Where misinformation about patient health actually comes from

A new survey from The Physicians Foundation asked more than 1,000 U.S. physicians where the misinformation reaching their patients originates. This slideshow presents eight sources that stood out, from occasional contributors to the channel physicians cite most. The findings matter well beyond any one specialty: independent and small-to-medium primary care practices, where physicians have the least staff and time to spare, are the ones most exposed to the fallout. All data come from The Physicians Foundation’s 2026 “Survey of America's Physicians: Misinformation and the Erosion of Trust in American Health Care,” conducted with Medscape.