Medical misinformation: A primer and recommendations for pharmacists

Medical misinformation is more pervasive today because of widespread and near instantaneous dissemination of information via the internet and social media platforms. Consequences of medical misinformation may include decreased uptake of needed health care resources, delays in seeking care, vaccine hesitancy, medication non‐compliance, increased disease outbreaks and/or burden, and increased hospitalization and mortality. It disproportionately impacts underserved populations, including Black patients, those who identify as LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and more), and patients with reduced health literacy skills or who are digitally disadvantaged. Medical misinformation challenges health care professionals not only to provide the best care possible, but to assist patients in finding accurate information. Preprint publications, although potentially beneficial in rapidly disseminating new scientific discoveries, often have not undergone peer review and may contribute to the widespread propagation of inaccurate or overstated results, thereby perpetuating the spread of medical misinformation when it exists. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic highlighted the importance of practicing evidence‐based medicine and the need for cautious review of preprint publications and articles from predatory publishers in addition to usual and customary literature evaluation techniques. Everyone plays a role in preventing the spread of medical misinformation, with pharmacists uniquely positioned as trusted and highly accessible professionals who may help combat its spread. The goal of this article is to define medical misinformation and related terms, outline mechanisms by which it is spread, describe its clinical impact, highlight how it disproportionately impacts underserved populations, provide actionable strategies to prevent its spread, and give examples of practical tactics to help identify, correct, and alert individuals about the possible presence of medical misinformation.