A UA Thesis Warns About the Dangers of Self-Medication in the Era of "DoctorChat GPT"

A thesis from the University of Alicante (UA) warns about the dangers of self-medication in the digital society, as a consequence of information overload and misinformation regarding the consumption of medications. The work by Ana Ibáñez, a professor in the Department of Communication and Social Psychology, highlights that this is an increasing trend that can pose serious risks to public health.

The conclusions of Professor Ana Ibáñez's doctoral thesis emphasize the shared responsibility of all agents in the pharmaceutical sector to ensure clear, precise, and ethical communication. The adoption of health education interventions in the digital context and the implementation of media literacy programs are necessary steps to ensure responsible self-medication and protect public health in the current digital context, according to the research conducted by the UA professor.

Ana Ibáñez explains that "information overload and the lack of differentiation between informative and persuasive messages generate uncertainty and confusion, leading many people to self-diagnose and self-medicate incorrectly." The UA professor emphasizes that "in an environment where health information is increasingly accessible via the internet and new technologies for information, such as chatbots and artificial intelligence algorithms, are gaining prominence, it is crucial for the population to be well-educated in distinguishing between reliable sources of information and those that are not." Additionally, Ibáñez asserts that "information overload is exacerbated by confusing and unethical practices in communication and marketing within the pharmaceutical sector."

According to an annual study by AEGON, a specialized health and life insurance group, more people are self-medicating based on influencer recommendations. The research reveals that while self-medication itself is a practice advised by the World Health Organization (WHO), as it involves greater involvement and responsibility on the part of individuals in managing their own health, self-diagnosis and self-prescription as a result of recommendations from influencers or pseudoscientists online constitute a serious social problem with consequences for both individuals' lives and society as a whole.

"In this regard, the law is clear and mandates a clear distinction between informational content and advertising. However, in the digital universe, this task is unfeasible because on the Internet any user can share their opinion or experience about a particular treatment with trust and closeness to their audience," says the thesis author. "For this reason, before their followers, their testimony or recommendation may hide a commercial purpose and yet generate as much or more credibility than a health professional's opinion, which is often debated based on information taken from the internet, even leading to questioning or distrust of expert opinions," notes Professor Ibáñez.

The doctoral thesis points out that to counteract these harmful effects, it is essential to promote ethics in health communication and eliminate any advertising or commercial bias in the relationship between healthcare professionals and patients. Thus, all agents involved in the medication chain must assume their responsibility in communicating transparently and rigorously, prioritizing public health over any economic or individual interest.

According to WHO guidelines, Professor Ibáñez underscores the importance of health education, especially focused on responsible and conscious medication consumption. "This literacy process can only be carried out through relational, close, and rigorous communication that allows countering misinformation with knowledge dissemination and scientific evidence," concludes Ibáñez.

Community pharmacists, due to their proximity and accessibility to citizens, can play a key role in this area. Through advice and increasingly advanced pharmaceutical services, they can closely monitor patients' treatments, guide them in their self-care, and refer them to doctors when necessary, thus fostering social awareness about appropriate and sustainable medication use.

Moreover, creating and disseminating educational programs by pharmaceutical system agents is essential for empowering the population to identify reliable sources of information and understand the implications of improper medication use.

Another crucial point of the thesis is promoting media literacy policies from institutions. Ana Ibáñez points out that "in the era of 'Doctor Google' and 'DoctorChat GPT,' health information is just a click away; therefore, it is vital for citizens to learn to differentiate between useful content and those that can seriously harm their health through falsehoods and manipulations."

The thesis emphasizes that developing critical thinking and a conscious attitude towards different messages will not only improve public health but also enhance society's democratic health.