Opinion: AMA CEO: Deepfake doctors are a threat to public health

Back to news list

Source: STAT News

Original: https://www.statnews.com/2026/02/17/deepfake-doctors-scam-ama/?utm_campaign=rss...

Published: Tue, 17 Feb 2026 09:30:00 +0000

Videos of famous doctors recommending various medical products appear on social media, but these are fake videos created with the help of artificial intelligence[1]. Fraudsters use deepfake technology to clone the faces and voices of real doctors without their knowledge and consent to promote ineffective dietary supplements, fake weight loss drugs and other dubious products[1]. These fake videos reach millions of views on platforms like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok[2][3]. The problem is particularly dangerous for elderly patients, who have more difficulty distinguishing real content from artificial[1]. John Whyte, CEO of the American Medical Association (AMA), warns that these frauds threaten patients' trust in the medical profession and weaken the ability to protect public health[1][3]. The AMA has adopted a policy to support federal legislation and regulations to protect patients and physicians from this technology[3].