“TikTok Doctors Sway Gen Z More Than Personal Physicians, VCU Study Finds” — what this page in the network covers. Young adults on TikTok trust physician influencers more than their own doctors, even when those influencers are selling products and their medical credentials are unverified, according to new research from Virginia Commonwealth University. The study, co-authored by Suzanne Makarem, Ph.D., and published in the Journal of Consumer Affairs, surveyed Gen Z followers of popular medical TikTokers. Respondents rated the online personalities as more accessible, credible, and altruistic than their personal physicians.
Notably, followers had not confirmed whether the influencers were actually licensed to practice medicine. The findings raise concerns about health misinformation and the commercial exploitation of trust on social media. As TikTok continues to shape health attitudes among younger generations, the gap between perceived and actual expertise becomes a critical public health issue. The full version stays on the original page, which this listing opens directly.