Every day, people are exposed to health and wellness advertisements promising miracle cures, secret remedies, and guaranteed results. With more health information available online than ever, it has become increasingly difficult to distinguish between legitimate claims and deceptive marketing tactics.
According to the 2025 Health and Media Annual Tracking Survey conducted by the Canadian Medical Association, health misinformation is a growing public health concern:
As social media platforms become primary sources of health news, misinformation spreads more rapidly, particularly among younger generations. The report found that Gen Z (70%) and Millennials (71%) are the most likely to encounter false health information online. However, it is unclear whether they are indeed more vulnerable to health misinformation or have higher levels of technical literacy, critical thinking, and overall more exposure to the internet so that they are more likely to identify fraudulent ads.
Image courtesy of the Canadian Medical Association, 2025 Health and Media Annual Tracking Survey.
Patients often struggle to understand complex medical terms or evaluate the credibility of online health information. By using plain language, providers can ensure that patients fully grasp their health conditions, treatment options, and preventive measures. Comprehensive advice should include not only medical recommendations but also guidance on how to identify reliable sources, such as Health Canada, the World Health Organization (WHO), and peer-reviewed journals. Open dialogue encourages patients to ask questions and share their concerns, creating a collaborative environment where misinformation can be addressed proactively.
Want to learn more about how to effectively communicate health information and improve patient understanding? Check out our Health Literacy Courses to gain practical tools and strategies.
Using the spirit of Motivational Interviewing (MI), providers can empower patients to take an active role in their health decisions. MI techniques, such as active listening, reflective questioning, and affirming patient autonomy, help build trust and encourage patients to openly discuss their health information sources. By fostering a strong patient-provider relationship, patients are more likely to share where they get their information, allowing providers to identify and address questionable claims. Encourage patients to critically evaluate sources, avoid fear-based messaging, and rely on evidence-based recommendations. Explore our Foundational Motivational Interviewing Courses to develop skills that strengthen patient-provider communication and trust.
Health misinformation is becoming more prevalent, posing significant risks to public health. As trusted professionals, healthcare providers have a responsibility to protect themselves and their patients by equipping them with the tools to recognize deceptive health ads and make informed decisions. By fostering health literacy, encouraging critical thinking, and building strong patient-provider relationships, we can collectively combat the spread of misinformation and ensure better health outcomes for all.
Not all health ads are scams, but many rely on deceptive tactics to push unproven treatments. The Health Ad Scam Risk Tool, developed from research at the University of British Columbia, provides a structured way to assess the legitimacy of health-related advertising.
Here are the most common red flags found in misleading health ads:
To help consumers evaluate these claims, the Health Ad Scam Risk Tool provides a risk assessment system that assigns a score based on the presence of misleading elements.
The Health Ad Scam Risk Tool allows users to assess advertisements and online claims based on a set of weighted risk factors.
This system helps consumers quickly determine whether an ad is likely to be deceptive.
According to the 2025 Canadian Medical Association survey, medical professionals remain among the most trusted sources of health information, with 80% of Canadians trusting physicians and pharmacists, and 79% trusting nurses. This high level of trust positions healthcare providers as critical allies in combating health misinformation.
Image courtesy of the Canadian Medical Association, 2025 Health and Media Annual Tracking Survey.
Patients often struggle to understand complex medical terms or evaluate the credibility of online health information. By using plain language, providers can ensure that patients fully grasp their health conditions, treatment options, and preventive measures. Comprehensive advice should include not only medical recommendations but also guidance on how to identify reliable sources, such as Health Canada, the World Health Organization (WHO), and peer-reviewed journals. Open dialogue encourages patients to ask questions and share their concerns, creating a collaborative environment where misinformation can be addressed proactively.
Want to learn more about how to effectively communicate health information and improve patient understanding? Check out our Health Literacy Courses to gain practical tools and strategies.
Using the spirit of Motivational Interviewing (MI), providers can empower patients to take an active role in their health decisions. MI techniques, such as active listening, reflective questioning, and affirming patient autonomy, help build trust and encourage patients to openly discuss their health information sources. By fostering a strong patient-provider relationship, patients are more likely to share where they get their information, allowing providers to identify and address questionable claims. Encourage patients to critically evaluate sources, avoid fear-based messaging, and rely on evidence-based recommendations. Explore our Foundational Motivational Interviewing Courses to develop skills that strengthen patient-provider communication and trust.
Health misinformation is becoming more prevalent, posing significant risks to public health. As trusted professionals, healthcare providers have a responsibility to protect themselves and their patients by equipping them with the tools to recognize deceptive health ads and make informed decisions. By fostering health literacy, encouraging critical thinking, and building strong patient-provider relationships, we can collectively combat the spread of misinformation and ensure better health outcomes for all.
Misinformation is particularly harmful when it exploits fears around serious health conditions, presenting unverified “miracle cures” or alternative treatments as viable replacements for medical care. This problem is exacerbated by declining trust in health news.
Not all health ads are scams, but many rely on deceptive tactics to push unproven treatments. The Health Ad Scam Risk Tool, developed from research at the University of British Columbia, provides a structured way to assess the legitimacy of health-related advertising.
Here are the most common red flags found in misleading health ads:
To help consumers evaluate these claims, the Health Ad Scam Risk Tool provides a risk assessment system that assigns a score based on the presence of misleading elements.
The Health Ad Scam Risk Tool allows users to assess advertisements and online claims based on a set of weighted risk factors.
This system helps consumers quickly determine whether an ad is likely to be deceptive.
According to the 2025 Canadian Medical Association survey, medical professionals remain among the most trusted sources of health information, with 80% of Canadians trusting physicians and pharmacists, and 79% trusting nurses. This high level of trust positions healthcare providers as critical allies in combating health misinformation.
Image courtesy of the Canadian Medical Association, 2025 Health and Media Annual Tracking Survey.
Patients often struggle to understand complex medical terms or evaluate the credibility of online health information. By using plain language, providers can ensure that patients fully grasp their health conditions, treatment options, and preventive measures. Comprehensive advice should include not only medical recommendations but also guidance on how to identify reliable sources, such as Health Canada, the World Health Organization (WHO), and peer-reviewed journals. Open dialogue encourages patients to ask questions and share their concerns, creating a collaborative environment where misinformation can be addressed proactively.
Want to learn more about how to effectively communicate health information and improve patient understanding? Check out our Health Literacy Courses to gain practical tools and strategies.
Using the spirit of Motivational Interviewing (MI), providers can empower patients to take an active role in their health decisions. MI techniques, such as active listening, reflective questioning, and affirming patient autonomy, help build trust and encourage patients to openly discuss their health information sources. By fostering a strong patient-provider relationship, patients are more likely to share where they get their information, allowing providers to identify and address questionable claims. Encourage patients to critically evaluate sources, avoid fear-based messaging, and rely on evidence-based recommendations. Explore our Foundational Motivational Interviewing Courses to develop skills that strengthen patient-provider communication and trust.
Health misinformation is becoming more prevalent, posing significant risks to public health. As trusted professionals, healthcare providers have a responsibility to protect themselves and their patients by equipping them with the tools to recognize deceptive health ads and make informed decisions. By fostering health literacy, encouraging critical thinking, and building strong patient-provider relationships, we can collectively combat the spread of misinformation and ensure better health outcomes for all.
Health misinformation is not just misleading—it has tangible negative consequences. The 2025 Health and Media Annual Tracking Survey highlights the effects of false health claims, including:
Image courtesy of the Canadian Medical Association, 2025 Health and Media Annual Tracking Survey.
Misinformation is particularly harmful when it exploits fears around serious health conditions, presenting unverified “miracle cures” or alternative treatments as viable replacements for medical care. This problem is exacerbated by declining trust in health news.
Not all health ads are scams, but many rely on deceptive tactics to push unproven treatments. The Health Ad Scam Risk Tool, developed from research at the University of British Columbia, provides a structured way to assess the legitimacy of health-related advertising.
Here are the most common red flags found in misleading health ads:
To help consumers evaluate these claims, the Health Ad Scam Risk Tool provides a risk assessment system that assigns a score based on the presence of misleading elements.
The Health Ad Scam Risk Tool allows users to assess advertisements and online claims based on a set of weighted risk factors.
This system helps consumers quickly determine whether an ad is likely to be deceptive.
According to the 2025 Canadian Medical Association survey, medical professionals remain among the most trusted sources of health information, with 80% of Canadians trusting physicians and pharmacists, and 79% trusting nurses. This high level of trust positions healthcare providers as critical allies in combating health misinformation.
Image courtesy of the Canadian Medical Association, 2025 Health and Media Annual Tracking Survey.
Patients often struggle to understand complex medical terms or evaluate the credibility of online health information. By using plain language, providers can ensure that patients fully grasp their health conditions, treatment options, and preventive measures. Comprehensive advice should include not only medical recommendations but also guidance on how to identify reliable sources, such as Health Canada, the World Health Organization (WHO), and peer-reviewed journals. Open dialogue encourages patients to ask questions and share their concerns, creating a collaborative environment where misinformation can be addressed proactively.
Want to learn more about how to effectively communicate health information and improve patient understanding? Check out our Health Literacy Courses to gain practical tools and strategies.
Using the spirit of Motivational Interviewing (MI), providers can empower patients to take an active role in their health decisions. MI techniques, such as active listening, reflective questioning, and affirming patient autonomy, help build trust and encourage patients to openly discuss their health information sources. By fostering a strong patient-provider relationship, patients are more likely to share where they get their information, allowing providers to identify and address questionable claims. Encourage patients to critically evaluate sources, avoid fear-based messaging, and rely on evidence-based recommendations. Explore our Foundational Motivational Interviewing Courses to develop skills that strengthen patient-provider communication and trust.
Health misinformation is becoming more prevalent, posing significant risks to public health. As trusted professionals, healthcare providers have a responsibility to protect themselves and their patients by equipping them with the tools to recognize deceptive health ads and make informed decisions. By fostering health literacy, encouraging critical thinking, and building strong patient-provider relationships, we can collectively combat the spread of misinformation and ensure better health outcomes for all.
Understanding how to recognize false or exaggerated claims is critical to making informed health decisions. This article will break down how to identify deceptive health ads and how to use tools like the Health Ad Scam Risk Tool to assess credibility.
Health misinformation is not just misleading—it has tangible negative consequences. The 2025 Health and Media Annual Tracking Survey highlights the effects of false health claims, including:
Image courtesy of the Canadian Medical Association, 2025 Health and Media Annual Tracking Survey.
Misinformation is particularly harmful when it exploits fears around serious health conditions, presenting unverified “miracle cures” or alternative treatments as viable replacements for medical care. This problem is exacerbated by declining trust in health news.
Not all health ads are scams, but many rely on deceptive tactics to push unproven treatments. The Health Ad Scam Risk Tool, developed from research at the University of British Columbia, provides a structured way to assess the legitimacy of health-related advertising.
Here are the most common red flags found in misleading health ads:
To help consumers evaluate these claims, the Health Ad Scam Risk Tool provides a risk assessment system that assigns a score based on the presence of misleading elements.
The Health Ad Scam Risk Tool allows users to assess advertisements and online claims based on a set of weighted risk factors.
This system helps consumers quickly determine whether an ad is likely to be deceptive.
According to the 2025 Canadian Medical Association survey, medical professionals remain among the most trusted sources of health information, with 80% of Canadians trusting physicians and pharmacists, and 79% trusting nurses. This high level of trust positions healthcare providers as critical allies in combating health misinformation.
Image courtesy of the Canadian Medical Association, 2025 Health and Media Annual Tracking Survey.
Patients often struggle to understand complex medical terms or evaluate the credibility of online health information. By using plain language, providers can ensure that patients fully grasp their health conditions, treatment options, and preventive measures. Comprehensive advice should include not only medical recommendations but also guidance on how to identify reliable sources, such as Health Canada, the World Health Organization (WHO), and peer-reviewed journals. Open dialogue encourages patients to ask questions and share their concerns, creating a collaborative environment where misinformation can be addressed proactively.
Want to learn more about how to effectively communicate health information and improve patient understanding? Check out our Health Literacy Courses to gain practical tools and strategies.
Using the spirit of Motivational Interviewing (MI), providers can empower patients to take an active role in their health decisions. MI techniques, such as active listening, reflective questioning, and affirming patient autonomy, help build trust and encourage patients to openly discuss their health information sources. By fostering a strong patient-provider relationship, patients are more likely to share where they get their information, allowing providers to identify and address questionable claims. Encourage patients to critically evaluate sources, avoid fear-based messaging, and rely on evidence-based recommendations. Explore our Foundational Motivational Interviewing Courses to develop skills that strengthen patient-provider communication and trust.
Health misinformation is becoming more prevalent, posing significant risks to public health. As trusted professionals, healthcare providers have a responsibility to protect themselves and their patients by equipping them with the tools to recognize deceptive health ads and make informed decisions. By fostering health literacy, encouraging critical thinking, and building strong patient-provider relationships, we can collectively combat the spread of misinformation and ensure better health outcomes for all.
