A Letter From your Future Physician
/At a time when trust in doctors is at its lowest, it is essential to recognize the importance of medical professionals during our current crisis. A web of misinformation has penetrated every layer of society; from you the individual, all the way up to physicians themselves. In these pressing times it is imperative that we have the ability to separate fact from fiction. As I near completion of medical school and prepare to start my career I would like to highlight the levels of deception the public faces during the current pandemic.
First, we need to evaluate our own habits. The Pew Research Center found that over a third of Americans use an online search to either self-diagnose or find a remedy. While I myself have been guilty of this, it is important to note that search engine diagnoses are vastly inferior to physician examination. At its best, the internet is a tool to help better frame questions to our physicians; at its worst it may fuel unnecessary worries and spark cyberchondria. I encourage all my patients to be active participants in their own health, and I am excited to review the research you have done, but know my primary concern will be providing you the correct diagnosis to get you back to health.
Next, it is important to understand that while social media is a great resource to connect with friends, it is not a good place to gather medical news or information. Distorted truths and conspiracy theories spread like wildfire on these platforms, making it difficult to determine fact from fiction. One study quantified misinformation on Twitter and found that 24.8% of coronavirus-related tweets included falsehoods. Further, there is a growing trend of non-medical doctors who use social media to spread pseudoscience in an attempt to make a buck. One such charlatan, a chiropractor, told 21 million viewers on Facebook to use his ill-conceived remedy to protect against COVID-19. Apart from being unqualified to prescribe medication, his treatment may unfortunately result in harm to the public. There is no magic pill, diet, or dance that will protect us against coronavirus. Treatments that sound too good to be true likely are. While there are many different treatments under investigation, our best hope for ending this pandemic is the development of a vaccine.
Misinformation is even more volatile when the leaders of our society carelessly make false claims. Televangelist Jim Bakker fraudulently tried to sell us untested cures for coronavirus. Governor Ron Desantis misled many into thinking COVID-19 does not affect the young. Worse yet, President Trump, guilty of repeatedly spreading false informationduring the pandemic, most recently suggested injecting disinfectant as a possible cure for coronavirus. Ideally, we should not have to question the statements of our leaders, but in our current society we must at the very least examine the veracity of medical claims from non-medical authorities.
Most heinous of all, we must always be vigilant for discredited physicians. Dr. Oz, a TV personality with a history of making false claims, recently promoted the unproven drug hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of coronavirus. While talk shows hosted by physicians may seem like a good place to gain information, it is important to realize a studyreviewing The Dr Oz Show and The Doctors found that “approximately half of the recommendations have either no evidence or are contradicted by the best available evidence.” This past week, two California ER doctors were broadly and emphatically condemned by medical experts for spewing misleading coronavirus information. Though debunked, their claims were widely circulated through social media and major news outlets, demonstrating the danger of false physician claims.
Information on the pandemic continues to evolve rapidly. While misinformation oozes from every level of our society, I hope you have gained insight into its destructive nature. We must keep pace with evidence and be vigilant against those who may deceive, be it intentional or not. As health care professionals lead the charge against COVID-19, it is my hope that the public’s trust in physicians is restored. As I go forward and put myself and loved ones at risk in order to treat the nation’s sickest, I want you to know that I will never stop caring for you. In a world that appears out to get you, I will always have your back.
