Social media influencers are ‘fearmongering’ to promote health tests with limited evidence, study finds

Influencers are appealing to emotional narratives around health and often “fearmongering” to promote controversial medical tests on social media, a new study has found, in ways that are overwhelmingly misleading and fail to mention potential harms.

The research, led by the University of Sydney, published in the journal JAMA Network Open, investigated five tests being discussed on social media despite limited evidence of their benefits for generally healthy people and concerns about overdiagnosis.

These were full-body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans; genetic testing claiming to identify early signs of 50 cancers; blood tests for testosterone levels; the anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) or “egg-timer” test, which surveys a woman’s egg count; and the gut microbiome test.

The study’s lead author, Dr Brooke Nickel, said posts about these tests came from a “wide range” of account holders, from major influencers to “everyday girl-next-door” accounts, as well as news outlets, doctors and the companies making the tests. “Across the board, they were being promoted misleadingly,” she said.

Nickel said the tests were being promoted under the guise of empowerment: early screening as a way for people to take control of their own health. However, as Nickel noted: “These tests carry the potential for healthy people to receive unnecessary diagnoses, which could lead to unnecessary medical treatments or impact mental health.”

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Source: The Guardian, 26 February 2025