YouTube has started verifying health workers in the UK.
The Google-owned video sharing platform has announced that for users in the UK, they want to help those accessing healthcare information by verifying those who post videos concerning health and wellbeing in an effort to "elevate" the content and stop misinformation.
Vishaal Virani, lead of health content for YouTube, told the BBC: "Whether we like it or not, whether we want it or not, whether the health industry is pushing for it or not, people are accessing health information online. We need to do as good a job as possible to bring rigour to the content that they are subsequently consuming when they do start their care journey online. We want to create an environment where those who are experts, who are authorities, are able to elevate the content that they are creating."
However, the concept of watching a medical YouTuber explain health issues in a video is not intended to replace using the service of GP
Dr Simi Adedeji, a YouTuber who focuses on skin health and women's health, explained: I'm able to talk about some of the embarrassing topics that women are often too embarrassed to talk about, that sometimes they were too embarrassed to even bring up in a consultation with their doctor.
"Being able to create content like this makes it really accessible for the audience, and helps in terms of reducing the health anxiety that people might sometimes have, because they're able to have some information that's digestible in easy, understandable language. There's a difference between giving medical education - which is what we're doing - and giving medical advice - which we don't do. It's about giving medical information so that the audience feels empowered and can then go and see their doctor.
"This is very much complementary, it does not replace your consultation with your doctor."
