Health professionals have raised concerns over the influence social media ‘experts’ wield in disseminating health advice without adequate scientific backing. This comes following an incident where Dr CS Pramesh, a director at Mumbai’s Tata Memorial Hospital, cautioned Nithin Kamath, co-founder and CEO of Zerodha, against taking medical advice from online influencers. Kamath had recently suffered a mild stroke and shared his experience on social media, where an influencer offered unsolicited advice that was swiftly contested by medical authorities.
Dr Pramesh admonished the irresponsible sharing of such advice on social media, highlighting the potential risks it poses to individuals’ health. His warnings were echoed by Bengaluru-based senior cardiologist Dr Deepak Krishnamurthy, who dismissed the influencer’s suggestions and emphasized the importance of a balance between work and rest for maintaining good health. Dr Krishnamurthy referenced Kamath’s own account of his stroke, which mentioned several potential contributing factors including personal loss, insufficient sleep, and excessive stress.
In response to his experience, Kamath has been advised by his doctors to allocate time for relaxation and recovery. The Zerodha CEO is currently on the mend, with an estimated period of three to six months for full recovery. The dialogue that has unfolded around this incident serves as a poignant reminder of the necessity for critical assessment of health information shared online and reinforces the importance of reliance on qualified medical professionals for medical advice.