Medical Misinformation Is a Patient Safety Crisis: How Health Literacy Can Save Lives
As medical malpractice attorneys representing patients across New York, We’ve witnessed the serious harm that can result when patients rely on false or misleading medical information.. Today, the widespread and viral nature of medical misinformation is not just a public health issue—it is a patient safety crisis.
According to the 2025 ECRI Top 10 Patient Safety Concerns report, one of the most urgent dangers in healthcare today is the “Wide Availability and Viral Spread of Medical Misinformation.” False or misleading health claims are being shared online faster than ever before—often outpacing efforts to stop them. Research has shown that false health claims are 70% more likely to be shared on platforms like X (formerly Twitter), and can spread up to six times faster than accurate information.
This viral spread of misinformation leads to real-world consequences: