False premises, false promises: celebrity endorsement of non-evidence-based anticancer interventions on social media

Health Promotion International

Emma Grundtvig Gram , Ray Moynihan , Barnett S Kramer , Brooke Nickel

Abstract

Most celebrities are not formally trained in evaluating medical evidence. Accordingly, their testimonials or endorsements may lack solid scientific backing, relying on ‘anecdotal evidence’, which can potentially convince consumers to seek unsafe or ineffective therapies. This is especially concerning when financial interests may inadvertently cloud judgement and generate personal endorsements of ineffective, or even harmful, medical interventions to the public. Cancer patients are particularly vulnerable to these messages, while the rest of the public is interested in avoiding life-threatening conditions such as cancer. Social media amplifies adverse consequences by allowing wide circulation and reach of such misleading information. In this paper, we showcase these trends, discuss the ethical considerations as well as implications for healthcare systems, and call for more effective scrutiny and enforcement of current regulation of celebrity testimonials and endorsements.