AI-Generated Doctors on TikTok Pose 'Huge Danger to Public Safety,' Experts Warn

AI-generated doctors are gaining millions of views on TikTok (搜索)搜索该词条 by spreading dubious health advice, prompting experts to warn of a "huge danger to public safety." Research published this month by digital marketing agency Hallam found that AI-generated content appeared in 40% of top health-related TikTok videos, with most posted by a growing number of deepfake influencer accounts designed to resemble real doctors.

Dr Emma Runswick, British Medical Association (搜索)搜索该词条 council deputy chair, flagged the risks posed by AI accounts that "peddle medical myths and promote so-called miracle cures." She added: "Platforms like TikTok (搜索)搜索该词条 must do more to stop the rise of dangerous fake medical advice … otherwise, it is the public who could be paying the price with their health and perhaps even their lives."

The findings follow warnings by the NHS that health misinformation on social media was a "real threat to public health." Prof Frankie Swords, the national medical director at NHS England (搜索)搜索该词条, said it was concerning to see a rise in online medical misinformation. "Many clinicians are reporting an increasing number of patients who feel worried and confused due to false advice that has been made solely for clicks," she added.

Scale of the Problem

Hallam analysed 1,198 videos, selecting the top 50 videos across a series of search terms including "health tips" and "doctor advice." For some specific search terms, such as "health tips," 84% of videos were classed as AI-generated or AI-assisted content. According to Hallam, top AI-generated doctor and health videos in their search received an average of 2.5 million views. TikTok (搜索)搜索该词条 took down examples of the videos that were sent to the platform by the Guardian.

Alex Ruani, health misinformation researcher at UCL, said the rise of AI doctor videos represented a "frightening amount of exposure to fake medical content." She described the phenomenon as "industrialised exploitation of trust."

Dangerous Myths and Dubious Remedies

AI-generated physicians were found to have spread disproven myths about cancer, including that microwaving food in plastic, using deodorants, and sleeping next to your phone could all cause cancer — all claims which have been refuted by Cancer Research UK查看公司主页.

The accounts also promoted bizarre remedies for various health problems, including Coca-Cola mixed with onion as a pain-relief remedy and a fake product called "Hyalethinap Plus Pro Max" as an anti-ageing solution. One avatar claimed he had recommended "Hyalethinap Plus Pro Max" to his patients for years, and that it could combat "hair loss, skin weakening, brittle nails and joint pain" by helping the body produce "anti-ageing molecules naturally." The Guardian could not find evidence of "Hyalethinap Plus Pro Max" products online.

How Misinformation Gains Credibility

Research on digital health misinformation shows that trust plays an important part in deciding which claims people accept. Social media influencers can reproduce signals of friendship without having a personal relationship with their followers, leading to what researchers call a parasocial relationship — a one-sided sense of familiarity with a media figure. A recent meta-analysis found that parasocial relationships can influence health attitudes and behaviour.

AI-generated doctors use a different route to credibility. Accounts designed to resemble real clinicians can borrow the appearance and language of medical authority without providing any reliable way to check who created the content, what qualifications lie behind it, or whether the advice is supported by evidence.

Personal stories are especially persuasive. Someone describes being ill, discovering a treatment, and recovering. The account is easy to follow and often more memorable than a discussion of probabilities. Yet even a completely truthful anecdote cannot show that a treatment caused the recovery or that it will be safe and effective for other people.

Public Vulnerability

Last year, a poll conducted by Savanta on 3,575 men and 3,832 women aged 18 and above in England on behalf of patient champion Healthwatch England (搜索)搜索该词条 found that about one in five people were using social media for health information. William Pett, interim director of policy and public affairs at Healthwatch England, said: "Without the skills to distinguish reliable information from commercial hype or misinformation, [people] risk being misled in ways that can seriously affect their health."

Prof Victoria Tzortziou Brown, the president of the Royal College of GPs (搜索)搜索该词条, said she was also concerned by the research, adding that misleading AI content carried a "real risk" of harm.

Five Ways to Assess Health Claims

Experts recommend several strategies for evaluating health claims without dismissing personal experience. First, examine the claim separately from the person making it — a source may be sincere or charismatic without having the expertise to judge whether a treatment works. Second, look for supporting evidence and independent agreement from organisations such as the NHS, an appropriate professional body, or a reputable medical charity.

Third, check for commercial interests, including products, affiliate links, paid partnerships, or private treatment programmes. Fourth, be cautious about sweeping promises — claims that a treatment produces rapid results, works for almost everyone, or has no meaningful risks are unlikely to reflect the uncertainty and individual variation involved in medicine. Fifth, treat secrecy claims and advice to abandon prescribed care as serious warning signs.

A TikTok (搜索)搜索该词条 spokesperson said: "These findings from a marketing agency with commercial interests are not an accurate reflection of our platform." The spokesperson added: "The facts are that we remove harmful health misinformation, including when it's AI-generated, we partner with the World Health Organization查看公司主页 and the NHS on providing reliable health information in-app, and we continually invest in AI literacy resources and labelling technologies."

Researchers are increasingly calling for a systems approach to health misinformation that combines clearer public information, responsible platform design, effective regulation, and trustworthy clinical communication.