Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | October 20, 2025 | Worcester Business Journal 9 population," she said. ose who don't have the time or the education to critically filter the medical information being fed to them are at a higher risk of believing misinformation. "Nobody's going to tell them it's not the truth, and if you say something over and over and over again, people tend to believe it," she said. "[ey] really bear the burden of having to take in this information and not knowing where to turn, and not necessarily having the guidance from someone who they really can trust to tell them 'is is truth, and this is fiction.'" A 2024 study performed by Johns Hopkins Center for Health Equity researchers found participants who did not gather COVID-19 information from the government and medical profes- sionals were 28% more likely to believe health myths. Participants with an education lower than a bachelor's degree were 49% more likely to believe myths. Medical misinformation is best han- dled by official bodies, who can present accurate information through consistent messaging, said Hamblin. "en that is reinforced by the boots on the ground, that continuity of care, and those relationships that patients have with their care providers to be a sounding board for any questions or concerns that come up," she said. Spiliotes is not particularly optimistic the spread of medical misinformation will ease, but she does believe that together, organizations and individuals can help ameliorate its effects. "Truth ul- timately wins out," she said. "It may take a while, but it ultimately wins out." You deserve a lifetime financial partner. At SMCU, we don't just see a loan application or an account number; we see you. We see the student on the cusp of graduation, the entrepreneur taking a massive leap, the family laying down roots, and the retiree finally enjoying the fruits of their labor. We've earned our reputation, by being relentlessly focused on what matters most: you and your financial well-being. Your Accomplishments, Our Commitment. Whichever financial stage you're in, we're here for you every step of the way. www.stmaryscu.org (508) 490 8000 Join SMCU Scan the code or visit stmaryscu.org misunderstanding about what causes obesity, he said, with people not being aware of the biological underpinnings determining a person's weight regardless of their eating habits or levels of exercise. "What they may not understand is that for someone else with a different biology, it may be impossible or more difficult or completely impossible to have a healthy weight without treatment, because their body works differently," he said. "ese medications can provide benefit, but certainly don't make it easy." What constitutes a healthy weight varies from person to person, and it is important to understand that weight and health are not synonymous, he said. Sabet sees misinformed medical beliefs about GLP-1 widely circulating on social media, including inaccurate information regarding supplements, probiotics, nutrition, and treatments of thyroid disease, to name a few. Sabet has scrolled by influencers attempting to sell supplements they say can increase levels of GLP-1 in a way that's just as effective as the medications. As with much misinformation, Sabet said these kinds of statements contain a grain of truth, noting that certain supplements or probiotics can slightly increase GLP-1 levels, but that in no way means they have a similar effect. Books marketed to patients claim they should be on a specific diet to treat their thyroid disease, said Sabet. Patients will come into his office asking for these, and others have already purchased supple- ments recommended online. "ere's no evidence-based dietary restriction that should be recommended to people with thyroid disease," he said. "ere are no supplements that should be taken as a general rule to treat thyroid disease." The victims of misinformation Sabet believes the way influencers present their medical advice as quick- fixes is seductive and contributes to what he describes as an unquestionable growth of medical misinformation. "I see it on my own social media. It's always going to rise to the top in terms of social media and clicks, and eyeballs when you tell a story that makes it sound like there's a secret way to unlock health," he said. "'It's quick and easy, and no one is telling you about it,' right? People want to hear that, they want to learn about that." e Physicians Foundation's study found 57% of respondents reported mis- and disinformation had significantly impacted their ability to provide quality care. At the same time, 50% felt highly confident in their ability to identify and correct those false beliefs. Spiliotes feels false soundbites, like Trump's in September, feed into peoples' innate nature to connect two facts. "Information taken out of context or not explained fully to individuals, to me, is what causes this kind of mis- and disinformation, and creates fear in a W Our health insurance costs are increasing 10-20% Health insurance costs are expected to rise significantly next year, as federal subsidies are expiring at the end of this year and insurers are projected to have had their highest increase in the cost of covering care in 15 years. Much of the fight in Washington, D.C. that led to the federal government shutdown is over how the government funds health care, including over the subsidies expected to expire. In August, Massachusetts regulators approved market rate hikes, ranging from 7% to 14%, depending upon the insurer. When polled online, the plurality of WBJ readers said their companies and employees are looking at an increase between 10-20% this year. How much are health insurance costs expected to increase for your company & its employees in 2026? We don't know yet. 25% More than 20% 10% 10-20% 40% 1-10% 25% The misinformation problem Most U.S. physicians believe incidence of medical misinformation and disinformation are rising. of physicians feel the incidence of medical misinformation and/or disinformation has risen compared to five years ago. of physicians reported their patients were influenced by misinformation and/or disin- formation at least a moderate amount over the past year. of physicians feel misinfor- mation and/or disinformation has a significant impacted their ability to deliver quality patient care. of physicians feel not at all confident their patients know how to access reliable, evi- dence-based health information online. Source: A 2025 report published by The Physicians Foundation surveying 1,000+ U.S. physicians on the im- pact of medical misinformation/disinformation on them and their patient care 86% 61% 57% 40%

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