Resolution: S-20-11: AOA AND SOMA POLICY OF DISAPPROVAL OF DANGEROUS HEALTH MISINFORMATION IN SOCIAL MEDIA

[Valerie Lile]

WHEREAS, Patients have developed health information seeking behaviors on social media³; and

WHEREAS, These “health information seekers” comprise not only consumers looking for information (e.g. about a certain vaccine) but also public health communicators and active, vocal anti-vaccination groups¹; and

WHEREAS, The osteopathic profession believes in first “Do No Harm”; and

WHEREAS, Medical establishments, providers, and students have a duty to provide evidenced based treatment recommendations to patients; and

WHEREAS, Health misinformation in social media is defined as non-evidence based treatment recommendations provided to patients on various social media platforms by individuals who do not believe in “Do No Harm” to profit off of community members through the use of sensational and false health claims; and

WHEREAS, The utilization of non-evidence based treatment plans by patients obtained from social media platforms leads to mixed information and confusion at physicians appointments²; and

WHEREAS, Individuals seeking health information from social media are at risk for adverse health effects, medication interactions, disease progression and death³; and

WHEREAS, Individuals with increased health literacy have a greater willingness to follow evidence-based treatment recommendations from physicians1; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, that AOA and SOMA adopt a policy that supports disapproval of dangerous health information in social media.

Relevant Existing Policies: None
SOMA Policy: None
Policy of other Organizations Named in the Resolved Statements (AOA): None

References

1. Betsch, Cornelia, and Katharina Sachse. “Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde? (How) the Internet Influences Vaccination Decisions: Recent Evidence and Tentative Guidelines for Online Vaccine Communication.” Vaccine, vol. 30, no. 25, 28 May 2012, pp. 3723–3726., doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2012.03.078.
2. Sharma, Megha, et al. “Zika Virus Pandemic—Analysis of Facebook as a Social Media Health Information Platform.” American Journal of Infection Control, vol. 45, no. 3, 21 Oct. 2017, pp. 301–302., doi:10.1016/j.ajic.2016.08.022.
3. Tennant, Bethany, et al. “EHealth Literacy and Web 2.0 Health Information Seeking Behaviors Among Baby Boomers and Older Adults.” Journal of Medical Internet Research, vol. 17, no. 3, 2015, doi:10.2196/jmir.3992.

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Submitted by:

Courtney Merlo, OMS-I, RD, CNSC – Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Kelsi Harden, OMS-I – Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine

Action Taken:
Date:
Effective Time Period: Ongoing

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