A recent editorial in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) addresses the growing problem of medical misinformation, such as anti-vaccine views, fake treatments, unproven alternative products and services, and others. The authors, Armstrong and Naylor, make some good recommendations, but unfortunately are about 20 years behind the times when it comes to confronting scientific misinformation.

They identify the source of the problem as being primarily the extensive availability of medical information online that is not vetted or reviewed, combined with a rising tide of anti-science sentiments in the culture. They write:

This new online world facilitates direct-to-consumer marketing by phony experts, celebrities with armies of Twitter followers, and legions of independent digital scammers, including some physicians. The result has been torrents of misinformation on topics as varied as the safety and effectiveness of vaccinations, the Zika virus outbreak, water fluoridation, genetically modified foods, and treatments for common diseases.
Medical misinformation is nothing new but has become pervasive. Multiple digital sources represent a “new frontier” without editorial oversight or curation. Nearly anyone can say almost anything and be taken seriously at least by some consumers. With billions of individuals online every day, health misinformation can spread at a rapid pace. Worse, exciting falsehoods apparently spread faster than boring truths on social media.
This new online world facilitates direct-to-consumer marketing by phony experts, celebrities with armies of Twitter followers, and legions of independent digital scammers, including some physicians. The result has been torrents of misinformation on topics as varied as the safety and effectiveness of vaccinations, the Zika virus outbreak, water fluoridation, genetically modified foods, and treatments for common diseases.
Moreover, in countries such as India, Italy, and the United States, negative attitudes about science appear to have risen in lockstep with ultranationalist sentiments and the emergence of populist leaders and movements. For those disadvantaged, despairing, and understandably distrustful of government, these “alternative truths” align with shared skepticism about scientific medicine and belief in traditional remedies.
The rising tide of medical misinformation is already having adverse effects on global health. It requires a robust and coordinated response from health professionals, organizations, institutions, and mainstream media. Medical journals now have an opportunity to galvanize and support this important effort.