n my practice, it’s become a predictable pattern. A patient with long COVID arrives armed with a list of supplements, off-label drugs, and protocols culled from Reddit threads, Facebook groups, TikTok influencers, and YouTube channels. They’re not asking for my medical advice — they’re seeking validation for a plan they’ve already sourced from the internet.
This phenomenon reflects a deeper problem in modern healthcare: the rise of crowdsourced medicine, where social media replaces scientific inquiry, and anecdotes masquerade as evidence. or long COVID patients, this dynamic is particularly hazardous. Desperate for relief, and often frustrated by the slow progress of medical science and the fragmented nature of care, many patients turn to online communities where hope often outruns reason.
Anecdotes Do Not Equal Evidence
The fundamental problem is one every clinician understands: anecdote is not evidence. Social media thrives on compelling personal stories, especially those suggesting dramatic improvement. But long COVID symptoms often fluctuate naturally. Attribution of recovery to the latest protocol circulating online is often spurious at best.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has long warned of this phenomenon, describing it as an “infodemicopens in a new tab or window” — an overabundance of information, including deliberate attempts to disseminate false or misleading health information, particularly during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. The spread of such misinformation undermines trust in public health and endangers patient safety.