Published in:
01-08-2020 | Coronavirus | Viewpoint
The Parallel Pandemic: Medical Misinformation and COVID-19
Primum non nocere
Authors:
Jennifer S. Love, MD, Adam Blumenberg, MD MA, Zane Horowitz, MD
Published in:
Journal of General Internal Medicine
|
Issue 8/2020
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Excerpt
As COVID-19 spreads globally causing fear and loss of life, so too does the parallel pandemic of medical misinformation. Similar to coronavirus itself, few are immune to medical treatment rumors which can wreak havoc on critical decisions made with limited information. The COVID-19 pandemic occurs in the social media era, allowing for swift propagation of unproven clinical care guidelines and overt misinformation. Proposed treatment strategies have been amplified and distorted according to testimonials rather than scientific rigor. While social media offers interconnectedness, real-time communication, and advocacy opportunities, it also has unintended consequences. …
