Seek and Destroy: Wellness Misinformation

This panel discussion with various medical professionals covered issues related to misinformation and disinformation in the health and wellness sector. Dr. Mike Warshawski, a strong advocate for health education, stressed the importance of teaching patients how to think like a doctor and to question health claims made online. Dr. Spencer Nadowski, medical director for Weight Watchers, also emphasized debunking myths, such as the belief that diet soda is extremely bad for you. Additionally, Dr. Gita pointed out the need for scaling healthcare trust to tackle misinformation in the digital age, arguing that misinformation is a significant issue across all aspects of the healthcare industry. Isabel Kenyon, CEO of Calibrate, called for delivering a real standard of care personalized for each patient. The panelists agreed on the need for collaboration and a clear, consistent message in healthcare communication, and underscored the role of an accountable healthcare system in addressing falsehoods. Lastly, they highlighted the issue of misinformation in social media algorithms and the duty of healthcare providers to combat this by providing credible and evidence-based information. They concluded that all health professionals should actively partake in this endeavor and promote accurate health information.