177: The Relaxback UK Show with Mike Dilke & guest Alex Ruani a Doctoral Researcher in health-diet misinformation at UCL177: The Relaxback UK Show with Mike Dilke & guest Alex Ruani a Doctoral Researcher in health-diet misinformation at UCL
UK Health Radio Podcast
Host Mike Dilk talks with researcher Alex Ruani about how cancer misinformation spreads online, why it can be dangerous, and how the TRUST test can help people assess health claims more safely. The conversation focuses on practical ways patients, families and healthcare professionals can handle confusing diet and supplement advice around cancer.
35:35•4 Aug 2026
Cancer Misinformation, Social Media Hype and the TRUST Test
Episode Overview
- Engagement, likes and shares are not evidence and shouldn’t be treated as proof that health advice is reliable.
- A small number of highly emotional, anti-medicine influencer accounts can spread disproportionate amounts of harmful cancer misinformation.
- Abandoning evidence-based cancer treatment in favour of alternative therapies can significantly increase the risk of death, even for curable cancers.
- The TRUST test offers a simple way to judge online health claims by checking for realism, research, understanding of risk, source quality and whether to share.
- Frontline healthcare staff and patients alike need better support and communication skills to handle the flood of misleading diet and supplement information.
“"We tend to assign more credibility when we see something that has, you know, millions of millions of reactions. That engagement does not mean evidence."”
Ever wondered what it takes to spot dodgy health advice online? This Relaxback UK Show episode tackles that head-on as host Mike Dilk chats with Alex Ruani, a Doctoral Researcher at University College London who has spent nearly a decade studying health and diet misinformation, especially around cancer. You’ll hear Alex explain how emotionally charged content and social media algorithms help extreme claims about cancer cures spread far faster than evidence-based guidance.
She points out how a tiny number of "super spreader" accounts can dominate feeds and shape beliefs, even though they rarely reflect medical consensus. As she puts it, "We tend to assign more credibility when we see something that has, you know, millions of millions of reactions.
That engagement does not mean evidence." The conversation digs into why vulnerable people might turn to influencers and alternative treatments, including stories of fake cancer survivors and dangerous products like bleach-based "miracle" drinks or colloidal silver drops. Alex shares how such advice can tempt patients to abandon proven cancer treatment, with research suggesting the risk of dying can double when curable cancers are treated only with alternative therapies.
For anyone who’s confused by online health claims, the episode offers a practical lifeline: the TRUST test. Alex talks through this simple checklist to help you judge whether advice is realistic, research-backed, transparent about risks, supported by quality sources, and worth sharing. She also highlights worrying data showing many frontline NHS staff regularly encounter misleading nutrition and supplement claims and don’t always feel confident about what’s accurate.
This is a calm, clear conversation for anyone affected by cancer, supporting someone who is, or simply trying to make sense of health content online. It’s all about helping you protect yourself and ask that crucial question: "What could go wrong if I follow this advice?"
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