Alternative cancer clinics' use of Google listings and reviews to mislead potential patients.

Marco Antonio ZenoneJeremy SnyderMay van SchalkwykJean-Christophe Bélisle-PiponGreg HartwellTimothy CaulfieldNason Maani

Published in: BJC reports (2024)

The favorable Google listing and reviews of alternative clinics contribute to harmful online ecosystems. Reviews provide compelling narratives but are an ineffective indicator of treatment outcomes. Google lacks safeguards for truthful reviews and should not be used for medical decision-making.

Keyphrases

primary care
decision making
end stage renal disease
ejection fraction
newly diagnosed
healthcare
meta analyses
climate change
peritoneal dialysis
prognostic factors
randomized controlled trial
social media
systematic review
patient reported outcomes
squamous cell
lymph node metastasis