31. How a False Claim Sparks Nationwide Panic Buying of Flu Drugs
In 2022, a famous influencer, Jenna Thompson, based in Los Angeles, falsely promotes a herbal supplement as a miracle cure for a new strain of flu on her social media platforms. Her significant following leads to panic buying across the United States, particularly in major cities like New York and Chicago, and extending all the way from the herbal supplement to approved drugs, wildly circulated on the forums as having similar effects.
Individual outcomes
Individuals like Mark, a pharmacist in Chicago, struggle to keep essential medications in stock, while patients like 65-year-old Maria face risks due to the unavailability of her prescribed medicine. Her conditions worsens and she exhibits increased anxiety due to the uncertainty and fear.
Societal outcomes
Societally, the healthcare system experiences stress, self-medication leads to increased hospitalisations, and there's widespread misinformation about health treatments circulated by people with no medical qualification.
Competences involved in this scenario:
Social systems affected by this scenario:
M6. Claim verification
M7. Evaluation of multiple sources
D1. Content amplification
Public Health Systems
Social Media Platforms
Consumer Protection Agencies