We’ve all done it: it’s late at night, you notice a bump, a red patch, or a tickle, and you pull out your phone. Answers are just a few searches away, so why not take a look?
For many, that immediacy and the potential for reassurance is a major draw. But, as we all know, looking for reliable health information online can be like entering a maze. How far down the rabbit hole should we wander? Who can we trust?
So far, it seems, the answer is we can’t trust much we find online. A 2024 survey found that about 55% of UK adults feel they cannot trust the health information they find online (1). It would be easy, but totally impractical, to simply say “just speak to your doctor”. So let’s explore some of the key challenges faced by those who brave the web in search of answers, and wrap things off with 5 things to bear in mind when looking for trustworthy health information online.
Firstly, there are good reasons to go online
Used well, the internet can complement a professional’s advice quite well. The web offers round‑the‑clock access to a vast library of medical explanations and patient experiences, letting you get up to speed before an appointment or simply satisfy a late‑night curiosity.
Because you’re behind a screen, you can also explore sensitive topics without fear of judgment. While patient communities can reduce isolation and offer practical tips for managing chronic conditions.
The flip side to that convenience
Simply put, without a way to judge quality, you can quickly end up on sites written by non‑experts or organisations with a hidden agenda. Taking this kind of misinformation at its face value isn’t just confusing, it can be dangerous. Some may ignore serious symptoms as a result, or even stop taking medication they’ve been prescribed by a clinician. Inaccurate content can also encourage over testing and over treatment.
And there’s the emotional cost: repetitive searching can magnify anxiety, making you fixate on worst‑case scenarios or overestimate the likelihood of rare conditions. The impact misleading health information can have on your mental wellbeing is such a concern that it’s actually got a name - Cyberchondria.
Cyberchondria: escalating health anxiety
If you’ve ever gone from a mild headache to rare tumours in just a few clicks, you’re not alone. Researchers have named this spiral as cyberchondria. A blend of “cyber” and “hypochondriasis”.
A 2026 review of 42 published studies into cyberchondria suggests that as many as 30% of those who search for health information online become affected (2). It’s fuelled by existing health anxiety, depression or stress, and is marked by a compulsive need to seek reassurance, repeatedly scanning websites for new explanations or posting in forums. This loop can lead to inaccurate self‑diagnosis, self‑medication and increase anxiety. Ultimately negatively affecting the individual’s health at a time when they should be seeking professional advice and treatment.
We’re not the first to ask, “is this website legit?”
Multiple health agencies and organisations have long offered advice on how to evaluate medical information found online. The NHS’s Misinformation UnMASKED campaign and, in the US, MedlinePlus offer practical guidelines on checking authors, evidence, recency, and spotting hidden agendas. These are must reads for anyone who finds themselves looking for health information online.
That being said, they do focus primarily on static websites and don’t fully address the different channels you can go to for health information in 2026. We’re talking, of course, about social media and artificial intelligence chat bots.
Emerging issues to navigate
Dr.Algorithm
Let’s start with social media. Social feeds make it easier than ever to encounter health claims, both helpful and harmful. The algorithms that choose what you see are designed to maximise engagement and therefore tend to prioritise sensational content over balanced, evidence‑based information.
The National Academy of Medicine warns that these algorithms rarely differentiate between credible and non‑credible sources (3). At its worst, this can manifest as a health misinformation echo chamber, where low‑quality information is repeatedly reinforced. Not convinced? A study of nearly 1,000 posts about medical tests on TikTok and Instagram found that most were misleading and rarely mentioned potential harms or over diagnosis (4).
Social media can and will continue to be a valid source of some information. But we should not forget that it is designed to grab our attention first and foremost, not to provide accurate, evidence based health information.
Dr.Chatbot
AI‑powered search results and chatbots are the newest entrants. They promise quick answers in natural language, and they are already taking a major role in how many understand their health, and the creators of these systems are quickly moving to capitalise on this emerging trend.
At the time of writing OpenAI is in the process of rolling out ChatGPT Health, their dedicated service for AI powered health information, to a selection of users in the US. Due to stricter regulatory requirements in the EU and UK, the service won’t be available to OpenAI’s entire customer base for some time.
OpenAI, compared to some of their competitors like xAI, appear to take safety seriously and acknowledge that ensuring their products don’t cause harm is and will continue to be an ongoing effort. It’s beyond the scope of this article to dive in any further, apart from wagging a warning finger and saying that this is still considered by many to be a black box technology, meaning that we still do not fully understand how these systems work, and should be used with caution. OpenAI’s piece on “AI scheming” gives a taste of some of the fundamental safety issues they are currently grappling with.
What about the people using these systems? A 2024 survey found that about one in six adults consult an AI chatbot for health information at least monthly, yet only a third feel confident that the answers are accurate (5). This is somewhat positive, in that a large proportion of those talking to AI chat bots about their health are maintaining a healthy level of scepticism.
5 ways to find reliable health information online in 2026
So, you’re back on your phone, wanting to find out a little more about a particular something that’s been niggling at you. What can you bear in mind when navigating this world of influencers, AI bots and unregulated websites?
#1 Follow the evidence, not just the headline
Good health information usually shows its working. Look for references to studies, clinical guidelines or recognised organisations. A really strong signal is when you can find a detailed editorial policy, which outlines a publication process which includes clinicians reviewing the material (see Patient Info’s Editorial Policy as an example).
Even with these sources, it’s important to check when the page was last updated. In health, evidence evolves and advice from five or ten years ago may no longer reflect current best practice.
NHS - Health A to Z
Patient Info
Mayo Clinic
Cleveland Health Essentials
#2 Don’t rely on a single search result or answer
The first answer you find isn’t always the most balanced one. If something sounds alarming, surprising or overly simple, take a minute to compare it with guidance from established organisations like the NHS or recognised medical bodies. Consistency across reputable sources is usually a good sign.
#3 Use the internet to inform, not diagnose
It’s easy to move from a mild symptom to worst-case scenarios in a few clicks. Search engines and AI tools often list every possible cause without showing how likely each one is, which can quickly heighten anxiety. If your searching is making you more worried rather than more informed, that’s a cue to step back and, if needed, speak to a clinician.
#4 Your social feeds aren’t neutral
Social media platforms are designed to show you content that keeps you engaged. That often means bold claims, emotional stories or eye-catching headlines travel further than nuanced, evidence-based explanations. Popular doesn’t mean accurate.
#5 Use AI for orientation, not decisions
AI chatbots can summarise information quickly and explain unfamiliar terms. But they can also sound confident even when they’re wrong. If you use them, treat the response as a starting point and check important claims against trusted sources.
References
(1) ICJ - Half of UK adults struggling to access trusted health information
(2) - National Library of Medicine - Prevalence and Associated Factors of Cyberchondria: A Scoping Review
(3) National Academy of Medicine - Identifying Credible Sources of Health Information in Social Media: Principles and Attributes
(4) Jama Network - Social Media Posts About Medical Tests With Potential for Overdiagnosis
(5) KFF - Health Misinformation Tracking Poll: Artificial Intelligence and Health Information
