As patients are increasingly encouraged to research, ask questions, and make informed decisions, they naturally turn to the wealth of online resources available to them. Where physicians were once the sole gatekeepers of medical knowledge, patients now navigate a vast online ecosystem to explore symptoms, understand diagnoses, and seek support.

From early message boards to today’s TikTok, each wave of technology has brought new ways to share experiences and build communities around everything from chronic illness to mental health, fertility journeys, rare diseases, and wellness trends. Today, over 80% of internet users seek out health information online, and for many facing isolating or emotionally difficult diagnoses, these online spaces offer connection and a sense of agency that formal healthcare systems may not always be able to provide.¹

The evolution of breast cancer support communities offers a clear example. In the early 2000s, platforms like Breastcancer.org pioneered peer-led support through structured message boards, helping patients and caregivers connect across geographies and stages of illness. As the internet matured, so did the formats. By 2010, Facebook had introduced closed  groups, enabling more private community spaces to emerge. Within just a few years of groups becoming a core feature of Facebook, English-language breast cancer groups had amassed a combined total of over 1 million members. ² Today, image- and video-based social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram and TikTok have given rise to ‘cancer influencers’, who document treatment journeys, explain clinical terms, and share their emotional highs and lows. This evolution from static forums to real-time, personalitydriven content in breast cancer support reflects a broader transformation in how health knowledge is created and consumed across therapy areas. Alongside this vast expansion of platforms, the digital health economy has surged and is now projected to exceed a value of $946 billion by 2030.³

While the broad democratisation of health content has brought clear benefits, it has also created new vulnerabilities. Humans have always been capable of spreading false information, but the vast expansion of online health sources and design features of social media algorithms have accelerated this capability to an alarming degree. Some individuals use the reach of social platforms to exaggerate or fabricate illness narratives for fame or attention, while others promote unproven or harmful treatments in an attempt to profit off patient vulnerability. As the moderation of online content dwindles – with Facebook ending partnerships with third-party fact checkers and TikTok cutting human moderation teams in the UK in favour of AI alternatives – misinformation can continue to amplify unchecked.^4,5 Studies have found that up to almost a third of health-related content on social media now contains misinformation.⁶ As digital platforms continue to shape public understanding of health, a dual reality of widespread access and rising risk has emerged.

“While online health information empowers patients with greater access, speed, and community, it also carries the risk of misinformation, confusion, and inequity – making trusted, transparent communication more critical than ever. We all should include misinformation as a critical aspect of our customer journeys.”
Alejandro Rodriguez, GSK

Head to the Doctored Truths Report to continue reading and find out more.

Sources

1. Forgie E et al. J Med Internet Res 2021; 23(12): e25230.
2. Bender J et al. J Med Internet Res 2011; 13(1): e16.
3. Grand view research. Digital Health Market Size And Share Industry
   Report 2030. Available at: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/
   industry-analysis/digital-health-market. Accessed: September 2025.
4. BBC News. TikTok puts hundreds of UK content moderator
   jobs at risk. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/
   cgjyp48dp21o. Accessed: September 2025.
5. CNN. Meta is getting rid of fact checkers. Zuckerberg
   acknowledged more harmful content will appear on the platforms
   now. Available at: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/01/07/tech/metacensorship-moderation. Accessed: September 2025.
6. Borges do Nascimento IJ et al. Bull World Health Organ 2022;
   100(9): 544–561.