Prescription Drug Promotion by Social Media Influencers
This systematic scoping review study of prescription drug promotion by influencers found that such promotion carried risks of inaccurate or misleading advice, often amplified through personal and emotionally resonant narratives in an environment with limited oversight and enforcement. Despite the small and fragmented evidence base, these findings highlight the urgent need for updated regulatory guidance, standardized and enforceable disclosure requirements, stronger platform accountability, and targeted digital literacy initiatives. Policymakers and researchers should act proactively to safeguard public health.
Authors
- Raffael Heiss (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8744-0871)
- Steven Woloshin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2311-1005)
- Sascha Gell (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5204-1523)
- Erin Willis (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1582-0867)
- Elaina Vitale (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2302-6986)
- Sneha Dave
Institutions
- Dartmouth College (US)
- Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice (US)
- University of Vienna (AT)
- University of Colorado System (US)
- Management Center Innsbruck (AT)
Publication Details
- Journal
- JAMA Network Open
- Published
- 2026-03-23
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.2738
- Primary Topic
- Social Media in Health Education
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00