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Health Misinformation: Pause and Verify

Health Misinformation Checklist

Use this checklist to talk with your patients about any health-related information they come across

  • Did you check with the CDC or local public health department to see whether there is any information about the claim being made?
  • Did you ask a credible health care professional such as your doctor or nurse if they have any additional information?
  • Did you type the claim into a search engine to see if it has been verified by a credible source? Be sure to scroll past any A.I. generated information, as this information is not verified and is often times not credible. 
  • Did you look at the “About Us” page on the website to see if you can trust the source?
  • Remember: If you’re not sure, don’t share!

Tips

Use these tips to talk to patients about misinformation: 

  • Listen
  • Empathize
  • Don't publicly shame
  • Point to credible sources
  • Use inclusive language

Online Health Information: What can you trust?

When patients have questions about theirs or their family's health, they often look it up on the Internet. One can find accurate health information on many sites, but everyone is susceptible to run into a lot of questionable, even false content. How can patients tell the difference?

What patients should look for:

  • Search for websites of well-known health institutions. Medical schools, professional health organizations, and hospitals often provide online health content.
  • Look for ".gov," ".edu," or ".org" in the web address. A ".gov" address means the site is run by a government agency. A ".edu" address indicates an educational institution. And a ".org" address often means a professional organization runs the site. A ".com" address means a for-profit company runs the site. It may still have some good information, but the content may be biased.
  • Find out who wrote or reviewed the content. Look for health care providers such as doctors (MDs), nurses (RNs), or other licensed health professionals. Also look for an editorial policy. This policy can tell you where the site gets its content or how it is created.
  • Look for scientific references. Content is more reliable if it is based on scientific studies. Professional journals are good references. These include the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) and the New England Journal of Medicine. Recent editions of medical textbooks are also good references.
  • Look for the contact information on the site. You should be able to reach the site sponsor by telephone, email, or a mailing address.
  • No matter where you find the information, check how old the content is. Even trusted sites may have out-of-date information archived. Look for content that is no more than 2 to 3 years old. Individual pages may have a date at the bottom that says when it was last updated. Or the home page may have such a date.
  • Beware of chat rooms and discussion groups. The content in these forums is typically not reviewed or regulated. Plus it may come from people who are not experts, or who are trying to sell something.
  • Do not rely on just one website. Compare the information you find on a site with content from other sites. Make sure other sites can back up the information you have found.

From MedlinePlus