During a survey, 60% of pharmacists were questioned about medications that patients had seen on social media.

The outcome showed that the public were often asking pharmacists about these drugs, with the vast majority regarding weight loss. The second most popular enquiry was about CBD oil and cannabis-based medicines, followed Covid 19 medications or injections.

“TikTok is mentioned as the biggest offender for disseminating details about symptoms and which medications are prescribed to deal with them“

One member of the study commented that “women are more likely than men to do this.”

“A lot of the time it’s good that patients are doing their own research, as long as they have reasonable expectations.” However, “often we get requests for things we can’t prescribe. Sometimes we get patients concerned about their prescribed meds because they’ve heard some bad science on social media”

A different pharmacist cited TikTok as the biggest offender for disseminating details about symptoms and which medications are prescribed to deal with them. On occasion they get questions concerning medicines that are accessible in the US but not approved or extensively used here in the UK.

The fact that consumers are seeing their pharmacists for guidance based on online information is extremely promising, according to Claire Anderson, president of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. She said “it demonstrates their trust in the profession as the experts in medicines and they are absolutely right to check out what they’ve seen on social media, where anything goes in terms of medicines information.”

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