After analyzing 200 videos, Marketplace found about 80 per cent of those reviewed featured treatments or cures for autism and cancer that are not supported by science. (Adobe Stock)
TikTok has become a go-to source for health advice for millions of people. But when you search for treatments for cancer and autism, the vast majority of the videos first served to you feature claims about treatments th at are not supported by science, a new test by Marketplace has found.
Marketplace journalists analyzed 100 videos discussing cancer treatments and another 100 for autism therapies. We found that at least 80 per cent of the remedies in the videos — totalling more than 75 million views — weren’t supported by scientific evidence.
Many of these clips get traction because they are grounded in compelling personal stories, said Tim Caulfield, a health misinformation researcher.
"Testimonials, anecdotes, stories — probably the number one way that unproven therapies are pushed on social media," he said. "We're wired to listen to stories and to be compelled by stories."
Marketplace searched TikTok for cancer videos using the search terms "cancer cure" and "cancer treatment," and for autism videos using the terms "autism cure," "autism treatment" and "autism." Starting with the most viewed, we chose 100
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