Healthcare Professionals in Alicante Warn of Increasing Intrusion Due to AI and Social Media

Social media and artificial intelligence offer numerous opportunities but also pose risks, especially in sensitive fields like healthcare. Anyone can create a social media account and, using tools like ChatGPT, offer services such as nutritionist advice. In seconds, AI can generate a complete diet plan for any purpose—from muscle gain or weight loss to improving athletic performance. The problem is that this planning is not backed by any health criteria and, consequently, endangers the health of those who follow it.

This form of professional intrusion is gradually gaining ground, and no healthcare profile is exempt from it. This is confirmed by the 11 professional healthcare associations in the province of Alicante, whose representatives urge both members and the general public to be alert to these practices and report them.

These ten collegiate entities form the Professional Healthcare Union of Alicante (UPSANA), which this Thursday, October 16, will hold its 10th Health Gala at the Gran Teatro de Elche at 7 PM. For the first time in its ten editions, the gala will have a leitmotif: professional intrusion, under the slogan "Real Health, Real Healthcare Professionals."

The gala was presented to the media this Tuesday at the headquarters of the Alicante Nursing College, one of the 11 that are part of UPSANA. Montserrat Angulo, president of the nursing association, also serves this year as president of the collegiate union, which includes doctors, dental surgeons, veterinarians, pharmacists, psychologists, physiotherapists, optometrists, occupational therapists, nutritionists, and podiatrists.

Without providing figures to quantify the magnitude of the problem, all the collegiate representatives agreed that intrusion is a growing trend in all healthcare professions, and new technologies contribute to exacerbating the problem. "Even a single case is concerning. Colleges must not only safeguard the rights of their members but also the health of individuals," explained Angulo.

Many colleges have departments responsible for pursuing and reporting these incidents. This is the case of the Official College of Doctors of Alicante (COMA), which four years ago launched its Observatory Against Intrusion and Pseudotherapies, tasked with investigating cases and advising its board to promote appropriate actions, including complaints. Intrusion is a crime, as reminded by the first vice-president of COMA, Dr. Ana Segura.

Citizens who are subject to these practices can also turn to collegiate resources to report cases of intrusion, as in the case of the Alicante College of Pharmacists. Its vice-president, Bernardo Sala, spoke about the need to raise social awareness, especially when browsing the Internet. "We encounter many websites selling pharmacological treatments without any professional endorsement. The percentage of these cases may not be very high, but it is still concerning," explained Sala.

One way for users to identify cases of intrusion is to ensure that the healthcare professional has an active registration number. "This registration is public information that can be consulted by anyone," reminded María Lozano, vice-president of the Official College of Podiatry of the Valencian Community.

Mental health professionals also experience the impersonation of their functions, as the ability to give personal advice does not grant the title of psychologist. "We are experiencing a surge of intrusion in our profession. It seems that everyone knows about psychology, but obviously, that is not the case," assured Concepción Sánchez, second vice-dean of the Official College of Psychology of the Valencian Community.