? The best thing is to develop a positive relationship with your primary care provider who can answer questions about what you have read. It is important to find a doctor who will listen closely to your questions, engage you and provide answers that are meaningful. Your doctor is there to provide you and support you with scientific evidence, but shouldn’t be dismissive of your questions or concerns about treatments.

In addition, pay attention to the source of the information you are reading. Some legitimate medical websites include WebMD, Epocrates and Mayo Clinic. If a claim appears to be too good to be true, it often is.

Don’t stop your medicines without first speaking to your physician just because the latest story you read said you will grow horns on your head from that medicine. I have seen too many patients have medical complications from stopping drugs or taking supplements or other products because of what they read online.

So, in the end, trust your gut but don’t stop there—trust your medical professional to guide you through the morass of medical misinformation.

Palisadian Damon Raskin, MD, is a board-certified internist who offers preventative medicine, concierge services and addiction medicine to patients in and around the Palisades. Contact: 310-459-4333. To submit your medical questions, email john@palipost.com.