Doximity plagued by vaccine misinformation released by doctors

Healthcare professionals have become some of the most important people in society during the pandemic, working countless hours to save the lives of Covid-19 patients and encouraging the public to get vaccinated. However, it seems even the medical community is not immune to the vaccine misinformation plaguing the internet.

A new CNBC Report possesses found that Doximity, a The physician social media network with 1.8 million members, including 80% of physicians in the United States, is chock-full of misinformation spread by professionals believed to be grounded in science. If you’ve never heard of Doximity, it’s because you’re not a doctor. Only practicing healthcare professionals can join the social network, and their credentials, such as their medical license and hospital badge, are verified by the company. Users also cannot post their own content. They are only allowed to comment on content published by Doximity.

The closed community and the verification aspect only makes the misinformation published more disturbing. Doximity is allegedly full of comments posted by doctors claiming covid-19 vaccines are experimental, unproven or fatal. Some call Dr. Anthony Fauci, the White House’s chief medical adviser, “Fauxi.” Other doctors have claimed that the antibodies that develop when people are infected with the virus are more effective than vaccines.

In response to a month of June article on a federal judge who rejected a trial provoked by workers at a Houston hospital who refused to comply with its vaccination mandate, a surgeon repeated a lie recited by Fox News host Tucker Carlson.

“The Covid-19 vaccines have already killed over 4,000 adults who have received the vaccine,” the surgeon wrote, according to the CNBC report. “To demand a vaccine that has already killed more than 4,000 people is akin to murder. “

All of the above claims are, of course, false. The three covid-19 vaccines used in the United States are safe and effective, as explained by Centers for Disaster Control and Prevention. They received a emergency use authorization by the Food and Drug Administration. In addition, some reports indicate that the FDA is planning to fully approve the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in early September. What if you’ve had covid-19, the CDC always recommend you get vaccinated.

Regarding the claim of around 4,000 deaths, the CDC analyzed death reports and determined that there is “no causal link with COVID-19 vaccines”.

The surgeon’s Doximity position is only the tip of the iceberg, however. CNBC says articles about vaccines or masks on social media contain hundreds of comments, many of which are inaccurate or based on conspiracy theories.

Theoretically, these comments should not be on the social network at all. In his Community rules, Doximity prohibits “content that contradicts widely accepted public health guidelines.” This explicitly includes unverified claims about the efficacy and side effects of FDA-approved vaccines, claims that public health officials knowingly give false information, and claims that discourage good public health behavior (for example). example, social distancing, masking), among others. .

In a statement to CNBC, the company said that while the exchange of views on emerging science and medical news was allowed, medical misinformation was not.

“Like most virtual communities, we have community guidelines in place to ensure that Doximity remains a safe and respectful environment,” said Doximity. “We use a rigorous clinical review process, comprised of physicians, to assess member comments that are flagged as potential misinformation. “

As we all know by now, misinformation is complicated. It is not only about what is said, but also about those who repeat it and the influence they have on others. Disinformation can also have disastrous consequences, as shown by the riot on Capitol Hill on January 6 led by supporters of former President Donald Trump. So Doximity, it’s one thing to have direction, it’s another to do something.

Hope you all take action before we have another crisis on our hands.

You can read CNBC’s impressive report on Doximity here.