Influencers promoting ‘overwhelmingly’ misleading information about medical tests on social media

Influencers are promoting “overwhelmingly” misleading information about medical tests on Instagram and TikTok, according to a global University of Sydney-led study published today in JAMA Network Open.

Researchers analysed almost 1000 posts about five controversial medical screening tests that had been promoted by social media influencers to almost 200 million followers. They found most posts had no reference to scientific evidence, were promotional, had explicit financial interests and failed to mention potential harms.

The tests included full-body MRI scans; genetic testing claiming to identify early signs of 50 cancers; blood tests for testosterone levels; the anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) test which surveys a woman’s egg count; and the gut microbiome test. Experts say these tests have limited evidence of benefit in healthy people and could lead to overdiagnosis and overuse.  
“The vast majority of these posts were overwhelmingly misleading,” said Dr Brooke Nickel, who led the research from the Faculty of Medicine and Health’s School of Public Health. 

“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,” Dr Nickel said. 

The study found 85 percent of the posts did not mention any test downsides or risks. “These tests carry the potential for healthy people to receive unnecessary diagnoses, which could lead to unnecessary medical treatments or impact mental health,” Dr Nickel said.