Summary
People who followed AI health advice were five times more likely to experience harm, according to a new CMA survey and 97% of Canadian doctors have had to intervene after patients acted on false information online.
A sweeping new survey released today paints a troubling portrait of Canada’s health information landscape: the country’s doctors are fighting a battle on two fronts. One is against our disconnected health systems, the other an epidemic of online misinformation, and patients are paying the price.
The findings come from Physician Pulse, a joint survey initiative of the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) and Abacus Data, conducted April 6–13, 2026, with 645 practising physicians.
The results are stark. An overwhelming 97% of doctors reported having to intervene to prevent harm or address consequences after a patient followed false or misleading health information found online, including advice generated by artificial intelligence.
When Patients Google Before They Ask
The survey lands at a moment when Canadians are turning to the internet for health information in record numbers. According to the CMA’s 2026 Health and Media Tracking Survey, nearly nine in ten people living in Canada go online for health advice. And the majority, 64%, are encountering false or misleading content when they do.
Eighty percent of Canadians say they go online for health information because it’s the fastest way to get answers. But more concerning is why they feel they have to: 57% said they turn to the internet only because they can’t access a family doctor or other health care professional.
The consequences are tangible. Among Canadians who acted on online health advice, 23% reported experiencing a negative health outcome as a result. And even for those who don’t act on false information, the harm is real. Forty three per centreported experiencing mental distress or increased anxiety from health misinformation alone.
AI Is Making It Worse
The rise of AI tools like ChatGPT and AI-powered search summaries has added a new layer of complexity. Canadians are increasingly using these platforms for health queries, yet only 27% actually trust AI to give accurate health information. They’re using it anyway.
The stakes are significant: people who followed health advice from AI were five times more likely to experience harms than those who did not, according to the 2026 Health and Media Tracking Survey. This is a pattern our own publication has explored in depth. If you’re weighing whether to consult an AI tool about your health, our guide on using AI for healthcare decisions is a useful starting point for understanding the risks and limits involved.
Physicians Are Burned Out And Misinformation Is Part of Why
The toll on doctors isn’t just professional, it’s personal. The CMA’s research shows that navigating patient misinformation is contributing to physician burnout in measurable ways. When patients reject evidence-based care because of something they read online, physicians experience moral distress, a distinct form of emotional strain tied to being unable to act in a patient’s best interest.
According to the CMA’s National Physician Health Survey, 46% of practising doctors and residents are already reporting high levels of burnout, driven by heavy workloads and administrative burden. Misinformation-fuelled consultations add yet another weight to an already strained system.
A System That Can’t Share Information
The Physician Pulse survey also revealed a separate but related systemic failure: 99% of physicians reported that disconnected health systems prevent them from easily sharing patient records, test results, or clinical notes. Nearly half, 48%, said they’ve seen a patient experience serious adverse consequences, including disease progression or missed diagnoses, because of this fragmentation.
In other words, patients are being failed on both ends: they can’t always access a doctor who could guide them to trusted health information, and when they do see a physician, that doctor may not have the full clinical picture they need to provide safe care.
Canada’s Information Environment Is Under Pressure
The broader context matters. Three-quarters of Canadians (77%) say they’re worried about false health information flowing in from the United States, amplified by movements like “Make America Healthy Again” and high-profile figures spreading unverified medical claims. This cross-border concern is creating a spillover effect of skepticism that extends to Canadian health institutions, too.
Sixty-nine percent of Canadians now report some degree of skepticism toward health information they find online, even from sources they normally trust. Trust in health news organizations and provincial public health agencies is declining. Forty percent are neutral, skeptical, or outright distrustful of scientific studies.
Physicians, however, remain one of the most trusted sources for health information, 85% of Canadians surveyed say so. The problem is that millions of people simply can’t get to one.
What the CMA Is Doing About It
In response to these growing concerns, the CMA has launched Healthcare For Real, an online hub designed to answer Canadians’ most common questions about the health system through clear explainers and short-form videos on platforms where younger Canadians spend their time. The initiative draws on the expertise of CMA-affiliated physicians to push back against misinformation in a format built for social media.
The CMA is also bringing physician voices directly to Parliament Hill this week through its new Physician Advocacy Network. Representatives from 11 provincial and territorial medical associations are meeting with federal legislators to press for modern, connected digital health systems and stronger government action on health misinformation.
The CMA’s message: this isn’t just a technology problem or a communications problem, it’s a health system problem. As long as millions of Canadians lack access to a primary care provider, they’ll keep turning to the internet for answers. And as long as the internet keeps serving up misinformation, the health consequences will grow.
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