Medical misinformation in mass and social media: an urgent call for action, especially during epidemics.

Chrousos, George P; Mentis, Alexios-Fotios A

Grounded in solid epidemiologic investigations and rigorous statistical approaches, Evidence-based Medicine has now been widely recognized as the mainstream pathway leading correct clinical practice, development of guidelines and ensuring patient safety, while protecting society from medical misconceptions and malpractice. Over the last fifteen years, numerous studies have analyzed the standards and quality of scientific research -a field known as meta-research to improve the rigor of Evidence-based Medicine.