Indian oncologists are increasingly battling unscientific miracle treatments for cancer shared widely on social media. Recently, Mumbai’s Tata Memorial Centre (TMC), the country’s premier cancer institute, issued a rebuttal on a strange cancer remedy attributed to them in a widely circulated WhatsApp message. The message stated that hot coconut water can destroy cancer cells of all types.
Often, many irrelevant and widely circulated unscientific remedies defer treatment for diseases in patients. There is a need to raise awareness on the fact that people should not be influenced by such false claims and miracle remedies on social media.
Dr KK Aggarwal, President, Heart Care Foundation of India, said: “It is the ability to anticipate, recognise and the quickness shown in managing any complication that marks a distinguishing characteristic of a ‘good’ doctor and sets him apart from others. To acquire these clinical and procedural skills, a doctor undergoes years of rigorous study and training. Only then do they acquire adequate knowledge, discernment and develop skills to take the right decision for the patient and adapt to changing practices.”
However, today, people on social media, ‘cure-mongers’, ‘quacks’ and ‘diet gurus’ issue medical diktats and people are inclined to be attracted to alternative and unscientific treatments. These leave some confused and others undertake these measures believing in them. From hoax and fake news on chronic diseases like Diabetes to the miracle remedies that offer cure for these, there is a plethora of news on social media that can be dangerous.