Why do we trust medical articles? ― Harmless medical information that hurts patients ―
📖Author: Nao
Note: ※This article was created using AI-generated text in part.
This time, we consider what harm can arise when doctors or professionals mistakenly disseminate medical information.
Conclusion: Medical misinformation is serious enough to cost a life
Even if not a doctor, when such medical misinformation spreads, people tend to think:
‘It must be correct because so many people believe it.’
In psychology, this judgement is called the ‘bandwagon effect’.
Have you ever had experiences like these?
- ‘Because everyone else is saying it’
- ‘Buying a book with many online reviews over one with no ratings’
These are actions we unconsciously choose in our daily lives. Logically, the majority isn’t always right. Yet the brain tends to select “choices that require less cognitive effort”.
Becoming aware of cognitive biases and avoiding being completely swayed by them is nearly impossible. This is because it stems from the brain’s mechanisms rooted in human survival instincts.
The Brain Mechanism That Leads to Mental Shutdown
Humans are wired to believe misinformation more readily when confused.
In crisis situations, the amygdala—which governs fear and anxiety—reacts before the prefrontal cortex, responsible for reason. This is an ancient defence mechanism: react before you think to survive.
Yet in modern times, this instinct becomes a liability. The more anxious we feel, the more we prioritise believing to feel reassured (calming the amygdala) over verifying (using the prefrontal cortex).
When misinformation spreads in such a state, we become prone to judging it as true simply because ‘everyone else is saying it’ (conformity bias). Furthermore, if authority figures like ‘doctors’ are involved, the brain finds it vastly easier to accept the information as truth rather than question it, leading to the adoption of misinformation as fact.
Historical tragedies brought about by misinformation
Yet nothing is more sinful than medical misinformation, which can cost human lives. Let us examine how such falsehoods have harmed people’s health in the past.
- Misinformation about the novel coronavirus vaccine During the pandemic, misinformation and fake news flooded social media. For instance, a study published in the [American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene] (https://www.ajtmh.org/view/journals/tpmd/103/4/article-p1621.xml) reported that misinformation claiming ‘drinking specific disinfectants (like methanol or alcohol-based cleaners) cures the disease’ led to over 800 deaths and approximately 5,800 hospitalisations worldwide.
- Misinformation about cancer treatment Information denying standard treatments and promoting ineffective folk remedies proliferates online. Consequently, cases where cancer patients who could potentially be cured refuse appropriate treatment, leading to delayed intervention, remain unabated.
This is precisely why, should doctors or professionals disseminate medical misinformation, the impact becomes an issue of immeasurable gravity.
Further reading
The next article explores the technical limitations of how misinformation, exploiting gaps in human psychology, is amplified and evaluated by AI and search algorithms.
References
This is a list of references and websites consulted for this article.