World Medical Association adopts policy combatting false health information

Open this photo in gallery:False health information online is undermining scientific research by adding to the erosion of public trust of medical professionals and the health system.Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian PressThe World Medical Association, which represents physicians worldwide, has adopted its first-ever policy focused specifically on combatting false health information, following work led by the national associations of Canada and France. On Saturday, delegates from medical associations across the globe voted in favour of the policy at the annual general assembly, held this year in the Netherlands. It provides recommendations for governments, technology companies and medical professionals to address the growing and critical issue of health misinformation.The policy has been adopted at a crucial time as doctors must compete with a barrage of false and misleading online content about health that’s easily accessible on social media platforms. Making the matter worse, artificial intelligence is helping to produce and legitimize this content, directly threatening public health.Patients can be misdiagnosed because of false health information or suffer side effects from treatments they’ve opted to follow. This type of information online is also undermining scientific research by adding to the erosion of public trust of medical professionals and the health system at large.Most doctors say they’ve had to intervene after patients accessed misinformation, survey findsAlika Lafontaine, who is representing Canada on the World Medical Association Council and is past president of the Canadian Medical Association, said the issue can feel too big to solve, but he doesn’t believe that’s the case. He hopes this policy will spark the needed action to combat it. “There’s a lot of work to do, but this is this is where it starts,” he said in an interview from Rotterdam. “There’s a real responsibility for everyone to step up and confront this when it has very real consequences on peoples’ livelihoods and their long-term health.”Among the recommendations are that medical associations develop awareness campaigns on the risks of false health information, that regulatory measures are introduced to “minimise profiteering” from disinformation campaigns and ensuring licensing boards take appropriate disciplinary action when health professionals spread inaccurate information. In Canada, for example, doctors have been disciplined for spreading misleading or false information about vaccines, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.Additionally, the policy suggests that medical authorities engage with social media companies to ensure there are rapid reporting mechanisms to remove harmful content and that AI-generated content is clearly labelled.About half of Canadians are turning to AI for health information, survey saysOnce a policy is adopted by the World Medical Association, it stands as the ethical standards for physicians worldwide, but is not legally binding.The CMA and the Conseil national de l’Ordre des Médecins, or French Medical Council, developed the policy in collaboration. Dr. Lafontaine said France is dealing with many of the same challenges as Canada.Earlier this year, the CMA and research firm Abacus Data released the results of a survey that found nearly all Canadian doctors who participated said they had to intervene to prevent harm or to address consequences after patients accessed false or misleading health information online.In total, 97 per cent of the 645 practicing physicians who were surveyed said they faced these challenges, including because of advice patients accessed through AI. Also, in the CMA’s Health and Media Tracking Survey from February, it found that 27 per cent of Canadians trust AI to provide accurate health and health care system information. People who follow AI health advice are five times more likely to experience harms than those who did not, according to the association. As well, Canadian gynecologists have sounded the alarm about the impact of social media videos. They say that content, which is often misleading and created by individuals with large followings and no medical credentials, are reshaping conversations in their clinics, largely among twentysomethings.Philippe Cathala, delegate for the French Medical Council, said in a statement that the policy highlights the need for a co-ordinated international response.“It calls on all involved in producing, publishing and disseminating health-related information to develop a greater sense of responsibility and ensure that information provided to the public is evidence-based.”The newly adopted global policy is a call to action for health policymakers, medical professionals and their governing bodies to develop strategies to reduce harms associated with the spread of false information. It underscores that marginalized groups, such as those with limited access to health care services, are disproportionately impacted by the swell of inaccurate health claims.However, the policy makes clear that scientific debate is distinct from false information, underscoring that medical knowledge is advanced through the careful testing of new hypotheses.“Physicians may express evidence-based positions that diverge from prevailing professional consensus when they do so in good faith and are transparent about the state of the evidence, the degree of uncertainty, and whether the position reflects established guidance, emerging evidence, clinical judgment, or hypothesis,” reads the policy.