Survey: Healthcare Experts Warn AI Could Fuel Medical Misinformation Online

Healthcare Professionals Deeply Concerned About Rise of Medical Misinformation Online

Six out of ten healthcare professionals report “a great deal” of concern about healthcare-related misinformation circulating online, according to a new survey by Inlightened, a tech platform connecting companies to vetted healthcare experts.

The survey, which polled medical opinion leaders, found that 76% believe medical misinformation will become an even more significant problem in the coming year, highlighting growing alarm within the medical community about the spread of inaccurate health information.

“We started Inlightened because we saw a need for responsible disruption in healthcare, and the significant role qualified professionals played in driving that disruption,” said Shelli Pavone, president and co-founder at Inlightened. “The findings of this survey highlight the critical moment we are in as an industry and a nation.”

The study reveals concerning trends about how misinformation impacts patient care. Nearly 80% of respondents said online medical misinformation leads to “an acceptance and/or use of potentially harmful and unproven treatments,” while 78% noted it causes “a loss of trust in science-backed, proven treatments.”

This issue directly affects clinical practice, with more than half (53%) of healthcare professionals reporting that patients “always” or “usually” arrive at appointments having been influenced by health information they encountered on social media.

Maryanne Senna, Director of Lahey Hair Loss Center of Excellence and Research Unit at Beth Israel Lahey Health, expressed particular concern about newer technologies: “Very quickly after the launch of the Sora app, for example, we started seeing videos that made ridiculous claims, like deep-fried chicken is good for your health. While that particular claim may seem relatively harmless, the opportunity for these kinds of tools to enable people to create and share harmful – but credible-looking – information is vast, and largely unchecked.”

The responsibility of medical experts to combat misinformation online emerged as a complex issue. While 25% of respondents believe healthcare professionals have a clear responsibility to engage online to fight misinformation, 60% acknowledged the situation is complicated. Just over half (54%) reported having shared healthcare-related research or information on social media.

For those who avoid sharing healthcare information online, the reasons varied: 53% don’t use social media, 44% don’t believe the benefits outweigh the risks, and 32% worry about safety concerns for themselves and their families.

The growing threat from artificial intelligence tools presents another layer of concern. Dustin Nisley, a licensed clinical social worker and clinical director at Mindful Horizons Counseling, highlighted specific worries: “Personally, my biggest concern is the use of generative AI (e.g., ChatGPT) for therapy/information. With so little oversight or regulation, people could act on incorrect or damaging information that causes real harm.”

Healthcare professionals identified several potential solutions to improve trust in medical information. Seventy percent believe having more scientific and medical voices on platforms popular with younger users, such as TikTok and YouTube, would help. Other suggestions included increasing access to evidence-based information (69%), having high-level government officials publicly support the medical and scientific communities (57%), and reducing access to misinformation online (48%).

Notably, when asked what would make it easier for medical professionals themselves to share trustworthy healthcare information online, the top response (53%) was having assistance with content planning and posting.

The survey methodology involved sending an online questionnaire to a randomized sample of Inlightened’s clinician experts, gathering 77 responses between October 2 and October 21, 2025.

Inlightened, a SaaS platform focused on healthcare innovation, connects client organizations with healthcare experts for on-demand insights. The company was acquired by LocumTenens.com, part of the Jackson Healthcare family of companies, in August 2023, though it continues to operate independently.

As digital platforms and artificial intelligence tools continue to evolve, the survey underscores the growing challenge medical professionals face in ensuring accurate health information reaches the public in an increasingly complex information landscape.