This program of work focuses on addressing the problem of misleading medical marketing on social media, with a specific focus on non-evidence-based interventions (tests, treatments, technologies) which lead to overdiagnosis and/or overuse. Using mixed methods the work aims to quantify the problem and identify solutions and interventions to counter misleading medical marketing.

Topics investigated:

• misleading medical tests (full-body MRI, testosterone, AMH, multi cancer and gut microbiome tests),

• low value women’s health interventions (boric acid suppositories, fertility and menopause tests and treatments),

• unregulated injectable peptides for men’s health,

• non-evidence based dementia blood tests.

Led by:Dr Brooke Nickel, Collaborators: Dr Tessa Copp, Prof Kirsten McCaffery, Dr Melody Taba