Reliance on ‘YouTube Videos’ for Cancer Treatment Dangerous: Study

75% of the videos fully described the benefits of various treatments, only 53% captured potential side effects.

The most popular YouTube videos on cancer treatment offer misleading or biased medical information that poses potential health risks to patients, researchers have warned.

The study, on 150 most-viewed YouTube videos on prostrate cancer, found that 77 per cent had factual errors or biased content in either the video or its comments section.

While 75 per cent of the videos fully described the benefits of various treatments, only 53 per cent sufficiently captured potential harms and side effects.

Another 19 per cent recommended alternative or complimentary therapies that are largely unproven.