The Price of Influence Paid Endorsements and Your Health

Well, hello there everyone, and welcome today on the podcast, we're gonna pull up a log around our virtual campfire to discuss something that's becoming a major smoke signal in our modern digital world, paid influencers in the medical community, and how that relationship is really affecting your personal health. Stay tuned the studios production. Hey, everybody, welcome back to another episode of Wise Thoughts. I'm your host, Terry Weiss, and I'm so glad that you're able to join us for this episode of the podcast. And hey, if you like what you hear, mosey on over to the website Weis's thoughts dot com. There you can listen to each and every episode of the podcast, comment on a show, share us with your friends. It's all at Weiss thoughts dot com. And if you wanna check me out on X or, as I used to fondly say, tweet at me on Twitter, it's at Terry Weiss. Also on x at Weiss's Productions Wyse. Just make sure you spell the name right, and if you want to email me directly with any commentary or feedback, it's Terry at weiss'sthoughts dot com. All right, great program for you today, great episode of the podcast. We're gonna talk about the medical community and digital influencers. Let's get into it. Everybody, Welcome back to the program, Welcome to wiy's thoughts. I am Terry Weiss, and we got the we got the virtual campfire going here. Thanks for joining us at our virtual campfire today. I like to call it our virtual campfires. Sit down, and we've got a great, great show for you today, and it's one it's really going to make you think. So why don't you go over there, grab yourself a beverage. Yeah, you grab your favorite beverage and a comfortable seat around our virtual campfire, and let's talk about paid influencers in the medical community and how that relationship is really affecting our personal health. I mean, the world of health advice, okay, has moved from the doctor's office and the library to our phone and you know, on our iPad and tablet and computer screens. What happens when that trusted voice promoting a supplement or a diet plan or even a medical test is also receiving a hefty paycheck from the company. Well, we're going to illuminate on the ethical conflicts and we're going to talk about the public health risks and the way you can protect your well being in this new digital landscape. This is important stuff and we're gonna dive into it. How's that sound Okay, let's do it all right. So to kick things off, let's define what we're talking about here in our campfire circle today. When we talk about paid influencers in the medical community, we're talking about two main groups. That's what I'm going to talk about now. First, first, we have the certified professionals. Now, those people are like doctors, registered dietitians, pharmacists. They have built a massive social media following a lot of them have, and they share genuinely helpful, evidence based content. But then they also start promoting products and sometimes very niche ones, for a fee. Now, the second group we're going to talk about is the non professional wellness or patient influencers. These are people with compelling personal stories or esthetically pleasing lifestyles to promote everything from detox teas to expensive diagnostic tests. Now, they lack clinical credentials, but their audience trusts their relatability. Now, the core issue here is trust versus transaction, and a doctor's professional integrity is built on the foundation of patient care and scientific evidence. But when they accept payment to promote a brand, especially for something like let's say a non FDA approved supplement or an unnecessary, costly diagnostic test, that fundamental trust it's definitely compromised. Let's think about that. I mean, the FDC requires clear disclosure, a simple hashtag ad or hashtag sponsored, or some kind of verbal disclosure. But in the fast scrolling feed, that tiny hashtag is easily missed. You know, we see a white coat, we hear a confident language, and our brain translates that into professional endorsement, not paid advertisement. But think about this, Okay, think about this. This is where the heat of our campfire really starts to rise, because the lack of transparency here doesn't just waste your money, it can put your health at risk. Think about that. Now, let's be fair. It's not all doom and gloom. Okay. The rise of the rise of medical professionals on platforms like TikTok and Instagram has brought genuine good. It has. I mean, let's talk about the pros for a little bit here, shall we. Let's do that accessibility health information, which is often trapped behind complex jargon and paywalls is now more accessible than ever. Experts are debunking myths and addressing public health questions in real time. So that's a good thing. Destigmat to day, let me say that word again, destigmatization all right, and how you can be stigmatized for a lot of things. Patient influencers and particularly have done an incredible job of creating support and supportive online communities, normalizing conditions like chronic illnesses or mental health struggles, especially the mental health end, and encouraging people to seek help. Health literacy, that's another positive. A well meaning doctor influencer can teach millions about preventative care, symptom checking, or why vaccines work or don't work, all with a more relatable tone than a textbook. Now let's talk a little bit about the gray area right now. The line gets incredibly blurry when patient, you know, when payment enters into the equation, not patients, but you know, paying for this information going out to potential patients or people. Consider this. Consider a registered dietitian who promotes a specific brand of a protein bar, for instance. They might genuinely think it's the best option, but are they also compelled to downplay a competitor or even a healthier non branded alternative, let's say like an apple okay or peanut butter or something like that, because the contract requires them to focus on the bar itself. Think about that, Hey, was wastelots of listeners. Are you looking for a simple way to level up your focus and energy? Well, you know on this podcast, I talk a lot about health and vitality. That's why I'm excited to share some information about empower Plus. It's a functional superfood green powder from in Dear Life. It features powerful ingredients like lions main for cognition and broccoli microgreens for anti inflammatory support, and it's all in one scoop. Want to try it out? Well, right now, you can get fifteen percent off your entire order. That's right, fifteen percent off your whole order at a Dearer Life. Just visit a dear life dot com. That's E d E r R A l y f E dot com. Use my special code Weiss Save that's w yce E s a ve E at the checkout that's Weiss Save for fifteen percent off at a dear life dot com. Fuel your thoughts and save today now and for non credit uh credulated influencers, those people that aren't you know, doctor or in the healthcare industry per se. The lack of professional oversight is a major concern. They're often promoting claims that aren't you know, anecdotal, exaggerated, or you know, they can be anecdotal or exaggerated, or you know what. Sometimes I've seen things online that are outright dangerous and false, fad diets that cause nutrition deficiencies, or unproven miracle cures. How many things have you seen from miracle cures on the internet? All it pops up on my Facebook feed and all the time, and YouTube as well. I mean, some of these things are outright dangerous. You have to be careful. And the other thing sometimes some of these influencers pushes tests that lead to, you know, unnecessary tests that lead to anxiety and overtreatment. It's a huge shift from the traditional medical model, where recommendations are based on peer reviewed science, not clicks and conversion rates. So let's focus on the heart of the matter, shall we. How is this affecting your health? The most immediate danger is misinformation and delayed care. If an influencer convinces you that a trendy supplement is a substitute for an established, evidence based treatment. You might deny or delay seeing a doctor for a serious condition, leading possibly the worse outcomes. A study in the Journal of American Pediatrics highlighted that influencers promoting direct to consumer medical tests often overstated the benefits and downplayed the risks. This can lead to what doctors call incidental and incidental lomas, finding a minor harmless anonymaly on a full body scan that leads to a cascade of unnecessary, expensive, and sometimes invasive follow up tests and anxiety. The ethical fire definitely burns the brightest okay for credentialed professionals in this case, definitely does hit the mic there. Sorry about that, folks, It's been one of those days here at Purple Pit Studios. I mean, medical boards and associations are beginning to issue guidelines emphasizing that their duty to the patient outweighs their duty to their brand partnership. And that's how it should be. I mean, come on, let's be honest here, That's definitely how it should be. The promotion of products or services must align with professional standards, and that lead to patient harm or loss of public trust. When a healthcare provider accepts payment, they are essentially applying the sheen of their hard earned expertise to a sales pitch. And this commercialization of clinical tests erodes the public's confidence in the medical system as a whole. I mean, haven't we seen that during the pandemic, et cetera. And when the public stops trusting the system public health initiatives, et cetera, like vaccines and vaccination efforts or screenings, they suffer. We need to remember that in healthcare the currency isn't followers, it's trust. Let me say that again. All of us have to remember in healthcare the currency isn't followers, it's trust. And that trust should not not ever be for sale. So how do we you and I navigate this complex environment and protect our health. Well, let me give you some simple, yet essential takeaways and suggestions here. First, one, spot the ad and flip the script. Always check for an explicit disclosure like a hashtag that' says ad or sponsored, or a hashtag that has the word partner in it. Now, if you see one, immediately assume the post is a sales pitch. If a claim seems too good to be true, it is. Don't let a filter or a catchy tune. Replace a medical consultation ever ever. Number two, verify, don't just trust. If an influencer, even a doctor, recommends a product or a treatment, do your own due diligence and verification. Check two official non commercial sources like let's say the FDA or the National Institute of Health, a repetal medical journal, or a major unbiased health organization. Never replace a primary care visit with a social media post. Number three, Know the source of authority. Ask yourself this question, what's this person's training? A physician, an MD, or a DO has different training than a registered coetian, which is different from a nutritionist or a personal trainer. Respect their lane of expertise always, But if a dermatologist is recommending a complex cardiac supplement, pause and seek a different opinion. Just remember, we must be villigent, very diligent about the difference between friendly advice and a commercial transaction. My friends, your health is too important to be influenced by an undisclosed heyday. If you have any questions or comments about this episode of the podcast, be sure to reach out to me at Terry at weiss thoughts dot com, Visit me on x at Terry Weiss. Also, you can comment right on the website on the upp so share us with your friends and until next time, my friends, be well. Hey, thanks for listening to the program today. I truly appreciate each and every one of you out there, and remember to see a change in the world, you have to be the change in the world you want to see. It all starts with you, the person looking back at you in the mirror every morning. Remember to be kind to yourself, be kind to others. If you want to tweet at me on Twitter, it's at Terry Weiss. Stop by the website Weis's Thoughts dot com just to make sure you spell my name right. Wysee Wis's thoughts dot com, and hey, leave us a positive rating and review on your favorite podcast provider. Won't you tell your friends, tell your family, tell your pets about Whife's thoughts, and I look forward to gathering yet again around the virtual campfire with you real soon. Take care.