Author: Suyash Pasi, MA
November 21, 2024
Medical misinformation has emerged as a significant threat to public health, particularly in developing nations such as India. With the rising use of social media platforms, medical misinformation has spread at an alarming rate and is subsequently impacting individuals' ability to access accurate healthcare resources. For instance, the COVID-19 pandemic became a flashpoint for misinformation across the country, with experts speculating that around 32.9% of the population refused to acquire the proper vaccinations despite them being widely available. Much of this reluctance was driven by misinformation circulating on social media platforms like WhatsApp and YouTube, which enabled widespread rumors about vaccine safety. For example, false claims spread that individuals with preexisting conditions such as diabetes or hypertension could face severe complications or even death if they received the COVID-19 vaccine. These unsubstantiated rumors undermined public health efforts to promote vaccination.
The World Health Organization described this phenomenon as an "infodemic," a situation in which the information environment is overwhelmed with false or inaccurate information, outdated advice, and claims from unreliable sources, making it increasingly difficult to find reliable sources. A 2024 report by the World Economic Forum found that India ranks highest for the risk of misinformation and disinformation. Researchers also found that misinformation disproportionately affected rural and marginalized communities, which largely had lower healthcare literacy and therefore depended on an informal network that made them vulnerable to medical misinformation.
Sources of Medical Misinformation: The Role of Digital Platforms
India's internet access has increased exponentially, with over 954 million internet subscribers as of March 2024. The availability of cheap data plans and mobile phones has allowed more Indians to access the internet than ever before. However, the rapid expansion of digital access has also brought challenges. Platforms such as WhatsApp and YouTube have emerged as key channels for spreading misinformation. Users can post messages, pictures, and videos without undergoing any verification, allowing false or misleading information to spread unchecked. This ability, combined with anonymity, can facilitate misinformation. During the COVID-19 pandemic, these platforms were used to spread harmful, unverified information, ranging from dubious alternative treatments to conspiracy theories regarding vaccines and health authorities. On platforms like WhatsApp, messages are encrypted end-to-end, making it essentially impossible for law enforcement to find the users responsible. These protections create a double-edged sword where methods to enhance user privacy are misused to spread medical misinformation without accountability.
While some platforms have taken measures to fact-check fake news, their focus remains primarily on English content. Meta partnered with around 90 independent fact-checking organizations to combat misinformation, but experts say work needs to be done to engage with regional languages as well. India, with its regional and linguistic diversity, is particularly susceptible to misinformation due to the sheer number of languages spoken across the country, with 22 officially recognized languages and over thousands of regional variations and dialects. For example, Swami Indradevji Maharaj, a Hindu spiritual leader, falsely claimed that taking steam could completely protect individuals from contracting COVID-19. This video, widely circulated on Facebook in Hindi, gained significant traction despite its false assertions.
Impact of Alternative Medicine and Government Institutions
Alternative treatments have emerged as a major source of medical misinformation in India. Treatments such as Ayurveda, Siddhi, and Unani, which are rooted in traditional Indian medicine, enjoy widespread popularity across India despite limited medical efficacy. In times of crisis, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic, these treatments are advertised as viable alternatives to vaccines, leading to widespread misinformation and potential harm.
One of the major drivers behind the promotion of alternative medicine is endorsements from prominent public figures coupled with government support. The Ministry of AYUSH, an acronym for Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa, and Homoeopathy, is a government department tasked with the promotion of alternative medicine. The market size of the AYUSH industry was estimated to be US$ 18.1 billion in 2020 and is rapidly growing, despite lackluster scientific evidence. AYUSH, through programs and public figures, has encouraged the use of Ayurvedic and homeopathic treatments as preventive measures against diseases, including COVID-19.
Government officials and prominent figures also endorse these treatments. Baba Ramdev, a famous yoga practitioner and founder of the Ayurveda company Patanjali, claimed his medicines could cure cardiac diseases and cancer. Patanjali launched Coronil, an Ayurvedic medicine, claiming it could treat COVID-19. These claims were endorsed by the then Union Health Minister, Harsh Vardhan, who stated that Ayurvedic medicine is the "first evidence-based medicine for COVID-19." After strong backlash by the largest doctors’ union in India, advertisements of Coronil were later taken down by judicial order.
The government’s support for these alternative treatments often led to confusion about the effectiveness of modern medicine. As a result, public trust in conventional medicine is eroded, especially in communities where access to reliable healthcare is already limited.
Impact on Rural Populations and Doctors
India's rural and vulnerable marginalized groups, particularly women, face unique challenges and are disproportionately affected by misinformation. Women are often the primary decision-makers with regard to medicine, which puts them in a unique position to make the essential decision to vaccinate their families. However, this also makes them especially vulnerable to medical misinformation. Limited access to formal healthcare facilities and low health literacy levels often drive them to rely on unverified sources of treatment. In rural areas, where healthcare infrastructure is sparse, unlicensed practitioners frequently administer treatments based on unverified information circulated through social media platforms like WhatsApp and YouTube.
The spread of misinformation has also contributed to an increase in violence against doctors. In some cases, rumors circulated that doctors were deliberately withholding effective treatments or intentionally causing harm for profit, further inciting mistrust. A notable example occurred in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, where healthcare workers were assaulted because rumors had spread through social media that they were forcibly taking people away or poisoning them. Doctors in some cities were stranded with their belongings on the streets after being evicted from their homes by landlords, while airline staff and delivery workers faced similar threats of eviction and violence due to rumors that they were spreading COVID-19.
The Human Rights Perspective
The Indian Constitution guarantees the right to life, which includes the right to access quality healthcare. Medical misinformation undermines this right by restricting access to accurate and reliable health information. India has an obligation to create policies that guarantee not only access to healthcare but also protection from medical misinformation. Special care should be taken for marginalized and vulnerable groups, while also safeguarding stakeholders that serve a key role in facilitating the Indian healthcare industry. The government must take concrete steps to prevent the spread of false information, especially from their own officials and state departments. This would require comprehensive legislative reform to regulate the dissemination of health-related information, as well as increased accountability for both public officials and private entities who spread misinformation.
The issue of medical misinformation is not only a public health concern but also a human rights concern. Access to accurate medical information is integral to the right to health, and combating misinformation is essential for safeguarding the health and well-being of India’s population.
Glossary
Ayurveda: An alternative medical system that originated in India. Focuses on using natural remedies and lifestyle changes based on balancing body components called doshas.
Conspiracy Theory: A belief that an event was planned and executed by a secret and influential organization. Conspiracy theories tend to rely on a distrust of authorities to
Dialect: A particular form of language that is native to a region or people.
Disinformation: False information spread deliberately to advance political, military, or commercial goals.
Dissemination: The act of spreading information to a wide audience.
Dubious: Unreliable or hard to believe.
Exponential: To grow more and more rapidly over time.
Fake News: False or misleading information that presents itself as legitimate news.
Homeopathy: An alternative medical system that originated in Germany. Uses highly diluted natural substances to treat similar symptoms.
Judicial: Relating to the administration of justice, particularly as carried out by a court or a judge.
Lackluster: Lacking in force or conviction.
Legislative: Relating to the creation or enactment of laws, typically carried out by a legislative body such as a congress or parliament.
Linguistic Diversity: The variety of languages spoken in a particular area or by a group of people.
Marginalized communities: A group of people that are discriminated against socially, economically, or politically, with limited access to rights and opportunities.
Misinformation: False information that is spread, regardless of whether there is intent to mislead. Medical misinformation refers to misinformation related to public health.
Naturopathy: An alternative medical system with origins in Europe. Focuses on the body's ability to heal itself through natural therapies to treat illness.
Siddha: An alternative medical system that originated in South India. Combines three specific groups of herbs to maintain health and treat illness.
Sowa-Rigpa: An alternative medical system with origins in Tibet. Focuses on the balance of the body’s energies through traditional medicine and physical therapies to treat disease.
Unani: An alternative medical system that originated in Greece. Focuses on balancing bodily humors and elements through herbal remedies.
Unsubstantiated: Not supported by evidence; lacking verification.
Yoga: A variety of physical and spiritual practices that originated in India. Yoga incorporates physical postures, breathing exercises, and meditation to enhance health and treat illness.