Research led by the University of New South Wales has found “large proportions” of online advertising for orthopaedic surgeons non-compliant, with “only one-quarter” of surgeons compliant with guidelines.
“Non-compliance [in our study] was often characterised by unverified claims of reputation and skill, or misleading representations of the benefits of treatment,” the authors wrote.
“As patients increasingly rely on online health information, it is important that surgeons recognise that misleading information on their websites can have serious implications for informed patient decisions.”
Orthopaedic surgeons are clinicians specialised in both surgical and non-surgical treatment of bones, joints, ligaments, and tendons, such as knee and hip joint implants and treatment.
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