YouTube is striving to make it easier for people to discover trustworthy and high-quality health information. It is making its health product features available to some healthcare practitioners and information providers in the United States. It began providing these elements to educational institutions, public health departments, hospitals, and government agencies last year. “This new step will enable us to grow to incorporate high-quality material from a broader set of healthcare channels,” stated Dr. Garth Graham, worldwide head of YouTube Health, in a blog post.
Labels under videos clearly identify that the content is from a healthcare expert or an approved organization, among other things. When a user searches for a phrase like “bipolar” or “breast cancer,” they may find a carousel of videos towards the top of the search results with the caption “From health sources.”
According to YouTube, healthcare workers may apply for the program beginning today. They’ll need to provide verification of their medical license and that their YouTube account is active. They must also adhere to the best standards for exchanging health information established by the Council of Medical Specialty Societies, the National Academy of Medicine, and the World Health Organization. YouTube intends to expand the initiative to new markets and medical specializations.
It is naturally beneficial to assist individuals in obtaining trustworthy health information from a recognized specialist. Given the COVID-19 and vaccination disinformation that has been rampant on the site in recent years, YouTube will have to tread carefully with this initiative. Meanwhile, YouTube warns users not to take health-related content from recognized experts as medical advice (and nor will the videos apply to everyone). If you have a medical issue, you should still call a healthcare practitioner and, if necessary, contact emergency services.
