Physicians are increasingly navigating patients who arrive at appointments already shaped by false or misleading health information — and new survey data suggests the problem is accelerating rather than leveling off.
The Physicians Foundation surveyed more than 1,000 U.S. physicians in partnership with Medscape and found 65% say misinformation and disinformation significantly affect their ability to deliver quality care, up from 57% in the foundation’s 2025 survey.
Nearly half of physicians (49%) said they frequently see patients skip or abandon recommended treatment because of misinformation, and 45% said patients frequently refuse care outright.
The strain is also showing up in the exam-room relationship itself. One-third of physicians (34%) reported frequent breakdowns in patient trust tied to misinformation, and 31% said it frequently increases conflict during visits.
Social media was physicians’ most commonly cited driver of the problem. Nearly half (48%) named it the single most significant source of patient misinformation, ahead of word of mouth, influencers, news coverage and government health guidance.
Rural physicians reported encountering misinformation-influenced patients more often than their urban and suburban counterparts, and primary care physicians reported feeling the strain on care quality more acutely than specialists.
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