Majority of Doctors Report Intervening After Patients Received AI-Generated Health Misinformation: Survey

Medical equipment inside the trauma bay photographed during simulation training at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto on Aug. 13, 2019. The Canadian Press/Tijana Martin

Canadian physicians are increasingly stepping in to prevent or address negative outcomes after patients accessed inaccurate or misleading health information online, including from AI-generated advice, a new study suggests.

Ninety-seven percent of doctors surveyed by research firm Abacus Data for the Canadian Medical Association reported encountering such challenges, many arising from guidance patients obtained from artificial intelligence.

Thirty-four percent of the 645 practicing physicians who completed the survey between April 6 and 13 reported dealing with consequences from patients following online advice “often” while 45 percent said it happens “sometimes.”

An additional 92 percent of the doctors who were polled said disconnected health systems, such as the inability to easily share patient records, test results, or clinical notes, also impact their ability to provide care. Sixty-six percent of respondents said this happens often, compared to 26 percent who said it happens sometimes, 6 percent who said it rarely happens, and 1 percent who said it never happens.

Nearly half of the doctors polled—48 percent—said they have seen a patient experience serious adverse health consequences including disease progression or missed diagnoses as a result of these disconnected systems.

Canadian Medical Association (CMA) president Dr. Margot Burnell has described the situation as “concerning.”

“Doctors face an uphill battle trying to provide timely patient care when they are routinely dealing with health systems that cannot communicate with each other and when patients are inundated with false health information that can lead to unintended harms,” Burnell said in a press release. “We need modern, connected digital health systems and stronger federal action to promote trusted health information.”

Health Care and AI

The doctors’ concerns about AI follows a poll published by the CMA in February. The 2026 Health and Media Tracking Survey found that 89 percent of the 5,000 Canadians who responded get health information online.

Exposure to erroneous health information was generally stable across all age groups surveyed, but there was a marked increase among baby boomers accessing such information since 2024, the study found. Boomers’ exposure to false health information rose from 47 percent in 2024 to 58 percent this year.

Despite the increase, Generation Z and millennials were more likely to use AI to diagnose and treat a health issue, at 70 percent and 71 percent respectively.

Seventy-eight percent of Canadians searching for health information online are inquiring about a health condition or symptom, the survey found. Seventy-one percent are looking for treatment options for a specific ailment or condition while 59 percent are seeking out tips for managing chronic conditions or diseases.

Survey respondents said there are several reasons for turning to Google, ChatGTP, or other platforms for health care answers. Eighty percent said it is the fastest way to get answers and 66 percent said it’s more convenient.

Another 58 percent said going online offers a greater amount of information and perspectives compared to speaking with a health-care professional.

Fifty-seven percent said they turn to online information due to a lack of access to in-person health care and 45 percent said it is often as accurate as speaking to a health care professional.

Despite the growing use of online health care resources, only 27 percent of survey respondents said they trust AI to provide accurate health-care information.

But Canadians also appear skeptical of what are more traditionally trusted sources. Sixty-nine percent of those polled said they didn’t have trust in health information online “even if it’s from a source I should trust” and 49 percent said they were more skeptical of medical advice “from my own health care providers.”