Is Google more trustworthy than a medical professional when seeking medical advice? In the article “Dr. Google is a Liar”, the author, Haider Warraich expresses his fears to the general population and fellow medical professionals when using the internet for medical advice. People use the internet every day for a variety of things. With the technological advancements that have occurred over the last several decades, people believe the common misconception that the internet provides accurate and trustworthy medical information. His article addresses the concerns of relying on websites that are not necessarily providing accurate information. His arguments make one question what type of medical advice one seeks on the internet and to what extent, before turning to a medical professional. Warraich uses ethos, pathos, and logos to argue that the internet is not a reliable source for medical advice. As a result, it suggests that people should ask trained professionals to get trustworthy information instead of Google.
Warraich uses ethos, or establishes credibility, at the end of the article where it states that he is a fellow in heart failure and transplantation at Duke University Medical Center (Dunham). He has also written a book titled “State of the Heart: Exploring the History, Science, and Future of Cardiac Disease.” Warraich is aware that patient’s prefer to turn to the internet for help rather than take the time to call a doctor. There is a lot of inaccurate information on the internet, specifically regarding health and wellness. Warraich is genuinely concerned by the medical information that can be provided by the internet and urges people to take the time to ask a medical professional. As a result of his extensive medical background, he is more educated on the differences between what the internet tells people versus what he personally knows as a doctor. Warraich emphasizes the risks of trusting the internet and knows that inaccurate information is provided on the internet. The author uses his medical knowledge to his advantage when urging people to avoid searching for medical answers on the internet.
Throughout the article, Warraich also utilizes pathos, or emotions or interests, when trying to urge readers to stay away from the internet (Dunham). To start off the article, he shares a story about a woman who trusted the internet over her doctor, who happened to be the author himself. Warraich, a cardiologist at Duke University Medical Center, shares the emotional story of a victim of fake medical information in his article “Dr. Google is a Liar”. Warraich states “she never picked up her prescription because of the scary things she had read about statins on the internet” (1). His patient had suffered from a heart attack. The statins that the patient was prescribed and decided to forgo could have significantly reduced the risk. She had trusted the internet instead of consulting with her doctor which increased her chance of a heart attack considerably.
To finish out his article, he concluded with the rest of this personal story. When trying to convince the patient that the statin was the best option, he informed the patient of a personal story of his own. He reveals a touching story about his dad who suffered a heart attack. Warraich argued “after my dad had a heart attack, I urged doctors to immediately start a statin at the highest dose” (2) As a doctor, he knew the risks of this medication, but he emphasized “a statin couldn’t guarantee that he wouldn’t have another heart attack, I wanted my dad to get the best shot at a healthy life” (2). After being informed with what was believed to be accurate information, it required a lot of persuasion and correct information to get the patient to take the prescription. The patient eventually sided with Warraich after hearing every benefit and statistic that discredited the information found on the internet. Warraich discloses this personal heartbreaking story to scare readers of the risks that are taken by trusting the internet.
Warraich applies logos, or reasoning, in several instances throughout this piece (Dunham). He incorporates many statistics and facts in this article that stress the dangers of believing the internet. Haider Warraich illustrates how much of an impact the internet has on people seeking medical help. Warraich notes “false concerns that the vaccine for HPV causes seizures and other side effects reduced coverage rates in Japan from 70 percent to less than 1 percent” (1). A simple statement like this can have a drastic impact on a highly populated country such as Japan. A majority of the Japanese population believed this statement without confirming its credibility, which led to a significant drop in vaccine coverage rates. This could have been avoided if the general population chose to believe facts and research studies generated by medical professionals, rather than an unreliable website on the internet. Warraich incorporates this startling fact to emphasize how large of an impact the internet can have on one’s decision, even if the credibility is unknown.
News sites play a crucial role in spreading not just false medical information, but false information on a broad range of topics. Warraich discredits journalists for striving for more readers rather than providing reliable information. Warraich suggests “news sites are more likely to cover catchy observational studies than randomized controlled trials, perhaps because the latter are less likely to produce surprising results” (2). Journalists would rather have more readers due to higher interest than fewer readers while spreading correct information. Warraich believes “websites should be held responsible for promoting or hosting fake information” (2). News sites prioritize popularity over accuracy which is the main reason inaccurate information is so prevalent in today’s world; it is more appealing than an article that is factual and honest. Warraich exposes news sites for overlooking what is most important, human health and spreading false information to people who are searching for medical advice.
By including ethos, pathos, and logos, Warraich illustrates the risks of relying on the internet rather than an educated medical professional when seeking medical advice. He establishes ethos by sharing his medical background as a cardiologist and being an author of a book pertaining to cardiac diseases. Furthermore, he uses pathos by including an emotional story he witnessed with a patient of his, so the audience is concerned and alarmed of what can occur when choosing to believe the internet. Finally, he uses logos, or statistics, that validate the effect false information has on a large population and to uncover what is really seen as a priority in the eyes of a news site. He effectively exhibits the dangers of trusting the internet. A part of a doctor’s job is to answer our questions, they want to help people. People need to close WebMD and pick up the phone to call their doctors.
