TRANSCRIPT

28 APRIL 2026

The risks of relying on TikTok or AI for health advice

AMA Queensland President Dr Nick Yim spoke to 4BC Brisbane about the growing trend of Australians turning to social media and AI to help manage health concerns.

Transcript: AMA Queensland President, Dr Nick Yim, 4BC Brisbane, Drive with Gary Hardgrave, Tuesday 28 April 2026

Subject: Turning to TikTok and AI for health advice

GARY HARDGRAVE: I guess every time we turn around, the cost of living is hitting us in all sorts of new and unexpected ways and now it's actually changing how a lot of people are making serious decisions about their health and indeed for their kids. This is worrying. We talked about fin-fluencers, people who are influencing people in their financial decisions, going onto the internet to check stuff out. I talked yesterday briefly about Dr Google, but new research is showing Australian parents are increasingly skipping the general practice and turning to Dr TikTok and AI tools for medical advice. This is crazy stuff. I mean, really, you're going to leave it to that sort of chance? Look, I don't know whether it's time pressures, I guess there's a  co-payment consultation, but really you've got to have a good GP. I've got a great one who I go to and trust and I don't mind paying what is a pretty modest co-payment to get access to this terrific doctor. But there are risks associated with using that sort of approach. For a diagnosis of what's going on, just go to your doctor. Dr.Nick Yim from the AMA Queensland joins us. Good to talk to you always, Doctor. I mean, seriously, health hacks, people advising themselves based on their guesstimate. This is dangerous stuff.

DR NICK YIM: Good afternoon, Gary. And you're spot on on this one. It is really concerning and it's something where a lot of the influencers, things on social media, the reels, the TikToks, we don't actually know who's behind the camera, what are their qualifications, where are they getting their research from and does it actually work? But the key thing as you say to go catch up with your trusted GP at your family medical practice.

GARY HARDGRAVE: Look, I swear by my GP, I do say to you, without naming him, that he's also expressed to me he's tired, he finds the whole system, the medical system, difficult, onerous and really wearing out a great GP. We've got to look after our GPs and if it means we're going to spend a bit of money just to get that check-up, maybe every couple of months, even if we're not feeling bad, I can't see a problem here.

DR NICK YIM: This is something that we are seeing, and I must admit, we do need to embrace digital technology. We have to embrace AI. I think a few months ago we spoke about, say, digital note taking, all those things, I think they're important, that's going to improve our efficiencies. But I think one of the key things here is having that trusted relationship with a regular GP. You can touch base to have those discussions to detect diabetes early, detect heart disease, COPD and also detect those cancers. So, I think it's really important to have that space.

GARY HARDGRAVE: So, the idea of sort of a Dr TikTok being better than nothing seems to be the sort of excuse people use. It's still a guesstimate. And I know doctors sometimes don't always automatically say, oh, yeah, that means this, but it could be, let's get a test. I mean, they're all consequences of that regular touch with your doctor. But even down to some of the ads you're seeing on Facebook and other social media sites saying, take this vitamin if you want to do this, and this vitamin is good for that. I can't even talk about those things without saying, advice of a general nature. Talk to your health practitioner. That's the point, isn't it? Talk to your health practitioner.

DR NICK YIM: I think the other key thing to highlight there is what we see on social media, what we see on the reels is what are their ulterior motives, do they have a product to sell? Are they going to be financially incentivised and what are the repercussions if they get it wrong? I think it's one of those things, whilst we all wish that there was a magic pill to fix everything, we need to take the history into examination. Instead, there's an alternative diagnosis and that's where your GP comes in handy.

GARY HARDGRAVE: People also turning to AI for mental health support almost as much as they're seeing a psychologist. The concept of technology, maybe it might give you a hint saying, that could be this. Maybe you should go and talk to somebody. Do you think maybe those who are peddling this stuff on social media need to have that, that caveat, saying, this is advice of a general nature. If you've got a twinge or a bad thought, go and talk to somebody. Surely there should be disclaimers now required if they're going to be on social media?

DR NICK YIM: I think we do. It's something where we don't know what their underlying qualifications are. I think many resources out there on the Internet can be really beneficial, but we need to lean towards our trusted sources. So, definitely a lot of associations, a lot of the government websites, they do have evidence-based tools to help. Mental health tools, for example, some of the online tools are really helpful as a stopgap until we get that appointment. At the same time, as you alluded to, with cost of living pressures, those stopgaps are helpful, but I think we need to know what the sources are from and where the evidence is from.

GARY HARDGRAVE: And of course it is the World Wide Web, that's what the WWW stand for. So, World Wide Web means that they might be getting advice out of America. And I was recently in the United States and they were actually encouraging people to go and do the things we automatically get after a certain age, things like bowel testing and so forth. I mean the examples overseas don't necessarily relate to Australia and yet Australians are following advice from overseas. This is, this is so dangerous.

DR NICK YIM: And on the plus side, I think there are elements where overseas guidelines, Australia does rely on, say American or European guidelines in some areas. But the concerning thing is there may be treatments overseas that might not be available and they're very good reasons. There might be tests that aren't available in Australia. So, it does potentially add confusion to the mix. And I think that's something where it's really important to speak to someone. It's actually based in Australia because we know the Australian healthcare system, which is actually a really good system.

GARY HARDGRAVE: Well, look at the years and has got some pluses and minuses, but more pluses than minuses. And I think we all have to play a role and one of them is to realise if something's off, you need to go and talk to somebody. Don't just simply AI it or Google it. And I get it, some people might think it's better than nothing. But cost of living crisis, this is, this is a cost of life crisis if we get this wrong.

DR NICK YIM: And if we delay that diagnosis, delay that treatment, often it will be more costly down the line.

GARY HARDGRAVE: No doubt about it. Good to talk to you. Dr Nick Yim, he's the President of the AMAQ.