Last Updated on May 9, 2023 by Shabnam Sengupta
In Hanumangarh, Rajasthan, a recent incident involving a young man named Mahesh has sparked curiosity and concern. Mahesh had been purchasing ‘Vicks VapoRub’ from a local medical shop for some time, using it in a way that surprised the shopkeeper. When asked about his repeated purchases, Mahesh revealed that he had been massaging the ointment onto his belly in an attempt to lose fat. Mahesh got to know about this unusual technique from a video on social media. Apparently, this video suggested combining mustard oil with Vicks VapoRub for reducing belly fat. Despite using this method consistently for some time, Mahesh reported no results. This incident highlights the potential dangers of following unverified health advice from social media platforms.
The story of Mahesh is not unique. Many individuals rely on such unscientific information circulated on various social media platforms. In fact, the video that Mahesh watched, titled ‘Apply it at night, the belly fat will melt like ice. Reduce 10 kilograms in a week’, has already garnered over 2.5 million views. These numbers show how many people must have fallen into the trap of this claim to deal with their problems like obesity. This trend is concerning as it highlights the potential risks associated with following unfounded health advice from unreliable sources.
There are various viral videos related to weight loss, height increase, sexual potency, hair growth, and even treatment for serious illnesses such as cancer, is rampant on social media. Often, individuals presenting such advice purport to be medical experts, despite lacking the necessary qualifications. One viral video even claims that a 10-rupee medicine indigenously to increase weight on demand. Whereas another suggests that mixing two common items and drinking them at night can result in belly fat disappearing by morning. A video claiming that doctors were ‘shocked’ to see hair grow ten times in a day has been viewed by 48 million people. Unfortunately, this dissemination of false information has become even more dangerous during the Covid-19 pandemic. It led many individuals to suffer adverse consequences as a result of attempting to follow unverified health advice.
Perils of health advice on social media
Social media has become a go-to source for information on a wide range of illness, with miraculous treatments being touted for almost every ailment. Unfortunately, this trend is not limited to legitimate health advice, as unscientific methods for increasing height, weight, and sexual potency, as well as reducing fat, are also widely promoted. Many individuals, particularly young people, fall prey to these false claims and spend their money on so-called ‘quick health solutions,’ putting their health at risk. Unfortunately, the lack of reliable health advice only exacerbates this issue. For example, Paresh, a young man from Sangaria in Rajasthan, learned of a medicine to increase weight from a video he found on a social media platform. With the help of a quack, he obtained and consumed it. He suffered from severe side effects, including swelling in his body. And he had to spend a significant amount of money on medical treatment to recover.
Dangerous epidemic of health misinformation
Dr NP Singh, a clinical psychologist (homoeopathy), Sriganganagar Government Hospital, said, “false advice on health-related topics is the most prevalent form of misinformation social media. In, fact, there seems to be no topic that is immune to the spread of false information online. However, health claims and advice appear to be the most common.”
A study conducted by researchers at Dhaka University in December 2021 revealed that an alarming 67 percent of fake news on social media pertains to health. This includes false information on medicines, treatments, health facilities, viral infections, doctors, and patients. Dr Singh noted, “one common health-related myth spread on social media is that homeopathic medicines have no side effects. This is simply false. In fact, taking such medicines without proper expert guidance can increase the risk of harmful side effects, potentially leading to serious illness.”
Implications of health misinformation on public health
Dr Paras Jain, consultant physician and director of Jain Hospital in Hanumangarh, commented, “The circulation of fake health advice through social media poses a significant danger to public health. Numerous fake doctors use social media as a platform to spread misinformation, mainly to attract patients and promote themselves. Unfortunately, people often fall prey to these unscientific claims made in videos and end up jeopardizing their health even further.
“Fake health news often cite reputed doctors or hospitals and fake surveys to lend credibility to their claims. Sadly, due to lack of awareness, people often believe and disseminate this false information to their social circles,” he added.
A significant factor contributing to this situation is the shortage of qualified medical professionals. Although there are several forms of treatments available apart from modern medicine, including ayurveda, siddha, yunani, yoga, naturopathy, and homeopathy, there is only one doctor for every 1457 individuals in India. The scarcity of medical practitioners leaves the general public struggling to discern between accurate and misleading health information.
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