Welcome to the COVID-19 infodemic. I opened Twitter last week to a guy with a 'biology degree' hosting an 'ask me anything' session on COVID-19. I stumbled on another thread where an economist using cockamamie statistical magic had conjured up stats on projected mortality. The thread was followed by gasping responses and replies. Based on misinformation, ... Continue Reading about COVID-19 Infodemic and the Question of Expertise
Robert Califf and the Rise of Medicine’s Peanut Gallery
This Journal of the American College of Cardiology Case Reports editorial, A Perspective on the K-Index, by Dr. Robert Califf has drawn a lot of dialog. Through a critical discussion of the K-Index he questions the value of social commentary on research by non-research physicians. Central to Califf’s thinking is the idea that those not in traditional medical ... Continue Reading about Robert Califf and the Rise of Medicine’s Peanut Gallery
Physician Authority and Influence Online
When I look on Twitter here's how I see physician authority and influence: Authority - These are the true leaders in medicine with deep knowledge, experience and credibility in their domain. These are the leaders among physicians. The power hitters. And not necessarily academics. Influence - Those with lots of followers or influence as determined by social ... Continue Reading about Physician Authority and Influence Online
Doctors and the Rise of Authority Creep
This comment was posted on Twitter by a physician: Not referring to anyone specifically but the sentiment that in the era of SoMe it’s all too easy to publicize opinion only w/o doing the hard work of original research. New ideas are great. New ideas that are appropriately tested are even better. This is something that I’ve seen more of lately. I think of it as a ... Continue Reading about Doctors and the Rise of Authority Creep
The Danger of Medical Celebrity
Dr. Val Jones recently wrote a Better Health post that was critical of Dr. Mehmet Oz. Her piece questions Dr. Oz's credibility as a source of health information. I retweeted her mention of the post and quipped that I was unlikely to be a guest of of Dr. Oz any time soon. For a short spell the twittersphere had some fun detailing the potential repercussions of ... Continue Reading about The Danger of Medical Celebrity