ALLERGY AND IMMUNOLOGY misinformation receives high engagement and little correction online, according to new analysis.
Researchers found that 62% of top comments were supportive or neutral towards the misinformation.
Lead author Samira Jeimy, Western University, Ontario, Canada, said: “Patients are arriving in clinic already influenced by what they’ve seen on social media.
“We found that the most engaging allergy/immunology social media content is often the least accurate, especially those around natural remedies and IgG testing.
“Understanding these patterns helps us meet patients where they are and respond more effectively.”
Methodology
The research team conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 347 publicly available social media posts “containing demonstrably false or misleading claim” from platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and X between January and March 2025.
They then identified posts with more than 500 interactions using systematic keyword searches and analysed themes of misinformation by independent reviewers.
Public sentiment was assessed through examination of the top-ranked comments on the social media posts.
Misinformation was defined as “health-related claims that contradicted established guidelines or consensus positions from authoritative allergy and immunology organisations”.
Key Misinformation Themes
Authors identified five key misinformation themes: natural/alternative cures, IgG testing endorsement, medications fearmongering, food allergy misrepresentation, and pharmaceutical conspiracy.
Natural/alternative cures was the most prevalent theme, featured in 31% of examined posts.
IgG testing endorsement was included in 24%, and medication fearmongering in 18%.
Pharmaceutical conspiracy showed the most pronounced platform bias, concentrated on X at 19% and Facebook at 17% of examined posts.
Further, 2,151 of the top 3,470 comments were supportive or neutral toward misinformation content, whilst only 18% challenged false claims.
Clinical Implications
The American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology reported that the prevalence of allergy and immunology misinformation on social media can be harmful for patients, with the study concluding it is potentially “compromising evidence-based patient care”.
Awareness of these patterns of online misinformation can enable clinicians to develop mitigating strategies with a view to providing accurate, safe information for their patients and supporting critical education efforts.
Reference
Khadija U, Vohra-Miller S, Jeimy S. Allergy misinformation across social media platforms: content analysis and public response. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2026;14(4):952–958.
Featured image: chinnarach on Adobe Stock
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