Not just #OzempicBabies — which other social media trends bewitch patients?
There has been a boom of people on TikTok, Facebook and other social media sites announcing pregnancies that they claim are linked to semaglutide use.
What is interesting is that, according to endocrinologist Associate Professor Priya Sumithran, there might be a seed of truth in these wild claims because weight loss may improve fertility.
Another common subject of not-quite-truths is the oral contraceptive pill.
The Washington Post recently took on a common statement from social media influencers that stopping the oral contraceptive bill would decrease your attraction to your partner.
Again, certain studies may support the idea; it is just that the studies typically have tiny sample sizes and retrospective subjective outcomes.
The concern is that patients will make major treatments decisions based on these social media trends without clinical oversight.
There are also social media trends with less clinical debate surrounding them, as shown in this published case series of patients requiring medical attention due to dangerous trends like “The Deodorant Challenge”.
We want to know the common social media–driven medical myths (or half-myths) you have encountered — whether from patients or when perusing social media yourself.
They can be serious or lighthearted.
Please fill in our short survey below.
