The Canadian Medical Association has formally named health misinformation a patient safety concern.

At a recent (and fascinating!) lecture, my colleague Kim Bretz ND made the case that misinformation is no longer a fringe problem. It is a structural feature of the information environment we all live in. In my own practice, a growing share of appointment time goes to untangling misleading claims before the real conversation can begin. Here are my takeaways from her talk, and what I now recommend.

What The Data Shows

According to recent CMA survey data:

• About 89% of Canadian adults look for health information online.
• Roughly 1 in 3 struggle to tell credible information from misinformation.
• Nearly 69% are now skeptical of online health information, including sources they once trusted.
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The consequences are real. Respondents reported increased anxiety (about 43%), delayed care (38%), strained relationships (33%), and adverse effects from following online advice (23%).

disease.

The Problem Isn’t Access Anymore.

We are no longer simply exposed to health information. We are consumed by it. Algorithms generate content shaped by our fears, hopes, and past searches. A question like “Why am I so tired?” gets narrowed toward inflammation, hormonal imbalance, too much cortisol, and “adrenal fatigue.” Each search becomes more specific and more self-confirming. Over time, repetition starts to feel more trustworthy than evidence.

Influencer Versus Doctor

In the U.S., roughly 40% of adults get health information from influencers or podcasts. Among adults under 50, it’s about half. Many of these voices build authority through personal story rather than evidence. As Dr. Bretz put it, confident, emotionally resonant communication has become a form of power in itself.

The difference between an influencer and a clinician is structural:

• Certainty vs. probability. Influencer certainty drives engagement. Clinical care works in probabilities and is individualized to you.
• Reach vs. accountability. Influencers are measured by reach. Clinicians are accountable through consent, follow-up, and documentation.
• Monetization vs. regulation. Selling a product misaligns incentives. Clinicians work within a regulated scope and code of ethics.
• One protocol vs. one patient. What helps one person may not help another.

Thinking Well in a Noisy World

What I recommend:

• Pause when you feel urgency. Fear or excitement is a signal to slow down, not to act.
• Ask three questions. Who is saying this? What do they gain? What evidence is there beyond a personal story?
• Notice the spiral. If your searches are getting narrower and more alarming, stop and write down your original question.
• Treat AI answers as a starting point. AI tools give confident answers that can be wrong, or right in general but wrong for you.
• Bring it in. Save the link or screenshot and bring it to your next appointment. Fatigue, like any symptom, has a source of origin. Finding it takes a conversation, not a feed.

The bottom line

The world has become more cognitively demanding. In the words of Dr. Bretz:

Let’s keep doing that work together.

Until next time, scroll intentionally.

Dr. Dominika

Dr. Dominika Zarzeczny Naturopathic Doctor ​ ​hello@drdominika.com​ ​www.drdominika.com​ ​​Schedule an Appointment​ ​​​

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