The dangers of medical misinformation on social media.

The internet is not a great place for medical advice. Firstly, it doesn't know all your medical history, other medications, test results and I doubt many have more than 10 years of training plus many more of experience treating complex and individual conditions.

Indeed, it's believed it causes more stress and excessive pressure on overstretched services. Remember all UK dispensing pharmacists have a masters.9 times out of 10, it tells you to expect to die from some horrific brain tumour anyway. That's the last thing you need to hear.

We are lucky in ths country to have strict controls on the use of genuine,fully researched, trialled and tested treatments, medications and practitioners at many levels.

Many alternative treatments may be helpful, but you must be aware of any risks to make an informed decision in your best interest. For example, chronic back pain is one of the most frustrating and debilitating problems that we struggle to treat. Many turn to chiropractic for what feels like the right choice. Just know there is a chance of stroke resulting from the manipulations. Also, they are not qualified medical practitioners and having learned the techniques from a conversation with a ghost, there is a history of prosecutions for practicing without a medical license. If you're OK with that, knock yourself out. But a physiotherapist or occupational therapist could be more reassuring.

Many find comfort in aromatherapy using essential oils. They are not, however an alternative to necessary medication. Deaths have occurred in this way. Also pets, with super strong senses of smell suffer from these oils. it is in no way a science based therapy.

Similarly CBD will not cure cancer. It may help you with nausea or other effects but by the time users discover it is not that cure they thought, it's too late to save them. In this way misinformation becomes a public health issue.

Disproven fairytales about the evils of vaccines such as causing autism, and death are very easily corrected with a simple check. A protest resulting from the US system of overcharging for medicines to compenmsate for losses in countries like ours, where caps control costs, have lead to callous abuse of grieving parents of SIDS babies. Naturally wanting reasons but a thorough autopsy takes at least 12 months, by which time they're fully immersed in the "cult". For if you study cult techniques, that is exactly how it works.

Why do babies need so many vaccines these days? because those diseases would have been eradicated if you had used the vaccines in the first place.

Of course there has never been, nor never can be any medcine that will be 100% safe and effective. That's just impossible. But pharmaceutical manufacturers are companies who make profit by making the most useful and safest medicines. It's the fault of government if prices are excessive. they have a duty to safeguard public health.

There are dozens of alternative therapies and treatments. Naturopaths (also not doctors), who will soon empty your wallet for some very expensive urine due to a ton of useless supplements. But it's your money and choice. If you accept and understand the facts, it's your right.