AI Deepfake Videos of Health Experts Used to Push Fake Supplements, Investigation Finds

AI-generated deepfake videos featuring doctors and academics are being weaponized to promote fake health claims and supplement products, according to an investigation by British charity Full Fact.

The investigation uncovered multiple social media accounts using sophisticated AI-generated videos of health experts to market dubious health products. These accounts directed viewers to purchase supplements from a US-based company called Wellness Nest.

Among the victims of this deceptive practice is Professor David Taylor-Robinson, a children’s public health doctor from the University of Liverpool. Dr. Taylor-Robinson discovered that footage of him speaking at a legitimate Public Health England conference had been altered to show him discussing “thermometer leg” – a fabricated menopausal symptom where women supposedly extend one leg beyond their blanket when feeling overheated at night.

“One of my friends said his wife had seen it and was almost taken in by it, until their daughter said it’s obviously been faked,” Dr. Taylor-Robinson told Full Fact. “People who know me could have been taken in by it. That is concerning.”

The manipulated video portrayed Dr. Taylor-Robinson promoting a “natural probiotic” that allegedly “features ten science-backed plant extracts, including turmeric, black cohosh, DIM, moringa, specifically chosen to tackle menopausal symptoms.” The fake endorsement claimed: “Women I work with often report deeper sleep, fewer hot flushes, and brighter mornings within weeks.”

Before being removed, this single video amassed over 365,000 views, 7,691 likes, 459 comments, and 2,878 bookmarks on TikTok – demonstrating the potential reach of such digital deception.

The university’s communications team reported the content to TikTok, but initially, the platform claimed no community guidelines had been violated. Only after Dr. Taylor-Robinson and his children filed additional reports did TikTok acknowledge the content violated its policies. Even then, TikTok initially only restricted the video’s visibility rather than removing it entirely.

TikTok has since apologized for what it called a “moderating error” and removed both the posts and the account that shared them.

The investigation revealed that the account responsible, @better_healthy_life, had also posted fabricated videos of several other prominent health figures, including Russian economist Natalia Zubarevich, British cardiologist Dr. Aseem Malhotra, and former Public Health England CEO Duncan Selbie.

Mr. Selbie, whose likeness was manipulated to appear to be discussing menopausal symptoms and remedies, expressed his dismay at the deception. “It wasn’t funny in the sense that people pay attention to these things,” he told Full Fact.

The pattern across these deepfake videos was consistent – they concluded with calls for viewers to purchase remedies from Wellness Nest, including products like probiotics and Himalayan shilajit that weren’t even listed on the company’s official website.

This is not an isolated incident. Earlier this year, similar deepfake videos were discovered featuring the late TV doctor Michael Mosley and Dr. Idrees Mughal, also promoting products allegedly from Wellness Nest.

When contacted by Full Fact, Wellness Nest denied any involvement, stating they had “never used AI-generated content” and that the videos were “100% unaffiliated” with their business.

The sophisticated nature of these deepfakes highlights growing concerns about AI technology being used to spread health misinformation and exploit the credibility of medical professionals. As AI-generated content becomes increasingly realistic and accessible, distinguishing legitimate health information from manipulated content presents a significant challenge for both social media platforms and consumers.