Combatting Medical Misinformation

Andre Zhang, Pharm.D. Candidate 2026

Andre Zhang, PharmD Candidate 2026

Whether you call it clickbait, spams, or fluff, medical misinformation is on the rise and instigated further by social media and online platforms. These days you can never be too careful about where to look for medical information. Even posts about the common cold can be riddled with incorrect and harmful information. And if it’s not online, then it’s probably something you overheard—like that one friend who said vaccines aren’t important or are even dangerous.  So where should we get our medical information from? The answer is a lot simpler than you might think. It all comes down to using reputable sources. By staying up-to-date with the use of established medical databases, peer-reviewed journals, and trusted healthcare organizations, you are already filtering out a large chunk of unreliable information. As future pharmacists, it is also important for us to use our voices responsibly, whether through one-on-one patient interactions or leveraging what we post on social media. We can contribute by engaging patients and our communities through brown bag events, workshops, vaccine clinics, and more to encourage health awareness. With the knowledge we garner in pharmacy school, we should be pillars of educating those in need. Remember, someone around you might not be as health-literate as they seem.