Dr. CS Pramesh, the head of Tata Memorial Hospital, has warned against receiving medical advice from unqualified "influencers" on social media. This caution comes in the wake of a social media figure offering medical advice to Nithin Kamath, Zerodha's co-founder and CEO, following his recent announcement about having a small stroke. The influencer's advice, which was ultimately found erroneous by numerous doctors, caused Dr. Pramesh to underline the risks of disinformation on social media.
Nithin Kamath released information about his stroke on Twitter, blaming it on causes such as his father's death, insufficient sleep, tiredness, dehydration, and overtraining. In response, Shankar Sharma, a social media influencer, made recommendations for post-stroke rehabilitation that several doctors, including Dr. Pramesh and eminent cardiologist Dr. Deepak Krishnamurthy, lambasted for lacking scientific support.
Dr. Pramesh emphasized the necessity of not following random influences who lack solid science to back up their suggestions. He retweeted Sharma's suggestions, writing, "A thread that shows how dangerous social media can be... Please do not follow random 'influencers' who lack actual science to back up their claims beyond 'Trust me, buddy'."
In separate posts, Dr. Pramesh warned against falling for influencers with no scientific training and emphasized the dangers of ill-researched expert advice. He cautioned individuals to be wary of such recommendations, emphasizing the inherent risks of relying on unconfirmed health information from social media.
Dr. Deepak Krishnamurthy also questioned the influencer's remarks, underscoring the necessity of work-life balance and the need for free time to relax, unwind, and sleep.
The controversy highlights the issues created by disinformation on social media sites, with Dr. Pramesh asking people to seek medical advice only from qualified doctors who have a firm scientific foundation. The episode underscores the potential consequences of relying on unconfirmed health information as well as the importance of raising public awareness about the legitimacy of online health advice.
The Tata Memorial Hospital director's cautionary message highlights the broader concern about the influence of social media on healthcare decisions as well as the critical role of qualified medical professionals in guiding individuals to accurate and evidence-based health information.
Inputs from various sources.
(Rehash/Susmita Bhandary/MSM)
