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The rise of social media influencers has changed how many people get information about many products and services. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n
A recent review published in The researchers found that the promotion of prescription medications by social media influencers is often accompanied by misleading information. It was shown that this type of promotion can be connected to outdated regulatory oversight. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cExisting rules and disclosure requirements have not kept pace with social media,\u201d Heiss told Healthline.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The review also found that audiences may have difficulty recognizing promotional intent when it\u2019s embedded in personal narratives. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cPersonal stories can also make promotional content feel trustworthy and authentic, even when it is incomplete or misleading,\u201d Heiss said. \u201cAs a result, followers may trust influencers because they emotionally connect with their stories and may not recognize that the content is advertising.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Prescription drug companies are increasingly partnering with social media influencers, or people who attract a large number of followers and may influence them by sharing content. These influencers are often patients, and may be referred to as \u201cpatient influencers.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/div>\n Patient influencers may post personal stories and experiences, which makes them highly persuasive. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n These types of collaborations can spread misleading information and potentially lead to the misuse of medications and harmful interactions. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n The researchers note that this is especially problematic when promotions are made by healthcare professionals. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cSocial media influencers promoting prescription medication are blurring the lines between sound clinical advice and trend following,\u201d said Kanwar Kelley<\/a>, MD, who is triple board certified in otolaryngology, head and neck surgery (ENT), obesity medicine, and lifestyle medicine, and co-founder and CEO of Side Health in Orinda, CA. Kelley wasn\u2019t involved in the study.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cIn today\u2019s social media, that content is nearly indistinguishable from professional advice and can skirt the skepticism that people apply to traditional prescription marketing,\u201d Kelley told Healthline.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The promotion of prescription drugs by influencers also raises an important public health concern, amplifying the demand for pharmaceuticals with the potential to encourage inappropriate use or prescribing. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cIn some cases, especially when influencers are patients themselves, they can provide valuable support and help people feel less alone,\u201d said Heiss. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cHowever, our review suggests that these \u2018parasocial\u2019 relationships can also make people less likely to recognize when they are being marketed to and more likely to see the advice as credible. This becomes a problem when promotional content is not clearly disclosed or when personal experience is mistaken for medical evidence,\u201d he continued. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n The review analyzed data from 12 peer-reviewed journal articles. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n These articles addressed topics such as contraceptive advertising, performance-enhancing drugs, and broader pharmaceutical promotion. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n All 12 articles showed the same recurring themes of: <\/p>\n<\/div>\n The researchers note that the evidence base is small and fragmented. However, they add that the findings highlight an urgent need for updates to regulatory guidance, for enforceable and standardized disclosure requirements, for targeted digital literacy initiatives, and for stronger platform accountability. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n Nissa Keyashian<\/a>, MD, board certified psychiatrist and author of \u201cPracticing Stillness<\/a>,\u201d who wasn\u2019t involved in the research, said that she would recommend people consider what, if any, clinical education and training a social media influencer has. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cRegardless of the influencer\u2019s medical background, people should also strongly consider whether the person has any conflicts of interest related to corporate sponsorship or partnership, and if they are disclosing these conflicts clearly and openly,\u201d she told Healthline.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Heiss said that social media can be a useful place to hear about other people\u2019s experiences. However, it should not be treated as a substitute for medical advice. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cPeople should be cautious whenever an influencer promotes a prescription drug, regardless of whether the sponsorship is disclosed,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cPeople should be especially careful when influencers only emphasize benefits, downplay risks, or embed drug recommendations in emotional personal stories. Before making decisions based on advice seen online, people should discuss it with a doctor or pharmacist,\u201d Heiss continued.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Kelley added that it is important to remember \u201canecdotal evidence, while important, is not clinical evidence.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cSocial media has effectively outpaced the frameworks we use to ensure pharmaceutical advertising is transparent. Disclosure of conflicts of interest and mandatory discussion of risks, benefits, and alternatives are important aspects of oversight that should be addressed,\u201d said Kelley.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cWe need to create space for patients to bring in what they\u2019ve seen online and have open, nonjudgmental conversations about it. Ultimately, strengthening dialogue between patients and physicians and refining frameworks for digital advertising are key steps to ensuring patient safety and trust in the evolving media landscape,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n