Physicians say medical misinformation is interfering with patient care

A growing number of physicians say that medical misinformation is interfering with their ability to care for patients.

A survey by The Physicians Foundation found that nearly every physician in the survey—99.9%—reported they had encountered patients influenced by misinformation in the previous year.

Sixty-nine percent of physicians said they encountered patients influenced by misinformation a moderate amount to a great deal of the time. That number was up from 61% in 2025.

The survey also found that rural physicians reported higher levels of medical misinformation (78%) than physicians in urban areas (67%) and suburban areas (69%).

How misinformation affects care

In the survey of about 1,000 physicians, 65% said medical misinformation has a significant impact on their ability to provide quality patient care. That number was up from 57% in 2025.

• Four in 10 physicians (43%) reported that misinformation very often or often contributes to unnecessary tests and procedures.
• One in three physicians (34%) said that misinformation very often or often contributes to the overuse of emergency room care and urgent care.
• 49% of physicians reported that they very often or often experience medication and treatment nonadherence due to misinformation.
• 66% of physicians said they very often or often observe increased patient anxiety due to misinformation.
• 45% of physicians reported that they very often or often experience refusal of recommended treatment and care due to misinformation.
• 43% of physicians said they have no confidence that their patients know how to access reliable, evidence-based health information online.

Effect on doctor-patient relationship

Physicians said that the proliferation of medical misinformation has hurt the doctor-patient relationship.

• About one in three physicians (34%) reported that they very often or often experience a breakdown of trust with patients because of patient misinformation.
• About one-third of physicians (31%) said they very often or often experience increased conflict with patients during visits because of patient misinformation.
• Misinformation is a bigger issue among primary care physicians, with 70% of PCPs reporting that a major/moderate level of impact on their ability to provide care. Among specialists, that number was 61%.
• One third of physicians (34%) said they’re not confident they have enough time to engage with patients who are skeptical about modern medicine and science.
• Three in four physicians (74%) said they are not confident they have the necessary tools and support to engage with patients who are skeptical about modern medicine. That number is up from 63% in 2025.

Sources of medical misinformation

When asked where medical misinformation was coming from, nearly half of physicians (48%) identified social media as the single most significant source.

• 85% of physicians said social media very often or often contributed to patient misinformation.
• 74% of physicians said word of mouth very often or often contributed to patient misinformation.
• 74% of physicians said that influencers very often or often contributed to patient misinformation.

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