Misleading medical advice rampant on TikTok, Instagram — study
MANILA, Philippines — Have you come across content creators offering medical advice on social media? According to a recent study, most posts may be misleading, especially from those who are not health experts.
A study by the University of Sydney, released February 26, found that most influential Instagram and TikTok accounts posting about popular medical tests only emphasize the benefits while ignoring potential risks.
Analyzing 982 posts from 2015 to 2024, they examined content promoting five specific tests: full-body MRI, multi-cancer early detection tests, the anti-Müllerian hormone fertility test, gut microbiome analysis and low testosterone blood tests.
These tests were chosen because they are widely marketed despite limited evidence of benefit and concerns about overdiagnosis, unnecessary treatments and potential harm to healthy individuals.
The study found that nearly nine in 10 social media posts promoted the benefits of medical tests, while only 14.7% mentioned potential risks.
Of these posts, 4.7% downplayed potential drawbacks, while only 6.1% — still fewer than one in 10 — acknowledged the risk of overdiagnosis or overuse. Only 6.4% cited evidence to support their claims.
So, how do content creators approach these topics?
More convincing, less informing
Most take a promotional tone rather than a balanced one, with 83.8% of posts reflecting this approach.
Half of the posts used language urging viewers to “take action and get the test,” while a third relied on personal anecdotes to persuade their audience.
One example the study found was a 2023 Instagram post promoting a gut test, which told its 68,500 followers they “deserve to be healthy” and that it is their “birthright,” urging them to take the test as if it could definitively identify the cause of their health concerns.
On TikTok, a 2023 post by a content creator with 237,000 followers shared their experience taking a testosterone test, saying it revealed they had the levels of a 70-year-old despite being in their 20s.
Researchers noted that financial interests may influence this promotional and personal approach, as nearly seven in 10 accounts had a vested stake.
This suggests that social media posts about medical tests, medications and health advice are less likely to mention potential risks or overdiagnosis when financial incentives are involved.
Physician-creators offer a more balanced view
However, the study also found that not all social media posts were made by random influencers or content creators. Some had identified themselves as physicians, or licensed medical practitioners.
For these content creators, posts about the popular medical tests were more likely to mention potential harms and the risk of overdiagnosis, adopting a more neutral and balanced tone rather than a promotional one.
The researchers also recognize that physicians could “play a stronger role” in creating a more informative and evidence-based space on social media as they, too, can be content creators.
“Clearly, this new evidence of persuasive and misleading information across almost 1000 posts, from accounts with combined followers of almost 200 million, demands responses to help curtail potential overdiagnosis and overuse,” the study said.
With Filipinos among the world's most active social media users — spending an average of 3 hours and 32 minutes daily in 2024, according to the Digital 2025 report — the country remains highly vulnerable to online misinformation.
Beyond political disinformation, public health remains a major target of misinformation. Issues like vaccine safety, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, have been riddled with disinformation, stoking public fear.
At the same time, medical tests and products lacking approval from the Food and Drug Administration or endorsement from the Department of Health continue to be widely promoted online.
This blurs the line between credible health information and promotional content, making it crucial for Filipinos to stay vigilant and avoid falling prey to disinformation.
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