AMA urges patients to ask their doctor before acting on online health advice

CHICAGO - The internet offers no shortage of health advice. But with misleading medical claims spread across social media, search engines, and AI platforms, finding trustworthy answers can be a challenge.

To counter misinformation and ensure patients have access to credible, evidence-based health information, the American Medical Association (AMA) is launching a national, digital-first campaign asking a simple question before patients act on what they find online: "Did you ask your doctor?"

Launching today, the campaign will feature public service announcement-style digital content, reaching consumers where they do their health searches, as well as out-of-home content first in Chicago and Orlando, site of the AMA Interim Meeting. The message is straightforward: The web has millions of answers. Your doctor (MD or DO) has yours.

"Your health is too important to leave to an internet search, an AI chatbot, or an influencer," said AMA President Willie Underwood III, MD, MSc, MPH. "Online advice can sound convincing, and some of it may even play a key role in early understanding of conditions. But it doesn't know your health history and it doesn't know you. Your doctor does. Before you treat it or ignore it, ask your doctor."

The campaign comes as patients face a confusing array of medical claims on social media and AI-generated content that looks and sounds credible. Some of it is useful. Some of it is misleading or just plain wrong. And even accurate medical guidance may not apply to everyone's individual circumstances.

The AMA campaign aims to reinforce the role of physicians in helping patients make sense of what they read and hear, drawing on years of medical training, clinical experience and knowledge of a patient's health history. It will highlight the importance of those conversations and encourage patients to bring their questions and concerns directly to their doctors, especially when making decisions about their health.

The campaign builds on the AMA's ongoing efforts to counter medical misinformation and promote greater accountability as artificial intelligence becomes more widely used in healthcare. Technology is changing where people find medical advice. The AMA wants to make sure the most important source-your doctor-doesn't get lost in the mix.

As part of the campaign, patients can search thousands of articles-evidence-based and reviewed by physicians-on today's top health issues by visiting DidYouAskYourDoctor.org.