Canal Detox: The Inserm Series Against Health Fake News

Does fasting really help fight cancer? Can a collagen cure really relieve your joint pain? If you want to separate fact from fiction among all the information circulating on the Internet and social media regarding health, a tool can help you. The Canal Détox series, created by Inserm, deciphers the claims circulating online to better combat misinformation.

What is Canal Detox?

Canal Détox is a YouTube channel created in 2018 by the National Institute of Health and Medical Research. Its purpose is to alert the general public to the dangers of fake news in the field of health.

On the Internet, false information spreads quickly, particularly those that provide simplistic answers to often complex health questions. It is to counter this phenomenon that Inserm decided to decipher misinformation and help internet users distinguish between truth and falsehood.

What topics are covered on Canal Détox?

In its Canal Détox series, Inserm deciphers misleading or deliberately biased information circulating on the internet and social media in the broad field of health.

This series warns about fake news and miracle products like collagen for joint pain or dietary supplements supposedly preparing the skin for tanning...

Inserm also sheds light on medical news by disseminating verified information on the Mpox or monkeypox epidemic, as well as on melatonin-based dietary supplements that are currently very popular.

Who is Canal Détox for?

With its Canal Détox series, the National Institute of Health and Medical Research aims to reach as many people as possible, including internet users who do not usually visit the Inserm website.

This initiative against health fake news indeed aims to combat misinformation and enhance the value of scientific discourse among the general public.

In the field of health, false information is particularly problematic because it can affect the discernment of internet users and influence them negatively. For example, it can be dangerous to fast to fight cancer when a treatment like chemotherapy already risks causing weight loss and muscle mass reduction in patients.

What can be found on Canal Détox?

Initially launched as a YouTube channel, Canal Détox has become Inserm's more comprehensive response to medical misinformation.

On the official page below, you will find not only short videos that help distinguish fact from fiction on controversial topics but also tips on how to better decipher medical news and verify information circulating on the web regarding science and health.

From mid-September to early October 2024, Inserm launched a national communication campaign in train stations, pharmacies, and subways across France to raise public awareness about medical fake news.

The goal of this campaign was to engage passersby with surprising and quirky messages such as: a carrot smoothie can replace your sunscreen! This claim was accompanied by a QR code linking to verified content on Inserm's website. This poster campaign will be extended by the end of 2024 with videos broadcasted on television, YouTube, and social media.

Through its "Canal Détox" label, Inserm, the leading French national health research organization, encourages citizens to question the information they find on the Internet, to check sources, and to favor reliable scientific sources. In this field more than any other, it is important to exercise discernment because false information can be dangerous for health.