"Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust said that the videos, found on social media platforms like Facebook and TikTok, "falsely claim a number of our clinicians are using and endorsing these products". The videos, which show doctors applying weight loss patches to their bodies and losing weight over a period of time, appear to be AI-generated, the Trust said, and do not show doctors who work there."
"Speaking to the BBC, deputy chief medical officer, Dr Daghni Rajasingam at the Trust said staff were "actively working" to try and get the videos taken down. "They are fraudulent and they're misleading," Rajasingam said. "NHS clinicians would never endorse or promote commercial products such as this." The doctor urged the public to seek health advice on weight loss from "trusted NHS sources". "We have to be aware that AI-generated images can be very good," she added."
"Graham Barrows, a financial crime expert and presenter of The Dark Money Files podcast, told the BBC the adverts themselves, and the social media accounts sharing the content, were all "baloney". When asked why the videos were created, Barrows said it came down to money. "This product that they're advertising, you can actually buy on reputable online market places," he said, adding that he believed the consumer might actually receive the product, if ordered, but urged caution."
Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust issued an alert after fraudulent videos circulated online claiming clinicians endorsed weight-loss products. The videos, found on platforms such as Facebook and TikTok, show people portrayed as doctors applying weight-loss patches and losing weight over time but appear AI-generated and do not depict actual trust staff. Trust staff are working to have the videos removed and warned that NHS clinicians would not promote commercial products. The trust advised seeking weight-loss advice from trusted NHS sources. A financial crime expert described the adverts and accounts as baloney, suggested a profit motive, and urged caution.
#ai-generated-deepfakes #false-medical-endorsements #weight-loss-products #social-media-misinformation
Read at www.bbc.com
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