Medicine and Science from The BMJ

How the internet hijacked our health

Feb 6, 2026
Deborah Cohen, doctor, broadcaster, and author of Bad Influence, investigates how social media, influencers, and tech reshape health. She explores algorithms turning platforms into marketplaces for tests and treatments. Short-form content flattens medical nuance. She examines monetization of conditions, parasocial trust, and the struggle to regulate online health commerce.
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ANECDOTE

Influencer-Prompted Test Purchase

  • Deborah Cohen describes a cousin's friend who bought an AMH fertility test after seeing influencers on Instagram.
  • The purchaser planned to consult a GP regardless, making the £160 test likely wasted.
ANECDOTE

Full-Body MOT Triggered Clinical Cascade

  • A friend who had a full-body MOT received a false-positive cardiac finding and entered a cascade of clinical testing.
  • Deborah Cohen highlights how such checkups can cause panic and unnecessary downstream care.
INSIGHT

Health As Commodity On Shopping Platforms

  • Platforms treat health like commerce and entertainment, shaping what people see and buy.
  • Cohen frames this as commercial determinants of health meeting digital determinants of health.
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